Practicing Information

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Practicing is the only way a student will improve and progress with their singing.  Choir rehearsals are opportunities for the students to perform for the teachers.  This is also the time when the teachers will help the students correct mistakes, give constructive criticism, refine their overall singing, and offer encouragement.

Practice Tips

  • Set a regular time to practice – a little bit each day will go a lot further than cramming it all in at once!

  • Find a comfortable, well-lit, quiet place to practice.  No TV!

  • Use your audio examples to help you!.  If you can develop a sense of time and feel for the piece through listening you are much more likely to excel during chorus rehearsals because of your familiarity of the piece.
  • Take frequent breaks – it’s fine to put down your music and come back to it!

  • Use a mirror to visually check your technique - are you opening up when you sing - how are you shaping your vowels - do you use facial expression when singing? 

  • Use a tape recorder to aurally check your singing – sometimes this perspective will allow you to improve things you didn’t even know needed any improvement!

  • Remember to keep muscles relaxed and loose.  Relaxation and breathing exercises prior to the start of a practice session can be especially helpful.

  • LISTEN!  If you are having trouble with a song, try finding in the library or online!  Even better, get multiple recordings of it so you can hear different interpretations.  Then, listen to it a lot.  Every amazing performer develops their “style” from listening to others!

  • Don’t just sing the notes on the page – make music out of them!  It doesn’t matter if it’s a warm-up or the easiest song – make them sound as beautiful as possible!

  • Set goals to try to accomplish in each practice session – " I will learn my notes and rhythms for m.15-25"  etc.
  • Work on the most challenging spots first!  It’s easy to sing the stuff we already know…but the point of practicing is to get better on EVERYTHING!
  • Break the music down into small sections, just like we do in choir rehearsal!
  • Repeat the passage many times AFTER you get it right…just because you sang it once, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do it again at anytime!