A Chance to Sing, Grow, and Shine
Small groups offer an opportunity for our members to showcase their talent, build and deepen relationships with singers in different voice parts, and explore harmonizing and performance skills outside of regular rehearsals.
While a core value of our choir is to foster a safe, non-auditioned platform for singers of all levels to share in the joy of singing together. Our choir’s founder, Ashley, recognized that some members would welcome the chance to expand their vocal skills and challenge themselves to step outside of their comfort zones and onto centre stage. Expressing ourselves through song is a lesson in vulnerability. Everyone struggles with their inner critic sometimes, and most of us wrestle self-doubt and insecurities daily. We encourage and celebrate inexperienced singers who discover and share their unique voices with us, and we hope to extend the same support and acceptance to the more seasoned singers who are working to improve and polish their unique voices. As we get older, it becomes more difficult to find outlets for our creative passions, and small groups provide a chance to shine while remaining in our choir community. Over the years, small groups have seen increased interest and participation from new and long-term members, and each singer has grown through the process. Small groups are intrinsic to our choir experience, empowering those songbirds who endeavour to perform, deepening connections, and enhancing our concerts.
Every member of Island Song is welcome to form a small group and audition for its inclusion in our concert. If you’d like to lead or be part of a small group, start by letting people know! Talk to those who have participated in the past, and express your interest to singers in other voice parts. Try as we might, we don’t have a formal system in place for forming small groups, as there are so many variables at play, and a group’s formation ultimately depends on each member’s ability to find the extra time to get together. It may appear that groups are formed based on existing friendships, and that is true to some extent, BUT almost without exception, those friendships were formed through this choir, and singing together was the foundation of those relationships. Most members walked into a room full of strangers when they joined this choir, and it’s an amazing achievement that together we’ve built so much connection and love for each other through our joy of singing!
Please bear a few things in mind when considering small groups:
- Does your song fit into the theme of the season? This season, we’re celebrating the richness and diversity of our kaleidoscopic lives through a spirited collection of colourful songs. Ideally our small group songs will feature colour somehow—either in the title, the lyrics, or the band/artist’s name, or will evoke or convey emotion through their use of colour.
- Do you have an arrangement for your song? Will you buy one online, arrange it yourself, or reprise a song from our past repertoire? Many of our past songs are better suited to the full choir, rather than a few voices, so please check with the arranger for guidance. If you’re arranging a new song, how will your group learn it? Will you learn by ear or with piano or vocal tracks? If you’re new to small groups, consider songs with strong harmonies and fewer parts, so that more time can be spent honing your harmonies, rather than learning many parts.
- Do you have singers for each voice part in the arrangement? Any singer is free to sing any part in a small group, provided they’re comfortable singing in that range. If you’re an alto who sings all the high notes in the car, this is your chance!
- Do you require accompaniment? Island Song’s musicians are paid to learn and perform our current repertoire, and are not expected to accompany small groups. They are kind and generous, though, so they may be willing to play for you if asked nicely or bribed with chocolate. (Please note: If you’d like Jeff to accompany your group, please ask him early in the season and provide him with sheet music for your song. Groups should be prepared to book some dedicated time with him after rehearsal (at their own expense), as several groups may need to practice with him as we get closer to the concert, and we want to make sure he gets a break too!) We have many talented instrumentalists in our choir who may accompany you, or you can ask a musical friend or hire someone.
- Do you have the extra time required to practice with your group? Do your schedules align for this pursuit? Learning a song from scratch without direction takes time, patience and enthusiasm. Which member(s) of your group will take on the tasks of scheduling, hosting, leading the rehearsals, and trouble-shooting tricky measures?
Together, we have built a caring and supportive community of singers, and hope that everyone feels seen and heard and supported. Our surveys have consistently shown that performance ranks relatively low as a reason to be in our choir. Singers put the joy of singing, connection, community, self-care, and musical learning way above performing every single season. For those who do crave the stage, however, our small group tradition offers a chance to bask in the limelight and share your gift. Most importantly, small groups are a great way to create and deepen friendships with your sister songbirds!