[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...

[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...

[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...

[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...

[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...

Noel by Théophile Gautier setting for two altos and guitar poem translated into English by S N Solomons, music composed and performed (multitrack) by D W Solomons (dwsChorale) The sky is dark, the earth is white, oh bells ring out with joy Je...  moreNoel by Théophile Gautier setting for two altos and guitar poem translated into English by S N Solomons, music composed and performed (multitrack) by D W Solomons (dwsChorale) The sky is dark, the earth is white, oh bells ring out with joy Jesus is born, the Virgin quiet shelters her baby boy. Noel Noel Noel bells ring out with joy! No wraps No festooned curtains spread to shield the child from frost nothing but flimsy spider webs trail from the beams aloft. He shivers in that cold stable this Jesus child so dear, and so to warm him in the cradle, the ass and ox draw near. The snow hangs down in lacy fringe. But far above the heavens swell reveal the angel Choir that sings to men Noel Noel  less

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I really, really don’t like performing outdoors (I’ll come to why in a moment)! But sometimes it’s unavoidable, so what can we do to make...