How to sing

By and large choral societies like the City of Dunedin Choir consist of members who are untrained singers, singing for the joy of singing, and the friendship of people sharing an activity they love. Choir directors realise this and do their best to guide singers to achieve a good quality sound, but this guidance can never take the place of individual voice tuition.

There is no requirement for singers to attend professional voice tuition classes, but these days there are wonderful vocal technique resources freely available online, that singers can use to guide them towards singing better. If you already love singing, it follows logically that you will love singing better even more!

Here are some links to good quality "how to sing" resources you might find useful:

Youtube playlist of Alexander Massey's "How to Sing" series: http://www.youtube.complaylist?list=PL35CB4D5C3385C594&feature=plcp
and his "How to Breathe" series:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4106258C0A0DD571

Singing teacher (and Virtual Choir member) Henny De Snoo-van Breugel has created a Vocal Technique Tips site with lots of information and tips to help you improve your singing. https://sites.google.com/site/vocaltechniquetips/

David Burchell (choir director/conductor) is always telling us to smile when we sing - very good advice. This is what Henny says about singing with an open throat:

"Opening your throat is not just about relaxation. There is more you need to do to give your vocal folds as much room as possible.One of the best ways to give your vocal folds room is SMILE!

When you open your throat like this, you open your false vocal folds. By doing that you allow you vocal folds (the ones you sing with) to move more freely. Your breathing becomes more effective too."

The Vocal Technique Tips website has been set up specifically for the Virtual Choir 3 project, but it is an awesome resource for any singer, and it continually has more useful content added.

Here's another interesting tip from the same website:

"There are some do's and dont's when you are suffering from hoarseness or a breathy voice:

1. Drink a lot of water!

2. Give your voice some rest

3. Do NOT use any stuff that has menthol in it! This candy may taste good and gives you the feeling that is helps your throat but it will increase the swelling of your vocal cords and the tissue around it! Because menthol dries out the tissues in your throat, these tissues will react by producing more swelling and mucus. Your voice will only deteriorate!"

2012 Concert Season

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer
circa 1665. Oil on canvas.

Beauty of Baroque
Friday 30 March, 7:30pm at Knox Church

City Choir Dunedin presents the grandeur and exuberance of the pearls of Baroque music.

Conductor: David Burchell
Soloists: Pepe Becker (soprano), Grace Park (soprano), Amanda Cole (mezzo-soprano), Christopher John Clifford (countertenor),  Stephen Chambers (tenor) and Julien van Mellaerts (bass)
Orchestra: Southern Sinfonia

Programme:
Bach: Magnificat (BWV 243)
Handel: Utrecht Te Deum and Organ Concerto Op. 4 no. 2 in B Flat
Charpentier: Laetatus sum

The programme includes the breathtaking Magnificat composed by J.S. Bach in 1723. The impact of this great choral work derives essentially from Bach’s remarkable ability to balance, yet at the same time to exploit to the full, the spiritual and dramatic elements of the concise text of the Magnificat. It is a sublime pearl from an era rich in choral glory.

Stephen Chambers (tenor), recently described as having a “beautiful lyrical tenor voice”, is in Dunedin on a rare visit home. This is an opportunity to witness his progress on the international stage.

The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music. The style started around 1600 in Rome, Italy and spread to most of Europe. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word baroque is derived from the Portuguese word "barroco", Spanish "barroco", or French "baroque", all of which refer to a "rough or imperfect pearl".

Photo: Roger Hogan

Magpie, Song and Dance
Saturday 26 May, 7:30pm at
Knox Church

City Choir Dunedin and the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, conducted by David Burchell, are pleased to present a concert of romantic music ranging from somewhat melancholy to excitingly vibrant moods and soaring melodies.

The programme will include Rossini's Thieving Magpie, Brahms' Song of Destiny, Borodin's Polovetsian Dances (from Prince Igor), Sibelius' Karelia Suite, and Mozart's Concerto in A for Clarinet with young soloist Nicole Batchelar, who is now in the third year of a B.Mus. focusing on conducting and composition.

The Journey Home
Saturday 8 September, 8:00pm at Regent Theatre

City Choir Dunedin joins the Southern Sinfonia and conductor Simon Over for the world première performance of John Drummond's new oratorio The Journey Home, in their Tales of Ice and Fire concert.


The Journey Home tells the tale of Scott’s ill-fated Antarctic expedition, and this performance marks the tragedy’s centenary. Texts are by Jeremy Commons, Claire Benyon, Bill Manhire, Chris Orsman, and from the Book of Common Prayer. Jenny Wollerman (soprano) is acknowledged for her exquisite tone and compelling performances; James Rodgers (tenor), from Wellington, now based in New York, returns after his highly-praised 2009 Haydn performance with us, and Robert Tucker (bass baritone) returns from Scottish Opera success.

Also on the programme:
Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien
Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite (1919)

Rossini
Petite Messe Solennelle
Saturday 29 September, 7:30pm at
Knox Church

City Choir Dunedin and soloists present Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle with accompaniment on two pianos and organ, conducted by David Burchell. We look forward to performing with our favourite artists:

Emma Fraser - soprano, Amanda Cole - Mezzo-soprano, Matthew Wilson - tenor, Julien van Mellaerts - bass
Pianists: John van Buskirk and Sandra Crawshaw
Organist: Simon Mace

Rossini, the 19th century Italian composer, was known for his sense of humour. So it is that his Petite Messe Solennelle is neither little, nor solemn. Although of a sacred nature, it is unmistakably operatic in style, abounding in memorable tunes and rhythmic vitality. It is an elegant and refined work. 

Messiah Sing-along
Tuesday 11 December, 7:30pm at Knox Church

City Choir Dunedin presents the ever-green oratorio, Messiah, as a sing-along event. We invite the audience to add their voices to this performance and to experience, first-hand, the glory of this music composed by Handel. The performance will be conducted by Peter Adams, with David Burchell on the organ, Ron Caldwell and Ralph Miller on trumpets, and Mark Anderson on timpani.

Soloists: 
Sophie Morris, Soprano
Ingrid Fomiston-Nurse, Soprano
Calla Knudson-Hollebon, Soprano
Christopher John Clifford, Alto
Ben Madden, Tenor
Julien van Mellaerts, Bass