Show Notes
Send us Fan Mail “Only shooting stars break the mold,” according to Smash Mouth - and Angela Sharp is absolutely one of those shooting stars! In this chat, Ange and I get into what happens when we stop trying to squeeze singers into a one-size-fits-all model and start shaping choir around the actual humans standing in front of us. Ange takes us on her wonderfully winding musical journey into community choir directing, and the decades of singing, connection, chaos and impact that have fo...
More from Midlife Choirsis
Send us Fan Mail Lionel Richie, a pocketbook and taking the bins out. Choirs can look like they’re all about polish, perfection, and big moments on stage, but the real story sits underneath the sound. I’m joined by renowned choral director and vocal coach Mark De-Lisser, whose work spans community choirs, children’s choirs, dementia choirs, pro ensembles, and major TV productions like The Masked Singer and The Voice UK. With credits that include royal concert performances and huge public ev...
Send us Fan Mail Is “wellbeing” just fluffy choir talk, or is there more to it? How healthy is your choir, really? The warning signs might surprise you — and it could be time for a choir health check! Tune in as I talk accessibility, accommodation and inclusion with Emma Rowland-Elsen, a specialist consultant in choir inclusion and mental health, and the mind behind Sing Out Strong, a model built to help singers feel they genuinely belong while still making great music. If you lead a communi...
Send us Fan Mail You can feel the difference between a choir that’s technically fine and a choir that communicates every word. That’s the gap we explore with Jonathan Bligh, founder and artistic director of Festival Statesmen Chorus, as he shares the real work behind building a world-class choral sound. We hear Jonathan’s story from boy chorister to scholarships, school ensemble formation, and his life-changing training abroad. Along the way, we unpack what “culture first” actually looks lik...
Send us Fan Mail Fancy a spot of speed dating, choir-style? In this episode we talk about how choirs become places of real support and belonging. We share practical ways to build connections within your choir, collaborate with other groups, and learn from other directors without letting imposter syndrome run the show. After You Listen If you've enjoyed the episode today, please subscribe to the show! Share it via social media to friends and like-minded geeks, and let's keep the conversa...
Send us Fan Mail Any choir 'stumblers' out there? We love a good story about stumbling (or free falling?) into choir directing. I’m joined by Adelaide-based musician, performer, and choir director Carol Young, and in this hilarious interview we trace the real-world path that takes her from a childhood where everyone sang in harmony to a working career across classical voice, jazz choir, theatre, teaching, and community music. Carol talks candidly about the moments that shape a midlife creati...