Don’t think that choir singing is uncool and outdated because you need to know these benefits of choir singing before even saying it’s not for you.
I have met a lot of singers who think less about choirs and consider themselves better off doing a solo act. Especially if you are from a place where no music conservatory is accessible, most probably, you will look down on any chorale groups.
Is there any benefit you get when you try to join any chorale group near your place? Are you going to improve or degrade if you refuse yourself of a solo act and start working with a group?
Well, here’s a list of the things you might want to consider.
Benefits of Choir Singing
Self Confidence
Performing on any given stage on your own is a daunting task. Not everyone who tries a solo act is comfortable being alone on stage. Even veteran singers or stage actors are still frightened occasionally.
Joining a chorale group solves precisely that problem. It is less frightening on stage when you get to sing with a companion.
Choirs boost self-confidence and self-esteem because you are part of a larger group. You get to sing with other people on stage, so you experience less stage fright.
You Learn To Read Music
In addition to the list of the benefits of choir singing, you get to learn music. You do not need to be a music major to be part of a singing group but, you will learn music if you join one. Understanding basic music theory is every choir member’s task.
There are choirs were the conductor is the person who understands the music. He then teaches it to the members.
There are also excellent choral groups where the learning of the music is passed on to the members. Choir members are trained to understand the fundamentals of music, notation, and sight-reading.
You build a better musical ear.
Many amateur solo singers have intonation problems – they don’t have a good hold of their pitch when singing. Such a thing is real for most singers who are still starting.
When you join a singing group, your approach and dedication to singing in tune are way more strict. You cannot afford to be out of tune, even the slightest bit. It is not suitable for a choir to be out of tune.
Just imagine, you entered the team with a bad musical ear but as time progress you get to be better at harmonizing. Talk about the benefits of choir singing.
You get to harmonize both in singing and friendship.
I had members who were excellent amateur soloists inclined with pop singing. Being in a chorale group was so foreign to them, and some technical aspects of singing were also new to them.
The most obvious improvement was their ability to harmonize. Before joining the choir, all these singers could do was sing the melody of a song.
After spending time in the choir and after a lot of workshops, they can now harmonize with someone singing the melody of any song on the fly.
Like seriously.
More events than doing a solo act
I am not saying that doing a solo act is useless. Never will I say that.
What I mean is, if you are an unsigned artist, being in a singing group opens more doors of opportunities.
Not all talents doing a solo act have the opportunity to get gigs and significant events to which they can perform. One must learn the art of networking. That’s precisely a choir’s advantage over a single person working alone.
Imagine if there are 30 members in a choir, you have 30 different people with different friends and networks they can share. Finding clients and performances is not that hard compared to doing things alone.
It doesn’t have to be for a choir performance. Events may need a quartet, just ten singers, or even a solo performance. What matters is, you have a more significant web of networks connecting.
Competitions Local and Abroad
I am not saying being a solo performer means you can’t get to compete. By all means, if working solo works for you, then go ahead and reach for your dreams.
Not all people can sing solo on stage, and it’s daunting for most. Competition with a teammate on stage is another thing that a choir can offer. Also, choir competitions exist locally and internationally.
There will always be a reason to practice, especially for a competing choir.
Another thing you should remember is that competitions can bring you places. Your singing with a choir could bring you to different locations, which might not be even possible for you if you were singing by yourself.
You might want to read this article on how to organize local choral competitions.
Workshops and Continous Training
Most amateur solo performers do not consider hiring a coach. They usually struggle on their own. That’s another area where choral singing has the advantage.
You see, every choir starts rehearsal with a warm-up. This routine ensures that you sing healthily and that the sound of the rehearsal is good. Your vocals are always kept in check.
Choirs always have room for workshops. Conductors know that from time to time, they need to bring an expert to teach their members. These workshops provide more insights for every singer. New techniques to work on, and it makes you a better performer.
Some famous Celebrities were once choir members
You may not know it, but some of the singers or actors you adore so much were once choir members.
Don’t you believe me?
Go check out this article of 7 celebrities that were also members of a vocal group.
7 celebrities who sang in their school choir.
My point here is, if these very successful people even considered joining a choir, then wouldn’t that speak volumes about choral singing?
Belongingness and Comfort
It’s not just in a choir; it’s also true for groups like a basketball team or a volleyball team.
What’s unique about being in a choir is you get to make music with people you connect.
Remember this; good choirs need to agree with all the members to sound good. If you quarrel with another member, the sound will be affected.
It works as a family; you need to belong to be able to make good music. In my years of teaching choirs, there are even members who find peace in joining choirs.
In rehearsals, you all forget what happened at home, at work, and school. You all drop your cares and think about the music. Everyone connects in those moments of singing – they belong together as a unit.
Losing and Winning together.
Whatever happens during a competition, you share it. If a solo singer loses a particular competition, he or she needs to bear the pressure alone.
For chorale groups, you get to share the burden of loss and the joy of winning with other members. You get to absorb the negative impact less and multiply happiness because you share it with friends.
By the way, I wrote an article on how to prepare for a singing competition.
Leadership and Teamwork
Obviously, when you are working with a group of people, you need to have an agreement. To achieve such a state of mind, the quality of leadership, and the relationship of each member must be considered. Leadership is one of the benefits of choir singing.
Leaders in such a group will naturally stand out as the team continuously make progress. From rehearsals to competitions, the natural selection of leaders and members will eventually point out those with the gift of being a leader.
As for teamwork, you can’t create music without it. It’s mandatory, but it should come naturally and not something you force upon the members.
Conclusion
I cannot speak for the experience of other choral groups, but I do know that these things are everyday happenings for all choirs. If you can’t relate, it may be that things are different in your choir, or you haven’t joined a choir at all.
Regardless, the things mentioned above is none existent if you sing on your own. You will never have the blissful moments of making harmony with other performers.
So I strongly suggest, you go find yourself a singing group now and try it. You might end up wanting more. I hope that this article on the benefits of choir singing has given you important insights about choral singing.