Let’s Get Physical: Singing and Disease-Specific Therapy

Singing has been found to be a potentially potent treatment for a wide variety of conditions, both alleviating symptoms and providing patients with a sense of positivity and community.Read more

Member Spotlight; Melinda Pollack-Harris, Sing to Live Community Chorus, Chicago

When Melinda Pollack-Harris was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she needed music to face the challenge. That was the inspiration for Sing to Live Community Chorus for women, loved ones, and friends touched by cancer.Read more

Singing and Healthy Aging

Whether taking up a new activity or continuing a lifelong practice, older adults who sing are reaping a host of social and health benefits.Read more

Choruses and Community Wellness

How can we share the wellness benefits of choral singing with a broader community? A growing number of choral leaders are looking at ways to extend the group singing experience beyond the concert hall.Read more

Singing at the Threshold

A growing movement to bring singing into hospice and hospital settings eases end-of-life transitions for patients and their families.Read more

For Singers

Chorus America champions the dedicated choral singer by developing online resources and tools to advance skills and promoting connections between singers. We recognize that choral singing is the most popular form of participation in the performing arts, that choral singers are active and engaged citizens, and that children who sing have greater academic success and social skills.

Articles

Boys to Men: Singing Through Voice Change

Chloe Veltman | Children/Youth, Education, Health, Participation, Schools, Singing

An influx of new programs are beginning to recognize the value of keeping boys singing—through changing voices and for a lifetime. Read more

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Keeping Singers Well: Nutrition

Matthew Sigman | Health, Singing

Because the vast majority of choral singers tag rehearsals and performances onto already busy professional and family lives, their nutrition choices can be a compromise on any given day. Read more

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Keeping Singers Well: Exercise and Sleep

Matthew Sigman | Health, Singing

When your body is the instrument, it's imperative to keep it in tip-top shape with good exercise habits and the right amount of sleep. Read more

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Finding Your Tribe: A Life in Choral Music

Sharon Gustavson | Impact/Value, Participation, Profile, Singing

One chorus managing director reflects on her lifelong love affair with choral singing. Read more

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Keeping Singers Well: Hydration

Matthew Sigman | Health, Singing

While it is ultimately the responsibility of the singer to stay properly hydrated, it's not always so easy. Read more

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Acid Reflux Could Have a Negative Effect on Your Voice

Chorus America Staff | Health, Singing

Dr. Jamie Koufman, founder and director of the Voice Institute of New York, tells us what singers can do to combat the harmful effects of acid reflux. Read more

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Choruses in the Movies: "As it is in Heaven" and "Preaching to the Choir"

Kelsey Menehan | General, Singing

Though set worlds apart, these two films both tell the story of struggling church choirs in need of inspiration—and two men who are drawn in, against their better judgment, to do the inspiring. Read more

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A Love Story and a Choral Commission

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Families, Impact/Value

Some couples celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with silver, but Providence Singers member David Keller and his wife Julie Meyers chose music instead. Read more

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Why the Bach Passions Are Problematic

Tom Hall | History, Performance, Repertoire

What is our responsibility as singers and as choruses when historic choral works are offensive, even hostile, to a whole group of people? Tom Hall, music director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, discusses Bach's St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion. Read more

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Virtual Choir or Bust!

Cory Davis | Composing/Commissioning, Innovation, Participation, Profile, Singing, Technology

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 2.0, featuring his composition, "Sleep," attracted 2,058 singers from around the world. One singer shares his experience of participating in this social media experiment. Read more

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Resources

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Relaxing the Tongue

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how to train the powerful tongue muscle to cooperate with rather than hinder the singing process. Read more

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The Choral Warm-Ups of Robert Shaw

Pamela Elrod | Rehearsal, Singing, Technique/Tool

Believing that the chorus was a corporate entity with a spirit of kinship, famed conductor Robert Shaw used the warm-up period to focus on matters of tuning, tone color, ensemble blend, acoustical conditions, and development of the dynamic palette. We've compiled several of his warm-ups. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Achieving Relaxed Alertness

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how being both relaxed and alert can bring greater freedom in singing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Vocalizing To Release Tension

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

Through a self-discovery process using movement, the practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark guides a singer to notice and then release tension while vocalizing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Releasing Eye Tension

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how releasing tension around the eyes contributes to less effortful singing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Opening the Throat

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how opening the throat releases tension and allows for greater freedom in singing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Centering with the Breath

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates the use of breath to center and stabilize the singing process. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Introduction

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

You know that freed-up feeling where it seems your body is singing itself? Singers yearn for more of that, but myriad stresses, tensions, confusions, and vocal issues can get in the way. Through a self-discovery process using movement, the practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video series, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark describes and demonstrates how this approach has helped her—and the singers she works with—release tension and find greater freedom in their singing. Read more

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Virtual Voice Lesson: The Farinelli Breath Exercises

Shauna Fallihee | Singing, Technique/Tool

Carlo Broschi, known as Farinelli, was a famous, and wildly popular castrato of the early 1700s. One of the secrets to his magnificent voice was the seemingly unending stream of breath that supported it. Voice teacher Shauna Fallihee demonstrates the breathing exercises Farinelli created to strengthen the intercostal muscles. Read more

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Warm-Ups for What Ails You: Lack of Breath Control

Rebecca Achenbach | Singing, Technique/Tool

Work on your breath control with these exercises from choral conductor and voice teacher Rebecca Achenbach. Read more

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Events

Bucks County Choral Society - Verdi Requiem

Doylestown, pA

Rick Rosen | Performance

The Bucks County Choral Society, under the direction of artistic director Thomas Lloyd, presents Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, considered by many to be the composer’s masterpiece, with internationally acclaimed soloists and the Riverside Symphonia on Sunday afternoon, April 7, at our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doylestown, PA. Read more

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Spring Concert: Poetry! Words in Search of a Song

400 Field Avenue East, Venice, FL

Ruth F Packing | Singing

Sunday, April 14 at 3:30 p.m., Exsultate! Chorale presents “Poetry! Words in Search of a Song” in the Grace United Methodist Church sanctuary on Venice Island. Nationally renowned composer Dr. David Brunner will be present for the very first performance of two pieces he has added to his works of Wendell Berry poetry set to music. Exsultate! commissioned the pieces specially for this concert with grants from The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and the Woman’s Exchange, Inc. of Sarasota. Also included will be composer Randall Thompson’s musical rendition of select Robert Frost poems. Get the $17 tickets (or Students $5) at the door, Paper Pad in Venice, online, or by calling 484-8491. See www.exsultate.org for group rates and more. Read more

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Spring Concert: Poetry! Words in Search of a Song

400 Field Avenue East, Venice, FL

Ruth F Packing | Singing

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Voce Chamber Singers presents I LOVE YOU MUCH

2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, Virginia

Joan Winter Skerritt | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Awards, CA News, Families, General, Innovation, Performance, Repertoire, Singing, Volunteer

Don't miss this exciting concert featuring the world premiere performance of Voce’s newest commission: a stunning setting of the e.e. cummings poem, i love you much(most beautiful darling) by award-winning composer Matthew Harris, who will be in attendance. A reception and silent auction will follow. Read more

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Voce Chamber Singers presents I LOVE YOU MUCH

432 Van Buren Street, Herndon, Virginia

Joan Winter Skerritt | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Awards, CA News, Families, General, Innovation, Performance, Repertoire, Singing, Volunteer

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Choral Chameleon Presents WIDE WATERS

Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY

Jeffery Thyer | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Composing/Commissioning, Performance, Professional

Choral Chameleon will then wade deep with the choral water music of Palestrina, Conrad Susa, Simon and Garfunkel and more. Read more

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Jazz in the Key of Joy

Phoenix, Arizona

Carolyn Eynon | Fundraising

Vocal Jazz Cabaret Concert featuring solos and ensemble Jazz at the Phoenix Zoo on May 5, 2013. Wine and Hors D'eurves served at 4;00pm. contact www.carolyneynonsingers.com tickets $30 Read more

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Time Zones ~~ Bach and Chaplin Merge!

Pittsburgh, PA

BriGuySinger | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Conducting, Diversity, Families, History, Impact/Value, Innovation, Performance, Repertoire, Singing, Symphonic

The season of examining time and travel finishes with a juxtaposition of two distinct Time Zones, the first being that of our forebear and namesake, Johann Sebastian Bach, and the second being that of a writer, star and legend of the silent screen, Charlie Chaplin. In combining the musical genius of Bach with the brilliant silent narratives of Chaplin’s films, the Bach Choir bridges these two bountiful eras, creating a thought-provoking connection between artistic genres. Read more

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Johannes Brahms German Requiem

Norwalk CT 06856

Fairfield Count... | Audiences

As we continue our 50th anniversary season, the Fairfield County Chorale will perform Johannes Brahms Requiem with the Fairfield County Chorale Orchestra at the Norwalk Concert Hall on Saturday, March 16th, 2013 at 7:30PM. Eminent soloists Fancesca Mondanaro, soprano and Suchan Kim, tenor will perform with the chorale. The performance will also feature three pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Kyrie in D minor, Ave Verum Corpus and Masonic Funeral Music. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door (general admission). Student tickets are $5 at the door. For more information, call (203) 254-1333 or visit www.fairfieldcountychorale.org Read more

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Seattle Men's Chorus Presents: Dancing Queen

Seattle, WA

Flying House Pr... | Diversity

Two things we just can’t get enough of: ABBA and Leslie Jordan! We are thrilled to welcome back Emmy Award-Winning actor and comedian Leslie Jordan in this “mash-up” of comedy and music from one of our favorites — and yours — rock/pop sensation, ABBA. Fab costumes. Booty movin’ songs. Side-splitting comedy. What more do we need to say?!? Saturday evening at 8:00pm and Sunday matinee at 2:00pm. Read more