Man up your group

Some top tips from choir leaders on how to get men singing

Vocal groups often tell us how hard it is to find and keep enough men in their membership. Here are a few top tips from choir leaders Dominic Stichbury (Chaps Choir) and Xenia Davis (Peckham Rye Sings) on how to get men to join your choir and enjoy it enough to stay on. 1. Get them through the door: you may have some great marketing ideas for drawing men into join your group – engaging posters, or an inviting online presence – but before you do anything, test these ideas with your target audience, whether that’s male friends or family. 2. Challenge traditional ideas around repertoire: use or create arrangements of popular music. Community choir arrangements work well for a voice range in a vocal comfort zone of 1.5 octaves (as opposed to SATB which asks for a 2-octave range). Three-part arrangements are simple and quick to learn. This will reassure less confident singers early on that they can create a beautiful sound. You could also choose certain music that features the male voice for example Gospel, sea shanties, Corsican, Croatian and South African songs. Rounds are also a good idea for beginners. 3. If your group is a mix of genders: make sure you choose repertoire where the men’s part is interesting – let them have a chance to shine with the tune. 4. Give extra time to the men: focus on their development and train them on specific techniques for male voice. If your musical director is female, see if you can bring in a male leader for these extra sessions.

5. Be flexible about parts: if you don’t have enough singers in each section, change things up if your repertoire allows it. Mix up the genders across parts – double the octaves and spread men evenly throughout the choir or move them around to sit next to different parts so that they don’t feel isolated. 6. Be flexible about rehearsals: make learning tracks available; not only will this allow people to practice at home, but if they join the choir halfway through the term it could help them to catch up with what they’ve missed. Be aware that people are giving up their spare time so make allowances for things that are happening outside of choir. 7. Finding an identity: being in a group is not just about the singing. As Chaps Choir found through some research they conducted, mental health is a big consideration. Male-only sessions and workshops can help some men feel safer expressing themselves by creating a ‘we’re-all-in-it together’ atmosphere. If your choir is mixed, it can help to give each section an identity, particularly if they are in the minority. Rehearsing the men separately and using positive encouragement can help them to feel valued and to bond as a section. 8. Use a buddy system: this can be useful for welcoming in new members and making them feel at home. Find more tips and resources for musical directors: makingmusic.org.uk/resources/mds

Image courtesy of Sing for Pleasure

“Male-only sessions ... can help some men feel safer expressing themselves by creating a ‘we’re-all-init together’ atmosphere.”