Chris Rowbury

Personal Information

First Name Chris
Last Name Rowbury
Gender Male

Location

Country United Kingdom
City Woodbridge

Musical Information

Musical Activities Singer, Conductor, Arranger, Composer, Voice Teacher, Administration, Marketing, Music fan
Voice Baritone
Member of Choirs singing safari

Website chrisrowbury.com
About Me I am a singing workshop and choir leader specialising in unaccompanied harmony songs from around the world.

I believe that everyone can sing and that music should be accessible to all, so I teach without written music and don't hold auditions.

I have 30 years' experience of teaching and running workshops in singing, voice and theatre and have worked all over the world as a teacher, director and performer.

I am a member of the Natural Voice Practitioners’ Network (http://www.naturalvoice.net) and shares their belief that everybody can sing regardless of experience or background.

My approach to singing is informal, energetic and empowering using large doses of humour! I can get any group of people singing harmony together in minutes.

What’s the best recording device to use in a choir rehearsal or singing workshop?

Posted Wed at 1:31 PM - 137 views - 0 comments

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] How long’s a piece of string? There are so many options that I’m not going to specify any particular type or model. photo by svennevenn However, here are some of the th...
Recording during singing workshops and choir rehearsals – why, what and when?

Posted March 13 - 205 views - 0 comments

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I always teach songs by ear. Despite my strong belief in the oral/ aural tradition, there is an increasing number of handheld recording devices appearing in my singing sessions! photo by Ha...
The singers who didn’t like warm ups (and what became of them)

Posted March 6 - 2628 views - 0 comments

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Once upon a time there were two singers: Olga and Little Erik. They did not like choir warm ups. Olga always came late so she could avoid them. Little Erik did them in a half-hearted way with a ...
10 exercises guaranteed to get your singers listening more carefully

Posted February 27 - 633 views - 0 comments

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] A while back I went to a workshop run by the amazing Su Hart who has spent around 25 years working with the Baka people of Central Africa. Living in the rainforest as they do, listening well is litera...
Build it and they will come – why you can never have too many choirs

Posted February 20 - 595 views - 0 comments

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I had a friend who moved to a new town and set up a new choir, blissfully ignorant of the 100+ community chorus that already existed there. photo by ToBreatheAsOne What was amazing...

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Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

What’s the best recording device to use in a choir rehearsal or singing workshop?

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] How long’s a piece of string? There are so many options that I’m not going to specify any particular type or model. photo by svennev...

Wed at 1:31 PM
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

Recording during singing workshops and choir rehearsals – why, what and when?

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I always teach songs by ear. Despite my strong belief in the oral/ aural tradition, there is an increasing number of handheld recording devices appearing i...

March 13
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

The singers who didn’t like warm ups (and what became of them)

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Once upon a time there were two singers: Olga and Little Erik. They did not like choir warm ups. Olga always came late so she could avoid them. Littl...

March 6
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

10 exercises guaranteed to get your singers listening more carefully

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] A while back I went to a workshop run by the amazing Su Hart who has spent around 25 years working with the Baka people of Central Africa. Living in the ra...

February 27
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

Build it and they will come – why you can never have too many choirs

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I had a friend who moved to a new town and set up a new choir, blissfully ignorant of the 100+ community chorus that already existed there. phot...

February 20
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

Why a choir can never be truly democratic

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Ever asked your choir members how they think things are going? Is there a large committee helping to run your choir? If so, you’ve realised that a ch...

February 13
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

The differences between a ‘natural voice’ choir and all the rest

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] You may have come across the term ‘natural voice’. You may also have realised by now that I am a member of The Natural Voice Network. ...

February 6
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

Beach Boys bonanza - residential singing weekend

Spend a fantastic weekend learning Beach Boys songs in glorious harmony in the beautiful Wye Valley. Men especially welcome! Friday 3 May 2019 5pm to Sunday 5 May 2019 2pm Dean Valley Manor (formerly Lindors Country House Hotel...

January 30
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

Using world songs in the classroom: a teacher’s guide to sourcing songs and how to teach them

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Some teachers find themselves having to lead singing sessions at their school. But often they don’t have that much experience of teaching songs ...

January 30
Chris Rowbury wrote a new blog entry:

Choirs and copyright: a beginner’s guide for the bewildered

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] [NB this post is about UK copyright laws. Although the situation will be similar in other countries, the various copyright and performing rights agencies a...

January 23

Chris Rowbury

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