#1. It’s too hard:

It’s true, singing can be hard work, physically, mentally, and emotionally. But this is why choir is great – you don’t have to go it alone. In choir there is always someone willing to help you, whether it’s staying in tune, reading your music, or keeping in time with the accompaniment. Choir is a great place to learn, and to be surrounded by others who are learning too!

#2. You have to already be good at singing to join:

While there are some groups that are auditioned, and some groups do require prior singing knowledge, that’s not true of every group. We are pleased to be a non-auditioned choir, because we believe that everyone can be taught to sing, and most of all that anyone who enjoys singing should be able to do it!
But don’t be scared off if you do find a choir that requires an audition – often the audition process is really just to find out more about your instrument – your range, and timbre, and what you know about music already. Many choirs are ‘teaching choirs’, so just because it says there’s an audition, it doesn’t mean you won’t get in, if you don’t know much about singing yet!

#3. You have to sing and dance and act:

While there are some groups who sing and dance (show choirs or glee clubs generally), most classical choirs do not sing and dance. While there are some pieces that have movement, or we may decide stylistically to add some movement, generally choir is about sound production above all else, so singing is the number one objective of a choir.

#4. It costs a lot of money:

Choral programs can sometimes be expensive, because there are many elements that make up choral programs – conductors, accompanists, music fees, rehearsal space rental, and uniform costs are just a few. Still, the CCC is proud to offer a low cost program, for exceptional instruction, with no mandatory fundraising. We believe in accessibility, which means that we also offer scholarships, and options for choristers who need some extra help.

#5. Choirs only sing old, boring music:

There are many choirs who sing classical music, but that’s not the only repertoire that they sing. As well, just because a choir sings using ‘classical’ technique, that doesn’t mean that they only sing classical repertoire.
The CCC has sung many classical pieces, but we’re also big fans of folk music, pop music, jazz, and modern music. We also love supporting local musicians and composers, and we have even performed songs written and arranged by our own choristers! You can check out our YouTube Channel to hear examples of the many different kinds of music we sing!

What are some other misconceptions about choir? Tell us in the comments below!

Singing is difficult for many reasons, but one of the hardest things to deal with is how personal our voices are to every individual singer. Each voice is unique to that person, and as such, singers have an extra level of difficulty to deal with when learning how to use their instruments. Here are three ways to deal with imperfection in singing.

#1. Mistakes are expected:

Making a mistake in singing, or having your voice not respond in the way you’d like shouldn’t be considered a source of embarrassment. Our voices don’t come out of a manufacturing plant, or a production line, as many other instruments do. Our instruments are also not only affected by weather, and temperature, but also by the food we consume, and even how we’re feeling each day. This means that from day to day our voices can sound different. ‘Mistakes’ or variations in our voices are not only expected, but natural, which is why we spend a lot of time discussing how to manage our voices, instead of trying to control them.

#2. Something new:

Sometimes, what seems like an imperfection actually becomes a part of something new. Take pitch bending for example. In Classical music, singing in tune, with a high degree of accuracy is essential. ‘Scooping’ (dragging sound from one note to another) is not regarded as good technique. However, in pop music, and much of jazz, scooping, or pitch bending is considered essential, and is a skill to be developed in its own right! What is regarded as imperfection in one style, can be essential in another style!

#3. Individuality:

The individuality, and unique quality of our voices, which can sometimes feel imperfect, because they do not conform to any one sound, actually contribute to making our music feel more human. There is plenty of research to show how positively humans are conditioned to react to the sound of human voices, even from the womb.
This means that the very imperfections, which we sometimes criticize ourselves for, are the very things that set our instruments apart from others, as well as what makes people so intrigued by, and musically responsive to, the human voice.

What are some other tips to helps us with imperfection in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

The human voice, though one of the most powerful instruments, is also an extremely delicate instrument, and can be adversely affected by any number of seemingly innocuous forces. Here are three tips to help you protect your singing voice:

#1. No screaming:

This is, hopefully obvious, but people frequently misuse their voices; by raising their voice, by not supporting their sound, or even by talking too much. There are a number of ways to misuse the voice, but in general people know when they’re doing it. So if you know you’re going to be talking a lot, make sure to hydrate really well the day before. And if you must scream, make sure you support that scream with excellent breath management techniques.

#2. Coughing:

Although coughing can sometimes feel helpful, and can sometimes feel involuntary, excessive coughing, or even clearing your throat can be wearing on your voice. As much as possible, try to swallow if your throat feels irritated, instead of coughing. You can also try a throat lozenge, or some tea with honey!

#3. Sing!

Using our voice regularly, and with good technique is one of the best ways to protect our instruments! By making use of your voice habitually, you will condition it, as well as the important muscles used in good breath management, to work well for you. Singers who frequently sing have improved breath flow, posture, and even improved circulation. Protect your singing voice by using it!

How else can you protect your singing voice? Tell us in the comments below!

Singing is wonderful for a number of reasons, but here are three slightly unusual reasons why we love to sing!

#1. It’s hard!

This may seem like an odd reason to love something, but the truth is that singing is difficult. It’s difficult physically; from breath management, to core support, and projection. Singing is difficult mentally – from learning songs in different languages, to text analysis and memorization, and it’s also difficult psychologically, in how we think about our unique voice and sound.

But engaging in difficult activities is wonderful for us, and gives us something to strive for. The feeling of accomplishment, and confidence that comes from tackling a difficult subject and succeeding cannot be overstated! So even though singing is hard – we love it!

#2. It teaches us to think about our body differently:

Because we cannot see the parts of our body that allow us to sing, the way other instrumentalists can look at and manipulate their instruments, singer have to think about their body in a very different way. We teach singers to cast their ‘mind’s eye’ inwards, and to create pictures in their head of what their diaphragm, esophagus, and larynx look like. We also focus on teaching choristers how to make minute adjustments to their mouths, tongue, and lips to create the sound we want.

This incredible focus inwards on our bodies, changes our relationship with our bodies – making us more attuned to slight misalignment, and to the subtle nuanced messages our bodies relay to us.

#3. Singing gives us other life skills:

When we learn how to sing, and to sing well, we aren’t just learning about music and vocalizing. We are learning a variety of other skills that can have a host of benefits in areas other than music.

From presenting information, to meeting deadlines, learning to project our voices, organize our time, and to discipline ourselves towards a goal, singing gives us many skills which will be essential in other areas of our lives.

What are some other unusual reasons you love singing? Tell us in the comments!