A couple of Years ago, around this time of year, actually, I was having a particularly awful day. I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say I was dealing with some pretty heartbreaking family drama, work was pretty crappy at the ...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] There were two articles in the UK national press a few Years ago, one bemoaning the fact that we don’t sing Christmas carols together as much as we u...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 Years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

Through the past thousands of Years, choir singing has become more and more widespread, more and more part of our everyday lives. We can only contemplate how it started - maybe with religious rituals? Or work songs? But nowadays, choir singing - and mus...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from almost 30 Years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions ac...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Even though I’ve been teaching for almost 30 Years, I still get affected by that glum-looking face in the third row.   ... and it's no...

e-mail: xtsina@yahoo.gr We have been travelling together since we were kids as members of the Children’s Choir of Polygyros. It’s been at least 15-20 Years now that we have participated in numerous festivals and concerts all over Greece but also all ove...  moree-mail: xtsina@yahoo.gr We have been travelling together since we were kids as members of the Children’s Choir of Polygyros. It’s been at least 15-20 Years now that we have participated in numerous festivals and concerts all over Greece but also all over Europe. In 2005, as adults, we decided to establish this particular group with the assistance of the Children’s Choir. We have given concerts in Hungary, in several cities in Greece and especially in Chalkidiki. In 2011 new members have been included in the group and we have changed our name into “THAMYRIADES”. Our repertory extends from classical to rock, pop and musical. You will have the opportunity to listen to us in selected halls. In Greek mythology, Thamyris (Greek: Θάμυρις), son of Philammon and the nymph Argiope, was a Thracian singer who was so proud of his skill that he boasted he could outsing the Muses. He competed against them and lost. As punishment for his presumption they blinded him, and took away his ability to make poetry and to pla...    less

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I lived in Coventry in the Midlands of the UK for almost 13 Years (gosh, doesn’t time fly!), although I’m originally from South London. In 2010...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 Years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 Years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...