Category: Choir

The Importance of Musicianship in Singing

Musicianship is a musical term used to describe the skills a musician possesses related to their aural skills; intonation, ear training. Musicianship is absolutely a skill as well that can be learned, and should be carefully honed. Here are three reasons why musicianship is an essential skill in singing:

#1. Sight singing:

There are few instruments that require a finely honed ear in the way that voice does. Sight singing is a bit of a misnomer, because it really is about hearing, and how a singer’s brain perceives what they are hearing. Understanding the nuances between pitches, and how to ‘translate’ what’s in the sheet music to the voice, is essential to learning how to sight sing well!

#2. Blended sound:

Because of the unique timbre of each individual singer’s voice, blending is an essential aspect of the singing experience. This is compounded when singers come together to create blended choral sound. The objective of choral sound is to make many voices sound as one. This can be achieved when singers make a concerted effort to listen to the voices of others and modify their own sound. Musicianship skills allow singers to not only hear the differences between voices, but to analyze what specifically they must change to accommodate blend.

#3. Versatility:

Musicianship skills allow singers to be incredibly versatile in both the genres they sing, as well as in their own vocal technique. Musicianship is what allows the fantastic pitch bending often found in jazz music, and it is a huge contributor to success in such interesting techniques as two-toned singing.

Why else might musicianship be important in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

September 25, 2017
5 Tips To Help You Get The Most Out of Choir

Starting in choir can be a bit intimidating, particularly if you’re new to music, or to singing. Here are 5 tips to help you get the most out of your choir experience!

#1. Listen:
Choir is different from singing solos, for several important reasons (read more about that here.) But listening is an incredibly important aspect of the choral experience. A chorister needs to listen to the other voices in their section, they need to listen to the accompanying piano, or other instruments, and they need to listen for the voices singing other parts, so that everyone can create a blended sound.

Listening to the conductor as well is essential, since they are the person with the best idea of the big picture, and the musical knowledge to bring all of the disparate aspects of choral music together.

#2. Talk to your neighbours:
It may be obvious, but don’t do this while a rehearsal is ongoing. Still, there are breaks, and before and after rehearsal to get to know the people sitting around you! You should absolutely get to know these people, since you’ll be spending quite a bit of time with them!

Choir can be a wonderful experience because of the people, and here at the CCC we feel like family, so get to know your fellow choristers, and those friendships will greatly enhance your musical experience as well!

#3. Bring your music:
You will receive music during the first few rehearsals, and it will be your responsibility to care for your music throughout the year. By all means, make markings with pencil throughout rehearsal to note entrances, or dynamic markings, or anything else the conductor might suggest. While your neighbours will likely be more than happy to share your music on the (hopefully!) rare occasion that your forget it, remembering to bring your own music, with your individual notes on it, will greatly enhance your choral experience!

#4. Personal research:
There is so much that goes into music, and vocal music in particular. While we spend a great deal of time teaching our choristers sight reading skills, some basic theory, and of course good vocal production, there is still so much to learn. If you find an interesting aspect of the piece, by all means – do your own personal research! Forging a personal connection with the music will make your interpretation well informed, and your research can help other choristers learn as well!

#5. Have fun!
We assume you’ve joined choir because you love music, and singing, and because you want to share that with other people, and we assure you that everyone sitting in the rehearsal hall with you feels exactly the same way. So relax, enjoy the music, get to know your fellow choristers, and have fun!

How else can you get the most out of choir? Tell us in the comments below!

September 18, 2017
Welcome to our 2017-2018 Singing Season!

Welcome to the Calgary Children’s Choir’s 31st Singing Season!

Our Calgary Children’s Choir and Calgary Youth Choir start rehearsals tomorrow (Tuesday, September 12th, 2017)
Our Music Makers and Calgary Junior Choir start rehearsals on Thursday (Thursday September 14th, 2017)

We are delighted to be back after our wonderful 30th Anniversary Celebrations in May, and an amazing tour to Italy over the summer!

There are some important changes to the choir this year! Our wonderful Artistic Director, Marni Strome, is taking a sabbatical to finish her Master’s Degree in the United States. We are thrilled that she is continuing to oversee her artistic vision for the choir while she is away, and are very excited for her to bring all of her knowledge and experience back to us next year! Best of luck with your program Ms. Strome!

For the upcoming season, we have some important staff changes:

*Music Makers will be taught by Shinia Van
*The Calgary Junior Children’s Choir will be conducted by Lindsay Phillips
*The Calgary Children’s Choir will be conducted by Kathryn Berko
*The Calgary Youth Choir will be conducted by Andreas Berko

We look forward to new perspectives, and interesting information from our wonderful CCC team! Please give our new staff members a very warm CCC welcome!

We are off to choir camp in just a few weeks! This is one of our favourites events of the year! Please speak to our business manager Linda White if you haven’t signed up for camp yet!

The CCC will be presenting three concerts this year:

Christmas Concert: Saturday, December 9th, 2017 – Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary – 7:00pm

Annual Concert: Saturday, March 10th, 2018 – Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary 7:00pm

Spring Concert: Saturday, May 12th, 2018- Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary 7:00pm

And all of the events for the year can be found on our Event calendar here.

What are you most looking forward to in our 2017-2018 singing season? Tell us in the comments below!

September 11, 2017
Italy Tour – Padova

After a very tiring concert and party yesterday, the choir enjoyed sleeping in late and eating a late breakfast at 9:30. After packing our bags, we got onto the bus and enjoyed the scenery on the way Padova.

In Padova, we had two hours of free time. Padova was an especially nice town because it is significantly less focused on tourism. We were able to find some very nice clothing for very good prices.

After free time, we went to go see St. Antonio’s tomb, which was found in a very lovely church were we had to cover our shoulders and our knees.

After that, we left Padova and headed to our hotel near Venice for a little bit of relaxation and a lovely dinner, where we all got to show off our new clothes! It was a great day! We look forward to our last days in Italy!

Ciao!

-Patrick and Josh

July 10, 2017
Italy Tour – Pisa and Lucca

After our relaxing and radiant day yesterday, the choir was in good spirits and ready for more walking! We kicked off the day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, and made our way onto the tour bus. We arrived at Pisa, at the site of the famous leaning tower, and we were set free in our chaperone groups to roam the street market areas and the main area where the tower, cathedral, and baptism domes are located. We can assure you that many cheesy pictures with the tower were taken!

The next stop for the day was Lucca! We explored the town for an hour or so in areas including cathedral square and amphitheater square.

Then we made our way to the church to prepare for our concert with the local Italian choir, Arco Baleno. The church had very good acoustics but it was very humid and hot, sono calda!!! The concert was an experience none of us will forget. The Italian choir had a very powerful, strong, forward sound. Their repertoire was based off of humanitarian, and social topics such as friendship and love and inclusion. Most of their songs were accompanied by a recorded track of music. This style was quite different from our very pure choral sound with piano accompaniment. We were nervous at first, since our sound was so different, but after finishing our pieces, we received many smiles and loud clapping and our final piece, an Italian piece, was a total hit! The whole church was on their feet! The concert ended with a song both the choirs could sing together. It was an absolutely incredible experience!

The families of the choristers from Lucca cooked us all a huge amount of food set up in a hall in buffet form. Intriguing and slightly “lost-in-translation” conversation with the other choristers during our meal quickly turned into dancing. We taught them “Cadillac Ranch”, and they taught us dance after dance after dance. Most of them were in a sort of learn-as-you-go style, with leaders at the front and everyone else mirroring their movements as best we could! Everyone was hot and glowing, and had very dirty feet due to our dancing location; the dry dirt and grass field in the back of the dining hall. We danced for hours and hours having the time of our lives. We took turns sharing music with each other and dancing with each other. It was great to see the kind of parties the local youth have here. Italians reeeally know how to party!!

After many hugs and cheek-kisses and goodbyes, we made our way onto the bus again, everyone still buzzing with excitement but ready for bed! Until tomorrow, Ciao!

-Emilia and Elena

July 10, 2017
Italy Tour – Cinque Terre

The sixth day in Rome for the choir started bright and early as we all hopped on the bus at 7:20AM and headed to the docks where we would depart for our day in Cinque Terre!

Our tour of Italy’s coast was absolutely breathtaking! We had the opportunity to take lots of pictures as we floated between each cliff side town along Italy’s coast! It was around lunch time when we arrived in Cinque Terre for our day of beach fun and small town adventures! Cinque Terre is a series of five beautiful little towns along the coastline of Italy full of small shops and charming cafes! Cinque Terre is famous in Italy as the home of the inventor of pesto! Many of the choristers indulged in the towns’ famous sauce for lunch! After some time at the beach and exploring, the choir hopped on the train back to our hotel where we had some free time to swim in the pool and relax after a very vigorous few days in Italy!

The choristers were finally allowed to wear there casual cloths to dinner! Tonight we dined in the hotel and the staff were absolutely charming! As gratitude for all they had done the choir sang for all the waiters! We think they like it!

To end our night we gathered together to share our favourite experiences in Italy so far with one another! It was a fantastic time filled with laughter! Today was a resounding success and we all look forward to days we have left in Italy!

~ Buona notte (good night) Josh

July 9, 2017
Italy Tour – Florence!

The Calgary Children’s Choir had a bright and early start this Friday morning, having breakfast at 6:30am. After breakfast we packed up then hit the road. We embarked on the journey from Rome to Florence on our Luxurious coach.

After resting for 2 hours, our tour guide, Adrianna, gave us a brief overview of the Rnaissance culture in Italy. From the bus we walked around the streets of Florence and experienced the Famous Florence Market, which is known for it’s leathers. Many of us purchased fine quality bags and backpacks.

Next we headed to the academic gallery Museum, where we met our local tour guide for the day. We learned lots about different pieces of artwork, especially those created by Michelangelo.

The choristers went outside and continued sightseeing with the local tour guide. We saw the Florence Cathedral, the Centre Place Plaza and the spectacular Bridge Scenery. Thanks to Adrianna, the choristers got to shop for 2 more hours and eat on the beautiful streets of Florence. After our delicious meal, we the sea of green seaweed of the CCC went to a viewing point that over looked the city of Florence.

After, we hopped on the bus and went to Montecatini for the night.

~ Ella and Olivia ~

July 8, 2017
Italy – Rome Day 3!

We had another amazing (albeit very warm) day. The choir started the day off singing a concert at St. Agnes’s church, a beautiful space. Around the age of 12-13, St. Agnes became a martyr. She had made a vow of chastity, and when a prince of Rome tried to break that vow, he was smited by an angel. When she was accused of witchcraft, she prayed and brought the prince back to life. It is said that her skull is preserved in the chapel of heads.

After our concert we had two hours of free time and a delicious lunch in the Piazza Navona.

After lunch we had even more free time! We took a short walk to the Trevi fountain, which we had seen on day one (but trust us, it is worth seeing twice). We went on a little walking trip to Compo Dei Fiori, a little square near our restaurant. On our walk we visited a wonderful church. Look at the ceiling, do you think that’s real or painted?

After all that walking we were tired so we decided to do…… some more walking! We took a little trip to a famous neighbourhood called Travestere. The group saw some amazing things, including this amazing Middle Ages church!

After our delicious dinner, we headed back to the bus, where we had to bid farewell to our lovely driver, Federico. As we leave Rome, we will leave you with the best view Rome has to offer.

Farewell & goodnight, Grace and Adriana.

July 6, 2017
Italy Tour – Rome Day 2!

We had an early start today being on the bus at 7:45, which then took a scenic route to the renowned Vatican City. As you could imagine it is a very popular place, but with the help of our fantastic tour guide Adriana we took the fast track and promptly met up with our Vatican guide Rosanna.

She was astoundingly knowledgeable and helpful whenever we had questions about the art or how to turn on our guide head sets. We saw so many priceless sculptures and extravagant hallways within the museum, including a spinning sculpture, as demonstrated by Rosanna.

We were then led to the famous Sistine chapel. As soon as we entered both the choristers and the chaperones were in awe. We couldn’t help but take in the story of creation on the ceiling as well as the 100 plus body portrait on the front wall. Truly a masterpiece.

Reluctant to leave, we found our way out of St. Peter’s and were once again struck by the beauty, and the heat, of St. Peter’s square.

After a quick lunch and some well deserved gelato, we got into our concert attire and took a very sweaty hike up to the basilica. For the umpteenth time today we were taken aback. The intricacy and pure grandeur of the basilica was so incredible that we agreed no picture taken on an iPhone nor a Nikon could do it justice…. but we sure did try. Finally it was time to sing in the afternoon mass. Guided into the choir space by the music director David, we sang truly for the joy of it. It was a lovely mass in Italian and Latin that brought us to the end of our first concert in Italy and it sure did set the bar high.

Ciao until tomorrow!

-Heather

July 6, 2017
Italy Tour – Travel and Rome!

Hello, it has been a very long day for all of us here in Italy!

First things first, at 9 AM on the 2^nd of July we met at the Calgary International Airport, bright eyed and exited to fly to Italy!
Except first we had to fly to Toronto and wait a bit, having some dinner while we did so. Then, at 8:00(ish) their time, we hopped on another flight! This one going direct to Rome!
Don’t we look awake!

Eight hours later we arrived, collected our things, and set out with Adrianna, our lovely guide. Please bear in mind, we had now been travelling, more or less constantly awake, for at least 15 hours. But it was only noon in Italy! So we headed to our lovely hotel, found some delicious lunch from local places, and settled in for an hour or so. I am told there are some who did not sleep during this time. I was not one of them.

At 3:30, 21 hours into our day, we met back in the lobby to go into central Rome and have a walking tour. It was nominally supposed to take us to a number of different fountains, including the famous Trevi fountain. I would give you play-by-play details, but it was just so phenomenal. Every corner you turned, every side street you took, led you to another breathtaking piece of artistry. We learned to drink from ancient roman fountains, and even managed to sneak quickly into the Pantheon since there were no lines! We even sang a little, just to enjoy the sound of our voices in the ancientness streets.

By about the time we were ready to drop, we arrived at a perfect place to! Dinner was lovely, even if most of us were too tired to properly enjoy it, and the gelato for dessert was phenomenal.

At long last, around 26 hours from when we first collected together, we made our way back to the coach to take us home to sleep for the night. And sleep we shall.

In fact, I’m off to do that right now.

Sweet dreams, and ci vediamo domani (see you tomorrow)!

Victoria GM

July 2, 2017
Celebrating 30 Years of the CCC

We are very excited about our 30th Reunion celebrations this coming weekend. We have spent the past few weeks looking back on the changes we have seen in the CCC community over the last 30 years, and we look forward to the exciting future ahead for the Calgary Children’s Choir.

Our founder, Rosmarie Sherban started the Calgary Children’s Choir 30 years ago to provide children in Calgary with the opportunity to learn choral technique, and to have an enjoyable activity in which to participate outside of a school music programs.

The CCC program thrives on inclusiveness, engagement, and is incredibly focused on singing as an enjoyable pursuit, for anyone who wants to learn more about music. Our motto, ‘Singing For The Joy Of It’, has served us well for the past three decades; enhancing our delight in singing, strengthening the bonds between our choristers, and introducing us to a variety of wonderful musicians and artists – not just in Calgary, but all around the world!

We are so excited this weekend, to celebrate that core mission, to reunite with old friends from near and far, to perform some of our old favourites (and some wonderful new commissioned works), and most of all to celebrate our shared love of music at this weekend’s upcoming 30th Anniversary Celebrations. We hope to see many of you at our Reunion concert!

The CCC has been a proud member of the choral and musical community in Calgary for the past 30 years, and we look forward to another 30 years (and more!) of wonderful music, fantastic friends, and great community!

What are you most excited about for this weekend’s upcoming 30th Anniversary Celebrations? Tell us in the comments below!

May 8, 2017
Prized Pieces

As we near our 30th Reunion celebration (sign-up here if you haven’t already!), we start to think about all of our old favourite pieces, and which ones we hope to be singing in a few weeks time. There are many reasons why a piece of music might become a prized favourite, and sometimes the reasons can surprise us.

#1. Memory:
We have so many wonderful experiences in choir; meeting new people, encountering new music and new ideas, and all of the amazing experiences we have together – great concerts, and eye opening tours. Music can serve as a portal, to transport us back to the memory of those fun times. Often when we hear a piece of music, we associate it with the time in our lives when we first hear it, and loved it. Hearing that piece again returns us, often quite viscerally to the memory of that moment in our lives.

#2. Meaning:
Music can elevate our everyday experiences, by using poetry and musical nuance to enhance the way we think about things. Often song lyrics seem much more meaningful because of the metaphorical use of language. Changing your perspective can open your mind, and enhance your perspective on the world. Sometimes a piece of music truly speaks to us, tell us something about ourselves and the way we view the world, and the lyrics seem to be speaking directly to us, or about us. This is another reason a piece can become a favourite.

#3. Mastery:
We are very fortunate to have tackled some exceptionally difficult pieces of music in our 30 years at the CCC. One of the most amazing things about taking on difficult music (or difficult tasks in general) is the feeling of absolute elation you feel when you finally master the task. Working hard on something that is challenging is reward in and of itself; by pushing yourself just a bit more, you begin to see just how much you can accomplish. And mastering difficult pieces as a choir, as a team, is that much more rewarding. Some of our favourite pieces are the ones we found the most challenging, and ultimately the most rewarding!

What are some of the pieces you’re hoping to sing/hear at our upcoming 30th Reunion celebration? Tell us in the comments below!

April 24, 2017
Remembering With Music

This past Sunday, Canada remembered the Battle of Vimy Ridge, on its 100th anniversary. In 1922, France gave to Canada the land for the memorial, and the surrounding area “forever and in perpetuity,” and the memorial was unveiled in 1936. The shining white marble standing stark against the skyline, remembers the 3598 soldiers who died during the assualt on Vimy Ridge in 1917, as well as the 11, 285 soldier who died in France during the war, and have no grave. Their names are etched into the marble base of the memorial, and the figure representing Canada looks out across the field of battle.

Music accompanies us during our celebrations, but it is also with us in our most solemn times. It helps us to express ourselves when words simply are not enough. It prefaces, and enhances the silence that follows, when we bow our heads together to remember.

During our tour to France and England in 2003 the Calgary Children’s Choir visited the Vimy Ridge War Memorial, very early one summer morning, when the mist was still hanging in the fields below, and the white marble shone against a crystalline blue sky. We were quiet and solemn; confronted by the sheer immensity of the marble figures against the vastness of the sky, and the silent fields below, feeling the weight of that moment. We gathered on the steps of the memorial to sing; offering up our voices together in song to pay our respects.

The Calgary Children’s Choir returned again to France, and to the Vimy Ridge War Memorial in 2013, a decade later, returning to those steps again, to sing, to be silent, and to remember.

Music not only serves as a testament of reverence and remembrance, but it can act as a portal through time, since music is so intrinsically tied to memory. Many of our choristers have remarked that they think of our visit to Vimy Ridge every time they sing or hear ‘Un Canadian Errant,’ one of the pieces we sang on the steps of the memorial. This speaks to the power of music; that it can transport us through time and space, aid us in remembering fine details of events that occurred decades past, and most importantly, keep in living memory the important deeds of those who have come and passed before us.

We welcome your thoughts, and remembrances in the comments below.

April 10, 2017
Singing In Sacred Spaces

We are very excited about many aspects of our upcoming summer tour to Italy, the food, the weather, the art; but we are perhaps most excited for the amazing performance opportunities afforded to us. During our travels we will be singing in a variety of sacred spaces, in Rome, Venice, Lucca, and others!

One of these amazing performance opportunities, will be the Calgary Children’s Choir participation in Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Perhaps one of the most iconic sacred spaces in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica was finished its second construction in 1626 and is considered one of the most beautiful architectural spaces in the Renaissance style. The Basilica, and the colonnade, and plaza outside were designed by several prominent artists: Michaelangeo, Bernini, Maderno, and Bramante.

Singing in sacred spaces is different than singing in a concert hall or theatre. Sacred spaces require a solemnity, and a respect for the purpose of the space, whether you personally subscribe to those beliefs or not.
Often in sacred spaces, a particular set of music is required; as will be the case during the CCC’s performance at St. Peter’s. We will be singing Mass, which includes music that has been set to a very specific set of liturgical texts. Our performance will also be acapella, a common requirement of singing in sacred spaces.

Most poignant of all, singing in a sacred space, especially one as old and as iconic as St. Peter’s Basilica, reminds us of all those who have used the space before us. Sacred spaces, such as churches, basilicas, and cathedrals are communal places, gathering spaces for the community to come together and share a common set of values and beliefs. In a sacred space as old and as iconic as St. Peter’s, it is remarkable to think of the many hundreds of thousands who visited, or gathered in worship at the Basilica. This will surely have a profound effect on our performance this summer.

Which performance are you most excited about for our July tour to Italy? Tell us in the comments below!

April 3, 2017
Mentorship In Choir

Choir is wonderful for a myriad of reasons, but one of the best reasons is the community it creates. This is not just a community among peers, but among singers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. This creates a wonderful place to develop leadership skills. Here are three ways in which mentorship plays a huge role in our choir community:

#1. Learning Music:
Because we are not an auditioned choir, we accept singers at all stages of their musical development. Sometimes this can be challenging for those without any musical experience, so we encourage our choristers to help out anyone they observe to be struggling. This can mean, helping them to follow along in the music, helping with pronunciation of the song is in a different language, teaching them how to organize their music, or listening carefully to their own part! Learning from our peers is just as important as learning from our director!

#2. Modelling Behavior:
At the CCC we have a buddy system, where one of our younger Calgary Junior Choir members is matched with an older child in the Calgary Children’s Choir. This is a mutually beneficial relationship, where the younger chorister learns the behavior expected from our choristers, and the older child has the responsibility of modelling that behavior. We have always been impressed with how our choristers have risen to the occasion. Having an older chorister to look up to, encourages our younger singers to keep going, so one day they can be the older buddy!

#3. Moral Support:
Part of this supportive choir community, means that there is always someone on whom you can rely. This moral support is imperative in creating kind, generous choristers, who in turn can help others who need it. This is a positive feedback loop, where we encourage our choristers to help out those around them when needed, and then if they ever need support, we can give it back to them. Understanding that support from your choir family is unconditional helps us to create a wonderful, welcoming CCC community!

How else is mentorship in choir important? Tell us in the comments below!

March 20, 2017
Italy and Music

We are so thrilled to be going to Italy this summer on an exciting tour! Italy is one of the most exciting places for musicians, because it is home to some of the most beautiful art, architecture, and musical history in the world! There are many aspects that make Italy an intriguing place for those who love the arts to visit:

The Renaissance:
The ‘rebirth’ of Western Music took place in Italy, and is considered a cultural movement that pulled Europe out of the Middle Ages, a dark time in our history, where science, and progress were stagnant. Italy was the home of this cultural movement, and experienced an explosion in innovation and artistic pursuits during this time. Many of the beautiful, amazing buildings and art we are fortunate to enjoy now, came out of this rebirth, and we are very excited to get to see all of this beauty during our trip this summer!

Art and Culture:
Italy is home to a great deal of Western art and culture – from the remnants of the immense Roman Empire seen at the Coliseum, the Forum, and the Pantheon, to the modern fashion we see come out of the fashion capitals like Rome and Milan, we are most fortunate indeed that these aspects of our history have been preserved so beautifully, and that legacy of art continue into the modern day. Italy is also home to the City State of the Vatican, which has massive museums, filled with a myriad of art from various eras. In Florence, the Medici family were great patrons of the arts, and that patronage has imbued the city with a wealth of beautiful art.

Italian opera:
Italy experienced a resurgence in importance during the Romantic era, when Romantic Opera came to the forefront once again. Composers such as Bellini, Rossini, and Puccini, all enjoyed huge commercial success, and their operas are considered some of the most beautiful examples of Western vocal music. Italian Romantic Opera was large in scope, and full of beautiful arias, which most people (even those who don’t know much about music!) are familiar with, including ‘Nessun Dorma’, and ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’!

We would love for you to join us this Saturday, March 11th, 2017 for our concert featuring beautiful Italian music!

March 6, 2017
Silent Singing
Singers are often thought to be ‘delicate’ compared to other musicians. But because our body is our instrument, we have to take special care of it. This means that we cannot practice in the same way, or for the same amount of time that other musicians practice. Still, there are many ways to practice our music, that don’t actually involve singing.

Silent singing is one of these methods, and can be practiced in a variety of ways:
- listening to a recording while following along with the sheet music
- language study
- repetition of a specific passage
#1. Different perspective:
Silent practice affords the singer a new perspective on the music. Instead of focusing on vocal production, singers can focus on breathing, placement, their interpretation of the music, the subtleties of language, and much more! Silent practice is beneficial not just when a singer is sick, or their voice is fatigued, but it is an important aspect of practice to highlight other areas of singing!

#2. Language practice:
Language is such an important aspect of music. Even if a piece is written in a singer’s native tongue, there are a myriad of differences between singing language and speaking language. Silent singing allows singers to practice these subtle differences in a focused an deliberate manner!

#3. Anytime, anywhere:
One of the greatest benefits of silent singing is that it can be done almost anytime and anywhere! With headphones on the bus, in a coffee shop, even at the library! This ability to practice in virtually any environment, at any time, means singers can practice just as much as any other musician, just in a different manner.

How else can silent singing benefit us? Tell us in the comments below!
February 27, 2017
The Importance of Singing Earnestly

To be earnest, is to show depth in sincerity and feeling, and in a world of increasing cynicism and negativity, it is an exceptionally important characteristic.

Though singing is sometimes considered a vain pursuit, nothing could be further from the truth. In order to truly convey the emotional range and depth of a musical piece, a singer’s ego must be completely subsumed. This is even more true in a choir, where there is no one important singer; just many voices, blending to sound as one.

Singing earnestly requires complete commitment to the piece of music, and to communicating the emotional breadth of that piece. To be earnest, requires a certain vulnerability, that be hard to access while in our difficult teenage years, and even more difficult to access during a performance, when we are acutely aware that all eyes are on us.

Still, the ability to sing with earnestness, is what allows us to truly connect to music. It gives us permission to put aside what we are personally feeling in order to communicate the emotion conveyed in the piece. Singing earnestly allows us to show how much we enjoy and are moved by music, without fear of judgement, or reproach. Earnestness, while it can feel vulnerable, is instead, the most freeing of emotions, and is an essential aspect of truly moving music.

Why do you think it’s important to sing earnestly? Tell us in the comments below!

February 13, 2017
Maturity In Musical Taste

Musical taste is something that develops continuously throughout your life. Hearing different genres, from different periods in musical history, allows your ear, and your taste to synthesize what it likes about certain types of music, and what you dislike.

Because of the prevalence of pop music, (it’s called ‘popular music’ for a reason!) much of what choristers are used to hearing when they start singing in choir, is what is currently popular on the radio. While pop music is fun, and can be complex in terms of instrumentation, and often contains interestingly synthesized sounds, pop music is inherently simplistic. This is why it is popular – simple melodies, catchy rhythms, easily remembered lyrics, all help to cement pop tunes in our minds.

Many choristers have never heard true choral sound, many don’t know how to differentiate the sounds of different musical instruments, and increasingly, many are used to the synthesized sounds so commonly heard in pop music. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, choir, and early childhood musical instruction affords choristers increased exposure to a multitude of different musical styles, and this exposure aids in accelerating maturity in musical taste.

Choristers are introduced not just to classical music, which is strikingly more difficult than pop in complexity, they are introduced to folk music, music from other cultures, sometimes sung in different languages, electroacoustic music, sung speech poems, soundscapes and much, much more.

This diverse instruction aids in choristers understanding and appreciation of not only more complex forms of music, but an inherent understanding of how such forms of music are created. Music theory and music history help to inform these opinions, as well as in-depth discussions of text, and compositional context. These are important skills in analyzing music, and this deeper understanding of music, helps choristers form informed opinions about their musical preferences.

How else does choir shape your musical taste? Tell us in the comments below!

February 6, 2017
The Benefits of Auditioning

Here at the CCC, we do not audition choristers for entry into the choir for several reasons. We firmly believe that anyone can, and should sing! Our motto is, ‘Singing For the Joy of It’, and we are happy to include everyone. Still, we do audition for solos, or small groups, and encourage our choristers to prepare auditions for school, or other artistic pursuits, because there are many benefits to auditioning:

#1. Preparation:
Auditioning teaches you how to prepare yourself. You cannot expect to just stand up, sight-read a piece, and earn a solo. That’s just not how it works. Singing by oneself is a completely different experience than singing as part of a group, and it needs to be prepared differently. In much the same way one prepares for a work interview, or a presentation at a conference, one must prepare a piece for audition, considering tone quality, intonation, and projection, as well as presentation, and emotive qualities. These are all essential life skills!

#2. Managing Emotions:
A certain level of emotionality is expected during an audition. Music is after all, a highly emotional pursuit, and singers are expected to emote while they perform. Still, emotions like nervousness, fear, and anxiety are all common when getting up to do an audition. Learning how to manage these emotions is not only an essential skill for singing, but is an important life skill. How choristers handle these emotions, are as unique as the choristers themselves, and no one way will work for every singer. Learning what works best for you, and for your audition is best.

#3. Confidence:
Confidence is important, and it’s not like a switch that you can turn on or off. Confidence is built upon, layer by layer, and experience by experience. Knowing that you are able to do something, and do it well, is a learned behavior. It starts by first taking a chance, preparing and managing yourself well, and then analyzing not only how you could make it better next time, but acknowledging what you did well! By accumulating these experiences, and by having the respect and support of your fellow choristers, your confidence will grow!

How else can auditioning benefit you? Tell us in the comments below!

January 30, 2017
3 Ways In Which Choir Makes You More Adventurous!

Choir is an excellent place to test out uncertain waters. It is safe, and communal, and supportive, and it’s a great place to become more adventurous!

#1. Weird warmups:
Singing makes many demands of us, and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to strange warmups. We are often tasked with creating sounds rarely heard by human ears, making odd faces, windmilling our arms, wandering around whilst our eyes are closed, singing on various vowels, all of which can feel slightly disconcerting. All of these strange activities help make us better singers, but participating in something that makes us feel slightly uncomfortable, can also help us discover how to push through our own self-imposed limitations.

#2. Meeting new people:
Choir is an excellent way to meet new people, because it is, by definition, a group activity! It is also an activity in which new people are constantly being introduced. The CCC accepts new members all year, so there are often new friends to be made, and we regularly work with local musicians, composers, and sometimes other members of the Calgary arts community, like dancers, puppeteers, and actors! Constantly being introduced to new people is an adventure in and of itself, and a great way to become more adventurous!

#3. Travel:
We are very fortunate that we get to travel every few years as a choir (including a tour to Italy this summer!) Travel is almost always a rewarding experience, but traveling with the choir is a different kind of reward. It teaches us how to be independent, how to be problem-solvers, how to communicate in other languages and how to enjoy other different cultures. It opens our eyes, and our minds to different experiences, and ways of life.

How else can choir make you more adventurous? Tell us in the comments below!

January 23, 2017
Fear In Singing

Fear is a common emotional response in singing, and it’s a difficult emotion to combat. Here are three ways to re-frame fear in singing:

#1. Fear can be positive:
Fear as a human emotion, is actually there for good reason. It prevents us from things that may harm us. While singing is not actually harmful, the social fear of rejection is often what our body and mind object to. But fear of singing can also serve a useful purpose, in telling us how important music is to us. Fear before a concert can help us realize how important doing a good job is to us. It can also tell us if we haven’t prepared well.

#2. Using Your Instrument:
Many peoples’ fears in music come from a lack of control. We are afraid to sing, because we are uncertain about what sound might come out of our mouths. We are afraid of poor tone, of voice cracks, of running out of air, and a myriad of other problems. And yet, the only way to mitigate these problems is to use our voices. In every other instrument there is the expectation of a learning process, and yet with our voices we believe we either have a good voice, or we don’t. This is a fallacy. Allow yourself time and space to learn to use your instrument properly, and you will start to see great results!

#3. Support:
One of the best ways to get over a fear of singing, is through a positive support system. An introduction to singing through choir is a great way to accomplish this. Because choir is a community of like-minded people, whose voices are stronger together, singing in a choir takes a great deal of pressure off of the individual. Choir is also social, and we are much more likely to try new, and difficult things, if we feel we have strong social support behind us!

How else can you combat fear in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

January 16, 2017
Collaboration In Choir

Choir is, by definition, an exercise in collaboration. It is inherently collective; a shared experience, and it can help choristers to develop the essential skill of collaboration, both personally and musically.

#1. Working together:
This may seem self evident, but working together within a choral setting is fundamental. This isn’t just a musical point as well. Choristers learn in choir that sometimes external differences must be put aside in order to aid in the musical experience. Choristers must work together within their section, the sections must work together to create blended sound, and choristers must collaborate with their conductor to ensure that their voices are unified.

#2. Working with other choirs:
Collaborating with other choirs is a unique experience, because while there are many similarities, there can also be great differences between choral groups, and synthesizing those differences can be an excellent learning experience. Not every choral experience is the same, just as every conductor is not the same. Acknowledging similarities, and understanding, appreciating, and most importantly respecting differences are not just essential characteristics in music, but in life as well!

#3. Working with other musicians:
We are very fortunate in the CCC to have the opportunity to work with many other instrumentalists, whether we’re doing a larger work with orchestra, or working with one or two other musicians. Collaborating with other musicians is an important aspect of musical education, because it allows our young singers to understand the differences in sound. Balance, blend, and timbre change greatly when there are new instruments, and listening for these differences, and adjusting your own sound to accommodate these differences are important skills!

How else is collaboration important in choir? Tell us in the comments below!

January 9, 2017
Welcome to 2017!

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2017!

We are very excited to start 2017, because we have so many wonderful things happening in this new singing season.

-Rehearsals begin again on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017!

-At the end of January we will be heading out to Camp Horizon once more for a Winter Retreat!

– On March 11th, 2017, we will be having our annual concert at the Rozsa Centre!

-Then, in May, we are thrilled to be celebrating our 30th Anniversary. You can read more about the founding of the Calgary Children’s Choir here. We are very excited to be welcoming back alumni and celebrating 30 wonderful years together with both current and former choristers!

-We are also looking forward to the summer, when we will be going on another international tour, this time to Italy!

There are so many wonderful events to look forward to in 2017! We’d love to know what you’re most excited about this year! Tell us in the comments below.

January 2, 2017
Celebrating With Song

Holidays are a time for celebration, and there are few things more celebratory than music! Singing in particular offers a great way to manifest that celebratory feeling:

#1. Communication:
Celebration is all about communicating a feeling experience by many people at once. Music offers that ability in a manner that transcends language, culture, and religion. Making music is one of the most ancient and respected of human endeavours, and it plays an essential role in our celebratory tradition!

#2. Community:
Singing offers a feeling of belonging; many people at once offering up a song as a an observance of the festivities. Singing as part of a group enhances this feeling even further; particularly since choral music is all about creating, and serving a community. Music increases feelings of cohesion and community, and singing as part of a community enhances those feeling (and even prompts physiological changes in the body!)

#3. Expression:
Words offer another important layer to music, and singing allows for the expression of musical celebration to be even more evident through the important use of text. Expressing ourselves both through music as well as language allows us to communicate the reason for the season as effectively as possible!

How else can we celebrate with song? Tell us in the comments below!

December 12, 2016