Come & Sing Resources: A Handel Celebration

If the Come and Sing is your first experience of singing in a choir, don't panic - many CCS members started off exactly the same way. Here are a few tips based on their experience:

1. Add tabs to your music NOW with chorus numbers and titles - eg "3. Jealousy". By doing this you will become familiar with the order, and you will feel much more confident during rehearsal when you can quickly flip to any chorus.

2. Find where the bar numbers are printed on your score - sometimes it's above the line, and sometimes it's below.

3. Look for the boxed letters in the movements - [A] [B] etc. These are like bookmarks - when the conductor says "two bars before letter A", that's what he's referring to.

4. Listen to the practice files as much as you can. The YouTube clips are also great to play to familiarise yourself with a concert performance of a chorus.

5. If you can, create a playlist with your part and then the performance recording for each movement. It really helps!

6. You can practise even when you can't sing. Listen to practice or performance recordings while following the score.

7. CCS is a very welcoming choir, and people are very willing to help you with any questions.

8. If you have a question, ask another chorister or CCS member for advice.

9. Please don't talk while the rehearsal is in progress - save questions or comments for the break.

10. If you don't have questions, just say hello to people anyway! Meeting other people who are passionate about singing is part of the fun of being in a Come and Sing program.