Calgary Children’s Choir Blog

  • The Alumni Advantage

    As we approach our 30th Reunion Celebrations, it is important to look back over the past years, at all of the people who have come and gone from our organization. Choir is ultimately about people, and how those people come together for a time and form a community. The ‘alumni advantage’ then is the lasting…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • How Singing Can Help You Learn More About Language

    Singing can help with learning in a myriad of ways, but one of the most subtle aspects of singing is in the acquisition of language. Here are three ways in which singing can help you learn more about language: #1. Libretto: Since the language often contained in vocal pieces is commonly in the form of…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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.…

  • Trust In Singing

    Singing, and music in general engender many emotions, as discussed in this post. There are many positive emotions that arise from singing, as well as the occasional one. One aspect of positive emotion found particularly in choral singing, is trust. Trust is a powerful emotion because it takes time and effort to build, but can…

  • How Emotions Affect Singing

    Emotion is necessary in musical expression, but our emotions can have a very strong effect on how we sing. Here are 3 ways in which our emotions can affect our singing: #1. Positive emotions: Positive emotions, such as joy, excitement, and love, often have an equally positive impact on our singing. These emotions help us…

  • Singing For Wellness

    There are many studies that have shown the benefits of music on cognitive function, and childhood development, but perhaps one of the greatest benefits of music, and singing in particular is the benefits to our sense of well being. #1. Physical Well-being: Singing requires a great deal of physicality, and an excellent sense of self.…

  • The Sounds of Silence

    Choir, and music in general is all about how to organize sound, so it seems incongruous to discuss the importance of silence in singing. But silence is an exceptionally important aspect of music, and here are three reasons why: #1. Audience: In classical settings, unlike more popular music concerts, the audience is expected to be…

  • The Benefit of Sectionals

    We spend a lot of time discussing how important it is to sing as a group, to listen to the other parts, and to blend seamlessly, but it’s just as important for sections of the choir to break off sometimes and have their own time in a sectional, separate from the rest of the choir:…

  • Atmospheric Music

    Happy Halloween! In honour of this spooktacular day, we thought we would discuss how important music can be in the creation of atmosphere! #1. Creating tension: Try watching a scary movie without the sound, and suddenly, it becomes significantly less terrifying. This is because music and sound are used to great effect, in enhancing tension.…

  • Discipline In Singing

    One of the most important aspects of learning music, is the discipline that it requires. Studying music is not like many other pursuits; it  requires continual and dedicated time, patience, and discipline. #1. Little by little: Music, like learning a new language, is best done in small, but consistent portions of time. The repetition required…

  • The Importance of Early Music Education

    Every day we learn more about the many benefits of music education. There have been numerous studies in recent years highlighting the myriad ways in which learning music can benefit people in both mind, and body! Nowhere is this more evident than in early childhood: #1. Sound is natural: Sound is everywhere. It is as…

  • Present Focused Performance

    Performing is a unique aspect of singing with a group. By the time a performance rolls around, the basic necessities of learning a piece of music are already accomplished. The notes, and rhythms have been learned, the words have been memorized. Performance evokes something completely different in musicians. It makes demands of your present self:…