SING FOR PLEASURE
All over the country dedicated teachers spend much of their free time working for the benefit of primary aged children. Many of these teachers seek regeneration and renewal by participating in summer schools, focus weekends and weekly courses, run by charities and organisations that represent all facets of music making. This month we have invited two participants to reflect on their experiences of Sing for Pleasure courses. We would welcome similar reflections on all aspects of music education.
A year ago I attended an R.S.C.M course for organists. We visited a Cathedral on one afternoon and to ‘round things off’ our tutor suggested that we sang a well known anthem in the choir stalls. ‘Would anybody like to conduct?’ we were asked? My hand moved, my mouth said ‘Yes’ and I stood up in front of them all. I waved my arms and they sang beautifully for me. The tutors seemed impressed!
Then, on another occasion last summer, I decided to involve my Church choirs in a short musical production for an evening concert. I was only able to rehearse on a few short occasions with forty press-ganged recruits from the local Brownies, and we had to cram the practise in to four twenty-minute sessions. On the evening, in the Church, I had the organist accompanying on my left (behind the pulpit), the Church choir on my right in the pews, the soloists over to the left (but hopefully not obscuring my visual contact with my organist) and forty Brownies all - sort of - raring to go in the centre. The concert’ happened’ and the audience were delightfully entertained.
I’m giving these examples as an indication of the unbelievable improvement in conducting skills and confidence, from when I first, rather hesitantly, came on a Sing for Pleasure conducting course in Hook, Hampshire, 2001. There I was taught to look at my choir, wave my arms in a clear, restrained and meaningful manner and to look as if I was enjoying listening to their singing! It took practise and encouragement from extremely helpful and hard working tutors, and their kind and determined efforts have most certainly paid off! I’m really looking forward to my next course, meeting old and new friends and to improving my conducting skills even further.
Sarah Gall
Little did I know when I applied to go on my first Sing for Pleasure Summer School in 1992 what an impact it would have on my life. I had been a primary teacher and music co-ordinator for many years in a range of schools, and had formed and run choirs at each school. On that first Summer School I was taught the basics of good choral directing: how to teach a song effectively and quickly, how to stand still (!), to move away from the piano and be confident in front of my singers. I also learned how my slightest action could directly alter the sound of the singing.
What a feeling of power – and responsibility! I came away that year inspired to improve and to try all my new skills out – not only on my choirs, but on all the children in my school. ‘Hymn practice’ was transformed from my most dreaded time of the week to something I looked forward to as an opportunity to try things out and see just how well I could get the whole school singing.
Since then I have returned to Summer School every year, completing all the courses through intermediate and advanced, and then training to be a conducting tutor. The skills I acquired have enabled me to conduct adult and teenage choirs, as well as developing singing within my schools. In 2001 I successfully applied for a job as Vocal Project Leader for Trafford Music Service where I work across all phases, developing singing and vocal skills with children and adults.
I could not ask for a better job – doing what I love and getting paid! After my first Summer School I wrote to thank Jim Wild (SfP founder) for the wonderful time I had experienced, and told him that the course should carry a warning: “Sing for Pleasure can seriously change your life!”. It has certainly changed mine!
Christine Nelson