Over the coming weeks, Wendy Wootton will be travelling around the country investigating our Quality Principles to see how they work within a practical setting. She will be posting regular blogs on her findings. We join her at the start of her adventure…
From the moment I heard about the
Sing Up Quality Principles, I was hooked! It is the sort of quality work which really interests me and I knew that I wanted to be part of it. I was fascinated by how the theory relates to the practice – does it apply to actual singing sessions? Are there other aspects that weren’t considered? When Ed Milner, Sing Up Workforce Development Director, contacted me looking for someone to identify these principles in practice, I jumped at the opportunity!
My background is predominantly in Music Services. Having had experience of working in partnership with Sing Up, I have never ceased to be amazed by the variety of projects and the impact the work is having. In our first meeting, Ed and I talked about how I would visit some of these outstanding projects and consider if the principles were definitive for each setting. Having recently moved to Durham with my husband for his new job, I had the flexibility
(and enthusiasm!) to accept.
In reality, the road ahead will be long. I’ll be travelling around the country observing the principles both in isolation and in harmony. I will also have to try and identify other qualities which may not have been considered. It will be a challenge, but I am ready to explore – and see if the theory fits the practice!
I really want your help too! I don’t want my blogs to be the final say on the Quality debate. As I visit different projects and post my blogs, it would be great to hear your thoughts and ideas on how you approach singing leadership. Is there anything special that you think I should be looking out for on my travels?
As both a vocal leader and a participant in vocal workshops and training – one of the key things that makes for good vocal leadership is knowing your group. This involves planning, but it also means knowing, mid-delivery, if something is working or not. As a leader, there is no point battling a point with your group – if it is a one-off, leave it, if it is a regular session, come back to it another time. Access to repertoire is vital – break up the session with a fun vocal tag and come back to the hard stuff when everyone is relaxed.
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Knowing what your group can do and will enjoy is obviously important, but the most vital thing to keep them coming back is a cheerful, encouraging attitude, so that everyone has fun and develops in confidence as well as singing ability.
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