Each session is a bit different, as there will typically be some new people there every time, and some who have been before, but these things broadly happen each time.
- As people arrive and sign in, they can make a hot drink and have a snack, and come and sit in the circle.
- When we start, we begin with a gentle warm-up of the body (nothing strenuous, and always within your comfortable range of motion), moving to warming up the voice.
- We usually sing one or two simple rounds or call-and-response (echoing) songs at the beginning.
- Then we move on to something with different parts for higher and lower voices. Anybody can sing any part, and you can change your part from one song to the next.
- We sing songs from different musical traditions, some new songs written specifically for unaccompanied voices (a cappella), or some adapted/rearranged from more familiar songs. We quite often include folk songs because we like them 🙂
- You can sit or stand, as your body needs, and it’s fine to stop singing mid-song and listen, but as we’re not a performing choir, we don’t want people sitting out and only listening, as that makes it feel like there’s an audience. It is fine, and indeed normal (whatevs), to feel nervous, especially if you haven’t sung with others before. We warmly encourage you to have a go anyway. Singing with other people is amazing.
- We sing in the Natural Voice tradition, believing firmly that singing is our birthright and that if you can talk you can sing!
- Quite often there is laughter, and sometimes there is awe. People have commented on how much better they feel when they leave than when they arrived.
If you have any questions, or need help getting over the threshold, do get in touch.