6 February Update

Week 5 of 6 (Half Term 1)

In this week's bulletin, we have Coffee Notices, a rehearsal recap and Song Facts about Flight by Craig Carnelia.

☕ Coffee Notices

WhatsApp Communities

We’ll be moving all our group chats into WhatsApp Communities. WhatsApp Communities lets us share important updates once, in the Announcements channel, and know that everyone has seen them. You should be able to see the communities icon alongside the chats icon when you open up WhatsApp. Here are examples of what this looks like on both iPhone and Android:

Your usual groups chats will still be there for conversation, questions and choir banter. Nothing about the friendly feel of the choir has changed. This just helps keep information clear, consistent and easy to find. The transfer process will be automatic, and you will find all available COTH group chats under one expandable tab. If you have any questions or concerns with this process, please speak to any member of the choir Management Team who will be able to help you.

You will soon be able to sign up for our Easter performance on Sunday, the 5th of April, as part of West Norwood Feast. Registering asap would be appreciated as this will allow us to check we have enough members signed up for us to go ahead. If you cannot make it, you will be missed; however, we will have another opportunity on Sunday, the 6th of June, at the same venue.

🎤 Rehearsal Recap

Warm-up:

Our warm-up this week focused on producing both low and high notes without putting strain on the vocal cords. There are many techniques that can help with this, and we practised two in particular.

The first involved making a gentle ‘siren’ sound while releasing breath, moving down to the lowest note your breath would comfortably allow. For dog lovers, the sound is often compared to a husky whine. This exercise helps to reduce stress, relax the shoulders and neck, and lower cortisol levels.

We then sang scales using a ‘meee’ sound. Elena explained that it’s important to prevent air from escaping through the cheeks. To do this, we open the mouth vertically (up and down) rather than horizontally (side to side). The jaw should stay relaxed and be allowed to drop easily, helping us achieve a fuller sound without straining the voice. We often refer to this shape as the ‘Pingu/fish face’.

These exercises are particularly important when we sing songs such as Glorious and Flight which have a larger scale range of both high and low notes. 

Song 1 -Flight - Craig Carnelia We revisited the first seven boxes on the song sheet, as before. The opening of the song sounds really lovely now – well done to everyone for remembering the flow and for practising at home.

We returned to the ‘ahhhh’ sections and then onto box 9 of the song sheet ('Let me leave behind').

Altos

• The first line ends with a long count on the word BEHIND. Hold this for four beats, then on the fifth beat, prepare to drop slightly, finishing the word on the sixth beat.

• In the second line, the word ‘I’ is a 2 beat note that descends (I ——↘︎) – we will continue to practise this.

• The third line ends with a long count on SKY. The note drops down on the ‘y’, holds for six beats, then drops again on the seventh beat.

• The fourth line is a single word – HIGH. Try to begin with a gentle ‘huh’ sound rather than straining to push for the note. This helps the throat relax and makes the word clearer and easier to sing.

Sopranos

• Sopranos join in with 'all the clouds in my mind' three beats after the altos’ word BEHIND.

• The second line harmonises on the word WANNA.

• The third line ends with a long hold on SKY. Hold the note for six beats, then drop down on the seventh.

• The fourth line is a single word – HIGH. Begin the word with a ‘huh’ sound to help the tone stay relaxed.

We’ll continue working on this song in our next session.

Song 2 - Glorious

• We are currently singing this song with a 2-part harmony. Ideally, please print the lyrics using the two-column layout. If a soprano is using the original three-column layout, please clearly mark the change in box 10. Instead of singing the OHs from the sopranos’ melody, the sopranos should sing the lyrics marked for the sopranos’ harmony.

• The opening soloists should focus on clear diction. Use a speaking volume rather than a harmonising volume – the four lines should feel present, confident, and clearly delivered.

🎵Song Facts - Flight, Craig Carnelia

Flight was written by Craig Carnelia, a composer whose music is often used by choirs because it focuses on emotional storytelling rather than big vocal showiness.

The song doesn’t follow a traditional verse-and-chorus structure. Instead, it unfolds slowly, with lots of space to breathe and listen. The ‘ahhhh’ sections are a really important part of the piece - they’re there to create a sense of lift and movement, rather than just filling time between lyrics.

People often interpret Flight as being about change, courage, or stepping into something new. The lyrics don’t spell everything out, which means singers (and listeners) can bring their own meaning to it. That openness is part of what makes the song work so well in a choir setting.

Musically, this is a piece that relies on blend, shared shape, and trust in each other. It’s less about individual voices standing out, and more about everyone moving together and letting the sound build gently. When it settles, it creates a really beautiful sense of calm and focus.