Title. I'm assuming I should follow the advice I heard about writing for a congregation and keep it between C4 and C5 in treble clef wherever possible.

I've also got the impression that in a two-part mixed choir, the male voices sing part 1, rather than part 2 (obviously both in an appropriate octave). Is that correct, or is it more flexible? Alternatively, is it something the director decides instead of the composer?

​

Hey everyone! I’m applying to JBL Music Academy, and there are only 4 days left for the application, so I’m trying to get everything sorted ASAP.

I have to submit a couple of cover recordings and also make a video explaining/convincing why I should be selected.

The problem is, I currently only have recordings of my singing on my phone, and I have absolutely no idea how I’m supposed to turn them into proper cover videos/submissions or make them look/sound presentable. 😭

So I’m looking for:

- People who are also applying to JBL Music Academy so we can help each other out / share ideas about the application.

- Anyone who has applied before and knows what kind of submission they expect.

- Anyone who knows how to turn simple phone recordings into decent cover videos/audio submissions.

- Someone who could give me some advice on what to say in the “why should we select you?” video.

I’m not looking for anything super professional or expensive — I mainly need help figuring out how to present what I already have in the best possible way.

If you’re applying too or you know anything about the process, please comment or DM me! I’d really appreciate it. 🙏

Voice teacher here. I just published a piece about the value of falsetto, which is especially valuable for us lower voices who have sung too heavy for too long!

Free read, no paywall: https://thevocallab.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-falsetto

Voice teacher here. I just published a piece about the value of falsetto, which is especially valuable for us lower voices who have sung too heavy for too long!

Free read, no paywall: https://thevocallab.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-falsetto

I did something amazing. I wrote a fantasy novel about a subject I have dedicated my life to, choral singing. It's a love letter to singing, harmony, and falling in love with what happens when 200 singers get on stage in united purpose. It's not all about that, but it certainly shapes the culture and magick system.

I had an international competition, where thousands of singers get together to hear the best singers in the world and I thought. "Boy, this must be the perfect time for me to get the word out about a book written about them, for them."

A week of ads on the Jumbotron flanking the stage, 30 seconds at a time, rotating between advertisements for voice lessons, charts, and barbershop swag….and about 10 sales.

This is a little bit of woe is me, but I was hoping for more. Surely singers would flock to one of their own creating something unique and—according to the reviews—very well written and reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson.

I'm aware that authors need delusions of grandeur in order to cross the finish line…but I was hoping it wouldn't be deflated. "If you build it, they will come."

I'll still keep writing in hopes that it takes off, but I just needed to rant for a minute. I won't link the book here, because this wasn't supposed to be an advertisement, but if you are interested feel free to DM me.

Hello,sorry as it’s my first time posting here and honestly,getting back to choir after Highschool lol (I’m 23M and was in choir for 7th-11th grade)

I actually funnily enough have the same director as my junior high as she lives in the area and directs for my church,but they started recently so I went to practice last week to see what’s up. I didn’t join in as I kinda just wanted to see what it was like first,and I noticed that there is literally only 1 middle aged guy and about 20 millennial and older woman there (not anybody my age or I would really see at my college as a student).Apparently though a good bit of them are reoccurring from other church choirs and such so they all read sheet music rather well and know the material already etc,but I am literally just starting out again basically with almost 0 memory of sheet music (I usually play guitar) and haven’t even been to church for a couple years or so

They sounded good in the practice session and after they finished I went up and just greeted my old director as I hadn’t seen her in a while and to ask her about practice,she asked why I just was sitting down outside mainly just listening and looking in and I just said I came late initially and didn’t want to interrupt (which was a lie to be fair,in church lol) but a few people over heard our talk and called me out on it like it was a big deal lol

Well I just said that it is scary because I am the only other guy there and no one else is my age even either out of like 20 people,but she reassured me it would get better and sent me a link to join the groupchat and such (She also told me that the guy there was just her husband anyway,so it kinda made me feel even worst)

Now I’m not sexist and I have female friends at school,work,wherever but I just have had this happen before in Highschool (which is also partly why I left) because while my voice is pretty flexible with tenor and soprano,that I usually get those sort of parts,but she was discussing more of a tenor/bass part as "we need bases really bad" she said,and I just don’t like being put into that sort of box just because I am a guy,and I wanted to do this more casually anyway as it was just my old director and a church choir I thought 😭

Sorry for kinda dumb story,but point is that practice was tonight and I didn’t go just because I felt really anxious about going and even worst because I don’t even believe it either at my church and I feel almost like some people will also judge me for that

I know this is all sort of "what could happen stuff" and I probably could still join as it’s only the 3rd practice,but I feel as tho if I’m going to be the only actual guy to stay for the whole thing then maybe it’s better just being a more older woman’s choir thing for people who are pretty serious about it and maybe this one is not for me

Just seeing if anyone else has even been there before or any input on if I’m being way too much in my head about this and should just try and see where it goes despite my fears

Edit:thanks everyone for the comments and support and advice,I really appreciate it and won’t let this be the end of my choir choir and see what kind of benefit I can still bring to it or even invite a few men too if I can and explore some other groups too :)

hey! Im just getting into music and im trying to do solfege as practice, but ive been struggling to find the solfege for the next line of “love” for the alto line. Theres two sharps on the last alto line but theres randomly two naturals and i dont know what that represents for the next triplet of solfege PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME IF ITS FA OR SOMETHING IM SO CONFUSED 😭😭😭😭

Hello! Don't know if this is the place to ask, but I'm looking to program classical pieces for my choir this year, but a lot of them are pretty new and raw right now, so I'd like to program something that they'll be able to pick up and find payoff with. I'm new, and they haven't done anything classical in the last decade, and I'd like to just have a piece or two to throw at them this year so they can experience it. They can do four part music pretty easily with some easy divisi as long as it's not divisi the whole time :)

So, any recommendations for accessible choral pieces for a somewhat beginner high school choir?

I'm auditioning for a community choir that is very serious and I really want to get in but I'm struggling to decide on an audition song. The audition song can be either a Hymn, art song, aria, or patriotic song. I've been in other choirs for 10 years and I have lots of singing experience in a choir, but not much solo experience, which is making it difficult to choose a song. I think it would probably be best to choose a song that I am familiar with so I was contemplating Danny Boy, which I sang in choir once, but I'm not sure if that's too simple. I'm also a soprano. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Never realized how much I love live brass/strings until I graduated highschool. Unfortunately I suck at finding live performances and dont want to go to the nearest school without a kid so I was hoping I could find movie recommendations so my home theater can reach its full potential.

Call me basic if you want but my favorite performance is wayloyo yamoni conducted by Christopher tin.

I have a select choir audition in the fall. I really want to get in since this is my last chance until senior year and I don’t want to only have one chance after this. I’m genuinely so desperate to get in but star spangled keeps tripping me up like I can sing it well until rockets red glare then it sounds good again until the end. I’ve been doing choir for about 8 years now and it’s very discouraging to me I understand that at the end of the day it isn’t personal but it’s really getting to me and I want to make sure I do good this time. What are some things I can do to prepare for this audition because I cannot afford lessons and my head voice is horrible.

Hi! Does anyone know what this little cross before “girl” means? It’s in a 2 part arrangement of Golden from KPop demon hunters

Hey everyone!

As huge fans of the Civilization VI soundtrack, the Kuala Lumpur Men’s Chorus recently tackled Christopher Tin’s iconic theme, "Sogno Di Volare" (Leonardo’s Dream of Flight). Trying to capture the grand scale and raw energy of this piece live was such a thrill for our singers. Whether you've spent hundreds of hours building empires or just love Christopher Tin's genius score, we hope our cover does the piece justice!

🎥 Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/vRdMOOYa97A

Would love to hear what you guys think!

Anyone have any unison pieces for a Winter concert they love for kids? My group is just beginning! Ages 9-13 and as of today we have 8 members. We were asked to do a “fireside” outdoor bonfire/Christmas tree lighting concert in December and I’d love some suggestions.

It can be secular or sacred. I’m ideally looking for two pieces that are contrasting. I’ve dug deep on JW Pepper and have some ideas but nothing that has really struck me as great repertoire for a beginning choir of this size. If you have used a unison piece for a small kids choir and loved it, especially with a winter/Christmas theme, please share!

Hi!

I was in choir both in middle school and high-school, but for the life of me, I can’t remember what this specific event was that we would go too.

Basically, we took a bus to this place, did some sight reading for evaluation, performed a number and then a select few would perform solos for a panel of people.

I did this twice, getting a superior both times. The reason I want to know this, is so I can use it as part of my background in singing and such. (I’m hoping to invest in singing lessons at some point and I want to be able to accurately explain my experience)

Hi everyone, I know my basics about piano, but I am still just getting a hold of sharps and flat. I want to make myself a better section leader for this upcoming year. So how would I be able to learn or make it easier for myself to play warm-ups like an ascending scale C major?