The Choir's Notebooks

I regularly publish articles here for those who sing in choirs, ensembles, solo, or simply for the pleasure of letting their voices ring out.

You will find practical advice, ideas for exercises, reflections on posture, listening, breathing, intention... Everything that makes a song more than just a sequence of notes: a space for connection, presence and transmission.

The Choir's Notebooks

Categories

Facile à l’écoute, difficile à chanter : comprendre la vraie difficulté d’une pièce

Respirer ensemble : le geste invisible qui change tout

Devenir le choriste que votre chef ne veut pas voir partir

Miserere mei, Deus: when supplication becomes song

Don't just sing the notes, tell the story: the secret to choral emotion

Practising at home: how to gain freedom in 15 minutes a day

Arriving mid-season: catching up with the group without panicking

I have or I am? When a simple vowel becomes a police investigation

When the chef asks for «more colour»: how can this be interpreted technically?

Subtle nuances: from pp to ff with control

O Magnum Mysterium: a Christmas mystery turned polyphonic masterpiece

Vocal fatigue during rehearsals: when should you be concerned?

Third, fifth, seventh: getting to grips with scary words

Taming space: when the venue influences the singing

The 5 most common mistakes when starting out... and how to avoid them

Dare to suggest during rehearsals: when your feelings become a collective strength

How can you follow your vocal line when you don't understand the score?

Finally understanding your breathing when singing

Getting started in choral singing: imitate or reveal your personality?

Composing or arranging for your ensemble: pitfalls and pleasures

Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus: understanding the texts of the Mass to sing them better

Singing in several ensembles: enrichment or dispersion?

Cadences: harmonic turns you already know without realising it

Acting without overacting: finding the right intensity

Is my voice made for singing? (spoiler: yes)

For popular classical music (without it being a dirty word)

Vocal fatigue during rehearsals: recognising your limits

When the boss changes: adapting to new leadership

Ubi caritas: how composers express love for one's neighbour through music

Occasional soloist: transitioning smoothly from group to individual performance

The voice, an internal instrument

Baroque ornamentation in choral singing: when your voice regains its freedom of expression

When should you start singing without the sheet music?

The art of perfect harmony: understanding and refining micro-tuning

«We'll start again when we get up»: a guide to expressions often heard in chorus

Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna: a balance between simplicity and depth

Optional music theory: singing by ear, an underrated skill

Joining a choir: finding your place without disturbing others

Musical memorisation: freeing your voice from the score

Difficult acoustics: adapting your delivery to the space

Contemporary repertoire: approaching atonality with confidence

Deciphering by understanding harmony (even without reading everything)

Vocal warm-up: 5 minutes is enough to get started

Choral improvisation: letting go in a group setting

The texts of the Requiem: history, liturgy and musical adaptations

Tempo changes: follow without anticipating or lagging behind

How Bach constructs his chords: a deep dive into the chorale BWV 4

When it sounds right: learning to feel the right harmony

Learning without music theory: a guide for beginner choir singers

My very first rehearsal: what should I expect?

Polyphony: staying on track without getting lost

The silence between notes: understanding collective breathing

Dealing with stage fright before your first concert: breathe to calm yourself down

Bach's Magnificat: a joyful labyrinth

Singing for three hours standing up in a freezing cold church: is this really a tradition worth defending?

Shaky voice: why it's normal and how to calm down

Closed score: learning to listen before reading

Deep or high voice: how to discover your natural vocal range

Harmonic micro-accuracy: refining the beats between voices

Dynamic nuances: adjusting your voice according to the musical context

My first steps in a choir: what should I do if I feel lost?

Singing in tune: is it innate or can it be learned?

Singing in tune: if you think you sing out of tune, read this

Can I sing in a choir if I have never taken singing lessons?

Beginner's guide to choir singing: explaining 30 essential terms to get you started in a choir

How to manage your emotions when singing: between control and letting go

Maintaining the programme over time: the secrets of smooth sound

Work on vocal attack for a clear and smooth start to a chord

Collective accuracy: what to do when the votes are not exactly equal?

Timbre and fusion: how to retain your colour without overwhelming the group

Refining your voice in an ensemble: the subtleties of vocal adjustment

Regular exercise, even light exercise, makes all the difference.

Singing in the breath of others: breathing together to vibrate better

Posture in choral singing: neither military nor slouching, but lively

Freeing your voice does not mean opening it up more, it means listening to it better.

How to choose your first choir without getting discouraged?

How does a choir work? A practical guide to getting started with confidence

Stabat Mater – The hymn of maternal sorrow through the centuries

Facile à l’écoute, difficile à chanter : comprendre la vraie difficulté d’une pièce

Respirer ensemble : le geste invisible qui change tout