Junior FR’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration Concert

Junior Fascinating Rhythm (Junior FR) has celebrated its tenth anniversary by hosting a special concert. The full-house audience was made up of Junior FR girls’ parents and grandparents, ex-Junior FR students with their families, and several Fascinating Rhythm members.

The evening concert, held on 4 December 2021 at Iron Acton Village Hall, featured Junior FR’s current line-up singing several chorus numbers and several soloists and duettists who have previously represented the choir at Eisteddfods and singing competitions. The celebration featured some of Junior FR’s newest and best-loved songs and saw all current and former singing members reunited for a moving rendition of ABBA’s song ‘Thank You For The Music’.

To mark the occasion, Wendy Howse, Junior FR’s Musical Director, was presented with a special commemorative framed ‘family tree’ picture showing the name of each of Junior FR’s current and former members. The founding members and adult helpers on the lower branches and newer members and helpers towards the top. The adults who have supported Junior FR as ‘helpers’ over the past ten years were presented with smaller versions of the tree to recognise their contribution.

“It was an amazing evening, full of joy and celebration. The absolute highlight was having every Junior FR member, current and past, on stage to sing ‘Thank You For The Music’. The sound was immense, and my grin was even wider! “

Wendy House

“It was such a privilege to be sitting in the audience for this very special concert and an even greater honour to be invited to direct one of their songs ‘This is Me’. It is so evident by the whole polished performances through the evening just how hard the girls work not only in rehearsal but on their own at home, true dedication.” 

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director Jo Thorn.

The concert concluded with a retiring collection, which, together with other fundraising activities, raised approximately £500 for the Jessie May Trust.

“I will be buzzing for weeks after this event, and I can’t wait to see what the next ten years have in store for Junior FR.”

Wendy Howse

Joining Junior FR

Junior FR is currently recruiting new members, so if you, or someone you know, is interested in taking up singing or joining, please contact us via our website.

Junior FR is a choir for girls aged 7 to 16 years old. There is no audition process for new members, and no previous singing or musical experience is needed. Members meet weekly during term-time at Iron Acton Village Hall (Friday afternoons, 4.00-5.30pm), perform at events throughout the year and help to raise money for various charities. 

Junior FR how it started/how it’s going

Junior FR, Fascinating Rhythm’s junior choir for girls aged 7 to 16, is celebrating its tenth birthday this year. We caught up with Musical Director Wendy and some of Junior FR’s founding, current and former members to reflect on how the choir got started and reminisce over their ‘best bits’ from the past ten years.

We’ve come a long way

Wendy (Junior FR Musical Director): “The idea for a junior choir came about when we were planning a Christmas concert and looking for acts to include alongside Fascinating Rhythm on the programme. Four of the ladies’ chorus members (Caroline, Kitty, Sharon and I) all had daughters of a similar age; we thought we could sing together with them at the concert, and the idea for Junior FR was born.”

Kitty (Junior FR helper): “I felt so proud standing on stage with my daughter, Holly, in front of Fascinating Rhythm, at that first Christmas concert. And my mum was there too, accompanying us on the piano, so we had three generations of our family performing together!”

Wendy: “Our very first rehearsal was on a Saturday morning in early October 2011 in Iron Acton Village Hall with just 12 singers. Over the next few years, Junior FR grew to a membership of about 30 girls from across the South Gloucestershire area. Unfortunately, due to the covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, we’re down to 22 members at the moment.”

We’ve had success

Wendy: “Junior FR regularly performs at local concerts and festivals and has won the under-11s choir category in Thornbury Eistedfodd three times. We’ve also had girls sing solos and duets in music competitions.” 

Caroline (Junior FR helper): “I love the ‘wow!’ reaction that Junior FR gets when they sing with or for Fascinating Rhythm. It feels like a validation of just how good they are.” 

Kitty: “I love the joy and satisfaction of being part of a great team that provides such rewarding experiences for the girls and seeing the confidence and self-esteem they gain from being part of Junior FR.”

Georgia (former Junior FR member): “Most importantly, Junior FR taught me the power of singing and music, and I definitely wouldn’t be as confident if it weren’t for the many things we were taught each week. Starting as a group that wanted to introduce young girls to singing specifically in harmony has taught me so much more. I adored being on stage with Junior FR and all of the wonderful ladies who run it, and it is eight years of my life I will always look back on with so much joy and treasure forever.”

Wendy: “I’ve had so many amazing comments from parents over the past ten years of Junior FR. They tell me how being part of the choir has increased their girls’ confidence. All the girls who have come through Junior FR have grown in confidence and enjoyed being part of our choir. It’s such a special time because the girls come from different areas and don’t all go to school together, but when they meet up, there’s a real sense of family.”

We’ve had good times

Kitty: “One of my best bits has been the fun and laughter with all the girls in adapting and staging our shows,’ Cinderella’ and ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.”

Lily (former Junior FR member): “I was about eight years old when I joined Junior FR. I went with my mum, Sarah, because she’d been asked to help direct ‘Cinderella’ and I got a part in the chorus. The next year, mum directed ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, and she made me dress up as a pig in a Land Girl outfit to sing and dance the Charleston!”

Elizabeth (current Junior FR member): “In ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, I got to play Sniffy the dog and eat half a cake! I like being part of Junior Fr because it’s fun.”

Anna (current Junior FR member): “One thing I always remember is how happy I was when Jo, Musical Director of Fascinating Rhythm, gave me some chocolates at my first Proms in the Meadow, because she could see in rehearsal I was way out of my comfort zone singing with the ladies’ chorus, but I had tried hard. I was probably seven years old then. I’m now 14, still with Junior FR and have learned so much! Performing at Proms has always been my highlight.” 

Georgia: “I loved Junior FR so much because it introduced me to singing and, from the first-ever rehearsal, I knew that I had friends for life. Junior FR became my second family and gave me so many opportunities, the majority of which I wouldn’t have been able to experience without joining Junior FR.”

Caroline: “It was a bit like herding cats sometimes, trying to get the girls to focus or contain their excitement before a performance! But as soon as they were on their way to the stage, then performing, they were brilliant. I always felt immensely proud watching Junior FR or singing alongside them.”

Mama Joan (Junior FR helper): “Helping with Junior FR has given me a great deal of pleasure over the years, and I’ve enjoyed every minute – from the very first Learn to Sing day at Yate Academy to the shows, Eisteddfods and concerts.”

We’ve reached so high

Layla (current Junior FR member): “I remember when I used to look up to the older girls and think how ‘cool’ they were. They were always sat in a specific part of the room. Now I’m one of the seniors, and I look at the juniors, knowing they will carry on Junior FR and be one of the cool seniors too, one day.”

Caroline: “My daughter, Imogen, and I fondly remember Wendy’s energy, enthusiasm and fantastic teaching skills. We both learnt a lot of singing and performance craft through Junior FR, and I even improved my range on higher notes because the girls naturally sing in a higher range!”

Mama Joan: “Wendy has created a wonderful resource for young girls, and I feel privileged to have been a part of it. All the Junior FR girls are so wonderful – it has been lovely to see many of them grow into confident young women and accomplished singers.”

Wendy: “During the lockdown, Junior FR put together a video ‘Being a Kid in Lockdown Too‘, which was a lot of fun to learn and record! Then, at the beginning of this year, when we were locked down again and rehearsing on Zoom, we had the idea of doing a musical show. The girls chose ‘The Pied Piper’ and started learning all the songs. We were hoping to do a live performance but decided instead to make it into a musical film! The girls have been working really hard to record the soundtrack and film on location. We’re just adding a few finishing touches and will be ready to release the Premiere soon – so, watch this space!”

And we hope for more…

Wendy: “We’re planning a big tenth-anniversary celebration in December with current and former members of Junior FR, their parents and members of Fascinating Rhythm.”

Caroline: “I’ll always continue to follow Junior FR with pride and happy memories.”

Mama Joan: “Congratulations, Junior FR, on your 10th birthday! I will always remember, with great fondness, the years I was privileged to be involved and all the lovely girls I met.”

Jo (Fascinating Rhythm Musical Director): “We are so proud of JFR and all their achievements over the last ten years. They always steal the show when they join Fascinating Rhythm for a concert, and that makes us all incredibly happy. We are once again reminded of the power of belonging to a like-minded community, and I know that these girls will treasure their time with Junior FR for a lifetime. We hope many of them will join Fascinating Rhythm when they come of age; no better way to future-proof our group than with well trained, confident and passionate young ladies.”

Sure is good to be here

If you or someone you know would like to join Junior FR, please get in touch with us via our website.

You might also like to see other articles in the Fascinating Rhythm Insight series:01 – Why singing is good for you

01 – Why Singing is Good For You

02 – Making your performance authentic

03 – Performance through vocal expression

04 – Teamwork makes the dream work

05 – Why warm-up? 

06 – The New Members Guide to Joining a Choir in a Pandemic!

07 – Breathing to Sing

09 – Singing is a Family Affair

10 – How we choose Convention songs

11 – Mixing it Up

12 – Love to Sing

LABBS Chair visit to Fascinating Rhythm

Fascinating Rhythm members were delighted to receive a visit from Natalie Feddon, Chair of the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS), who travelled all the way from Bromley in Kent to attend their rehearsal on Thursday night at the Greenfield Centre.

Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo, invited Natalie to join in with an energetic rehearsal warm-up and a joyful rendition of two popular LABBS ‘polecat’ songs – ‘Lazy Day’ and ‘Anthem’. 

Natalie thanked the choir for a warm welcome and complimented Fascinating Rhythm on their video of ‘This Is Me’, which had been shared with other LABBS choruses as part of this year’s Unconventional Convention. Natalie said that the message behind the song, which Fascinating Rhythm had recorded to support the charity Ups and Downs Southwest, was relevant to people in all walks of life and was a strong anthem for singers to celebrate their individuality.

Natalie said,

“It is a privilege to visit LABBS choruses and to join in their singing. It is great that we all know the polecat songs and can share our enjoyment of barbershop harmony. Singing makes me feel so happy, and I am so proud to be LABBS Chair. Hearing the diversity of Fascinating Rhythm’s music and the standard of their singing has been a real joy this evening.” 

Natalie then surprised Jo by presenting her with a Long-Service Award in recognition of her 25 years membership of LABBS. Jo is a third-generation barbershopper and the fourth member of her family to be a chorus director. Having taken up singing at a young age, Jo has sung in three choruses and two quartets and has won bronze, silver and gold medals with her quartet Havoc. 

Jo said,

“What a milestone! Does it make me feel old? Hell no. Any time spent with LABBS keeps you young at heart, forever learning, and continuously creative. Thank you, LABBS, for all the incredible opportunities and thank you, Natalie, for being part of this momentous occasion. But the biggest thanks to my beautiful chorus Fascinating Rhythm for the last 15 years, where you have pushed and supported me to be the very best version of myself. Believe me when I say that actual directing skills only add up to 5% of a Musical Director’s job. Barbershop is my life, and I love it.”

Fascinating Rhythm helped Jo celebrate her achievement with a few glasses of Prosecco and a cake, baked especially for the occasion by chorus member Julie.

Other Fascinating Rhythm members receiving awards and commemorative pin badges this month are Bekki and Linda, who have both been members of the choir for five years.

Fascinating Rhythm’s Chair, Iris says,

“We spent a wonderful evening with LABBS Chair, Natalie. It’s great that she was able to visit and sing with us and help celebrate our ladies’ commitment to close-harmony barbershop singing.”

Fascinating Rhythm celebrates membership milestones!

Fascinating Rhythm has been marking the long service of several chorus members and welcomed a new member to the risers.

During October, membership awards and commemorative pin badges were presented to: 

• Lesley and Ali who have been members of Fascinating Rhythm for 25 years 

• Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo who has been with the chorus for 15 years  

• Chloe, Julie, Angela and Kate who have all been members of the chorus for ten years

• Hannah and Susie who have both been members for five years

Earlier this year, Ali also received a 35-year membership award from the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS). 

“It’s wonderful to celebrate and recognise members dedication to Fascinating Rhythm over the years,”

says Committee Chair Iris.

“We are looking forward to seeing them wear their membership pins with pride and to many more years of singing together!”

Fascinating Rhythm has also congratulated new member Hazel on passing the first stage of our assessment process just a few weeks after coming along to her first rehearsal.

“Now that the pandemic restrictions have lifted, it’s so wonderful to be singing again,”

says Hazel.

“I am really looking forward to performing with Fascinating Rhythm and developing my skills as a singer.”

“We feel so lucky to have new members joining us after 18 months of being locked down in every respect,”

says Jo

“It always fills me with pride to see new members immerse themselves so quickly into our chorus life. Hazel has confidently thrown herself into rehearsal nights, and it is such a pleasure to have her on board.” 

Singing Success for Specs Appeal

Fascinating Rhythm is celebrating the success of one of its in-house quartets, Specs Appeal, at the Bournemouth Music Competitions Festival held at the beginning of October. 

Specs Appeal were awarded a distinction and the Peter Carpenter Cup in the ‘Vocal Trio, Quartet or Ensemble’ category for their performance of a four-part arrangement of “Anthem” from the musical Chess and a bespoke arrangement of “Landslide” by Stevie Nicks.

Specs Appeal also competed in the Barbershop category, alongside six other quartets. They were commended on their entertaining performance of “A Dress With Pockets” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”. 

“We were delighted to receive fantastic feedback from the adjudicator, as this was our first time in the competition,”

said Hannah, Amy, Becky and Kate.

“We love singing, together and to have our hard work validated just feels fantastic!”

At the beginning of last year, Specs Appeal were rehearsing hard for LABBS Quartet Prelims, but the competition was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. During the lockdown, the quartet kept themselves motivated in weekly Zoom rehearsals and learned a special lockdown song, “I Might Just Hold You A Little Too Long”. 

Whilst they still aspire to compete at Prelims in the future, Specs Appeal is currently working on some new a cappella close-harmony pieces arranged in a non-barbershop style. The ladies also plan to share a video of themselves singing “Landslide” as part of this year’s Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) ‘Unconventional Convention’.

“We are so proud of Specs Appeal; what an achievement,”

said Jo, Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director.

“You will not find a more dedicated quartet who I know work incredibly hard on their art; this is so well deserved. Singing in quartet brings about a great level of confidence in one’s own singing and performance ability, and through their passion and quartet commitment, Fascinating Rhythm gains in every respect. Well done, ladies, amazing job!”

Specs Appeal formed as a quartet in April 2018, having sung together as members of Fascinating Rhythm. Amy (Lead), Becky (Baritone), Hannah (Tenor) and Kate (Bass) love singing a cappella and barbershop arrangements of popular songs. Embracing their stylish eyeglasses and feminist tendencies, they’ll take every opportunity to dress in matching spectacles-themed attire and keep things in their pockets.

Specs Appeal have entertained audiences at Westonbirt Arboretum’s Enchanted Christmas, sung in St Martin’s Church, Knowle with the Great Day Choir, and supported Fascinating Rhythm at a concert to raise funds for Thornbury Area Youth Music. 

To find out more about Specs Appeal, you can follow them on Facebook. 

If you are interested in forming or joining a barbershop quartet, you can find out more on the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) website

Ten Years of Junior FR

Fascinating Rhythm is celebrating the tenth birthday of its junior choir (Junior FR) this month.

To mark the occasion, Junior FR is rehearsing for a special 10th-anniversary concert, which will be held on 4 December 2021 and welcome back some former members. The show will feature the current choir line-up, plus some soloists and duettists who have sung at previous Eisteddfods. The concert will be free entry but with a retiring collection for the Jessie May Trust.

Junior FR was established in October 2011, with sixteen founding members (twelve girls and four adults). Since then, it has flourished to a membership of up to 34 singers, aged between 7 and 16 years old, from across the South Gloucestershire area. They rehearse under the direction of Musical Director, Wendy, supported by volunteer singing assistants from Fascinating Rhythm.

“Junior FR is such a special choir because the girls all come from different areas. They don’t all go to school together but, when they meet up, there’s a real sense of family,” explains Wendy. “Being part of Junior FR builds up their confidence, and they make new friends.”

Zoom Choir

Even when the covid pandemic disrupted daily life, school and rehearsals, the girls continued to meet on Zoom. They took the opportunity to work on solo performances, learn some new songs and put together their own Junior FR lockdown video: ‘Being a Kid in Lockdown Too’. Since then, the girls have been working on a musical video, recording a soundtrack and filming on location – watch out for the Premiere coming soon!

“Junior FR are a dedicated bunch of girls, who just love to sing!” reflects Wendy. “Despite all the upheaval of the past two years, they’ve kept practising at home to maintain their high standard of singing. I’m so proud of each and every one of them for their commitment and resilience.” 

The beginnings

The idea for a junior choir first came about when Fascinating Rhythm’s Show Team was looking for another choir to include on the programme for a Christmas concert. Eight chorus members with daughters of a similar age suggested a ‘mums and daughters’ segment at the concert, and, from there, Junior FR was born. 

Over the last ten years, Junior FR has put on musical shows, competed in singing competitions and performed at local events, such as the Iron Acton Proms in the Meadow. They usually take part in The Big Sing at St Peters Church, Frampton Cotterell, in support of Christian Aid and have entertained Christmas shoppers at Clifton Down Shopping Centre to raise money for charity.

Junior FR girls are encouraged to consider moving up to Fascinating Rhythm when they are old enough and, earlier this year, Lily Hopkins became the first person to do so. Lily joined Junior FR in 2015 and has supported Fascinating Rhythm at various concerts and competitions since she was seven years old. 

“I’m absolutely delighted that Lily has chosen to carry on her singing with Fascinating Rhythm after being a committed Junior FR member,” says Wendy. “Junior FR girls are all part of our Fascinating Rhythm family, and we would love for any of the older members to come along to the senior choir.” 

Find out more about Junior FR

Junior FR is a choir for girls aged 7 to 16 years old. There is no audition process for new members, and no previous singing or musical experience is needed. Members meet weekly during term-time at Iron Acton Village Hall (Friday afternoons, 4.00-5.30pm). They perform at events throughout the year and help to raise money for various charities. New members are always welcome – please get in touch with us via our website.

Coaching Weekend with Sally McLean

Fascinating Rhythm members spent the weekend at Turnberries Community Centre enjoying two days of vocal coaching with Sally McLean, Musical Director of the White Rosettes.

On Saturday, the chorus split into Sections, giving each voice part the opportunity of an intensive monotone session as well as a duet with one other voice part. First up, in the morning, were the Leads and Baritones, followed by the Basses and Tenors in the afternoon. 

On Sunday, the whole chorus came together to work on our favourite song, “And So It Goes”, and a new addition to the repertoire, “Titanium”. 

Originally, Fascinating Rhythm had planned to go on a chorus retreat weekend in April 2020 for an immersive coaching experience with Sally. Unfortunately, the covid-19 pandemic and lockdown meant those plans had to be cancelled.

Throughout lockdown, Fascinating Rhythm’s Musical Director, Jo, stayed in touch with Sally online. Sally made a guest appearance at one of the choir’s Zoom rehearsals and led a virtual coaching session that included evaluating one of the White Rosette’s performances. 

“As Musical Director, I have really appreciated staying in touch with Sally, if only to get a sense that the things we were struggling with were also the same issues for her chorus,” said Jo. “The pandemic isolated us in more ways than we could ever have predicted.”

“It was simply fabulous to actually meet in person this weekend with my friends at Fascinating Rhythm,” said Sally. “I have so missed everyone, and although I dislike technology, I was grateful over the last 18 months to be able to see familiar, smiling faces on screen, holding on in there until we could meet face to face again; and to chat with Jo about anything and everything, whilst we waited patiently for a return!”

Normally, at this time of year, Fascinating Rhythm would be hard at work preparing to compete at the annual Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) Convention. This year, due to covid-19, an ‘Unconventional Convention’ will look a little different, with a number of regional events across the UK followed by an online celebration of barbershop singing.

Instead of polishing a Convention package, Fascinating Rhythm members are focusing on slowly returning to normal, having recently returned to indoor rehearsals at The Greenfield Centre. 

“This weekend has been a significant step towards more normal ways of working. We know that things may never be exactly the same as they were pre-pandemic and, actually, nor should they be. We have learnt over the last 18 months just how creative we can be and how strong we are as a team – these things we should never let go of.” 

As Sally headed back to the White Rosettes, she left a positive note for the chorus. “Thank you, Fascinating Rhythm, for an uplifting weekend of friendship and music. Until next time!” 

If you are interested in joining a choir and would like to find out more about Fascinating Rhythm, please get in touch via our website.

Homeward bound: Fascinating Rhythm are moving back to the Greenfield Centre

Fascinating Rhythm members are delighted to be returning to Thursday night rehearsals at The Greenfield Centre in Winterbourne after spending the summer at Yate Town Football Club.

Since lockdown restrictions were lifted in July, allowing singing groups to meet and rehearse in outdoor spaces, the covered stand at Yate Town FC became Fascinating Rhythm’s temporary home. Now, with autumn approaching and the imminent start of a new football season, it’s time for the chorus to return to rehearsing indoors.

“For over a year, we stayed in touch on Zoom, but it just wasn’t possible to run normal rehearsals online. We are very grateful to Yate Town FC for their support and hospitality this summer. Being able to meet in the outdoor stand has given us the chance to reconnect as a chorus,” reflects Musical Director Jo. 

Whilst outdoor rehearsals have been a welcome first step towards normality, singing outside has presented a unique set of challenges for the choir. With the weather turning cooler and evenings drawing in, the ladies of Fascinating Rhythm are looking forward to moving back indoors.

Fascinating Rhythm’s Chair, Iris laughs, “One night, a mouse was running about the stand, between people’s feet! On another occasion, it poured with rain all evening, and poor Jo got completely soaked through. We’ve also had to contend with background noises, like a circus and a lawnmower, which was quite distracting and made it hard to hear ourselves sing.”

Since the first lockdown was implemented last year, the choir’s Health & Safety Team have been working with The Greenfield Centre to prepare for a safe return to indoor singing. 

“We have read the latest UK Government guidance and carried out a risk assessment to ensure a safe return to indoor rehearsals”, explains Fascinating Rhythm’s vice-Chair, Amy. “We’ll be social-distancing and wearing specially-adapted face masks for singers during rehearsals. To be extra careful, we’re also encouraging regular use of lateral flow tests and asking members to stay at home if they feel unwell in any way. And we’ll still be on Zoom and recording our live rehearsals for those ladies who aren’t able to be there in person.”

“To be back inside, where we know we can create and enjoy our true Fascinating Rhythm sound is going to be an absolute joy, for sure”, enthuses Jo. “A choir’s rehearsal space is like a home; the memories created in that space are priceless. It is where we feel safe, where we step outside of our comfort zone, where we form lifelong friendships, where we discover our ‘best selves’ – it is where we make our own kind of music. We are indebted to Greenfield for waiting for our return, so we may indeed ‘come home.”

Breathing to Sing

Fascinating Rhythm is renowned for close-harmony singing in the barbershop style, and we work on the basics of our craft at every rehearsal: from the fundamentals of breathing and posture to the more advanced skills of vocal artistry and performance.

Breathing to survive is something that most of us take for granted – we do it all day, every day without really thinking about it – but breathing to sing requires a combination of great posture and skilful inhaling and exhaling. Mastering the technique of breathing to sing gives us more control over our voices and supports our unique vocal sound.

Our Musical Director, Jo Thorn, is passionate about breathing to sing. “It might sound easy, but breathing is actually quite complex, and it’s something that lots of singers want to work on,” she says. “When the penny dropped for me about how to breathe to sing, it completely changed everything I did”.

How does breathing work?

Breathing is a fundamental biological mechanism that keeps us alive. Basically, it’s about getting air into and out of our bodies. We don’t need to think about having to breathe because our brains take care of it on our behalf by controlling the movement of specific muscles in our torsos.

Inhale: To breathe in, the diaphragm (a large, dome-shaped muscle located under your lungs) flattens and moves downwards; and, at the same time, small intercostal muscles between the ribs work together to push the ribcage outwards. The combination of these two actions expands the lungs and draws air into the body.

Exhale: To breathe out, the diaphragm pushes back up into a dome shape, and the intercostal muscles pull the ribs back in, which makes the lungs smaller again and sends air out of the body.

As singers, we try to manage our breathing to get as much air as possible into our lungs as quickly and efficiently as possible, then carefully control how we let it out. The tricky part is getting the diaphragm to work harder because it’s not a muscle that can be consciously controlled; instead, we have to use other muscles to encourage the diaphragm to make bigger and faster movements.

So how do we do this?

Check your posture

Adopting a good posture is the first step towards getting your breathing apparatus working well. Stand securely on a level floor or surface, with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees ‘soft’ so you can gently bend them. Slightly tuck your hips under, open your chest and keep your shoulders low and back. Align your head and neck by imagining there’s a string holding you up from the very top (like a puppet)!

Standing like this allows you to take full, deep breaths because all your breathing equipment is nicely aligned and not squashed or restricted in any way. If you slouch or hold yourself too stiff, you won’t be able to breathe as efficiently.

If you’re unable to stand or you prefer to sit down to sing, try to keep your torso as upright as you can so air can drop into your lungs without restriction. Try to position yourself on the front edge of your chair and make sure you’re not leaning back.

Locate your breathing apparatus

The two main parts of your body to think about when breathing to sing are the area below your belly button and the area above your belly button.

In the area below your belly button, you’ll find your abdominal muscles, which can be used to encourage your diaphragm to lift and drop more efficiently. Engaging your abdominal muscles towards the end of an exhalation will push the diaphragm a little higher, so it drops faster and further and draws air more quickly and deeply into your lungs.

In the area above your belly button is your ribcage, which is flexible enough to expand by at least one inch to give your lungs and diaphragm plenty of space to work in! Using the muscles around your ribcage will aid the diaphragm’s movement and support the flow of air in and out of your body.

Breathing to sing involves finding and exercising these muscles, working with your body so that the air just drops in naturally!

Work those muscles!

Here’s how to find your singing muscles and switch them on:

• Bookwork: Lie on the floor on your back, place a heavy book on your abdomen and breathe in and out deeply. You should be able to see the book rising as you inhale and lowering as you exhale.

• All-fours: Get down onto all fours on the floor, with your knees below your hips and your wrists below your shoulders. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply. Allow your tummy to fall towards the floor as you inhale and notice it lift back up towards your spine as you exhale.

• Shhhh! Stand with good posture, inhale deeply, then exhale with pressure through a long ‘sh’ sound until all of your air is gone. Hold yourself empty for a few seconds before relaxing your abdominal muscles and dropping your jaw. As if by magic, a full breath of air should ‘drop in’ without you having to actively inhale!

• Shhhh harder: Repeat the exercise above and actively engage your abdominal muscles as you exhale by consciously drawing your belly button towards your spine. As you get close to the end of your exhale, lift those abdominal muscles up a bit to really push out the last bit of air. When you release, notice how the air ‘drops in’ deeper and faster than it did before. (Note: don’t do too many of these as they can make you feel a bit dizzy! Be sure to stop, sit down and just breathe normally if you start to feel giddy.)

• Ribcage lift: Place your hands gently on either side of your ribcage, with your thumbs towards your back and your fingers towards your front. Inhale deeply through your nose and notice how your ribcage expands in all directions (front, sides and back). Exhale steadily through your mouth, and your ribcage will start to fall but try not to let it fall all the way back to where it began – see if you can keep it a little bit lifted for your next breath. Your air should come in really fast, and your ribcage should expand at the same speed. Exhale normally.

• Spaghetti slurp: Inhale slowly through your mouth as if you were sipping the air in, like slurping on spaghetti. (Imagine your mouth opening is as small as the inlet valve on a football pump!) As you do this, you should feel your ribcage expanding and the muscles around it working hard to support your airflow. Exhale normally. Now, inhale again but with your mouth open wider, as if you were sucking through a hosepipe. Your ribcage should expand more quickly this time. Exhale normally. Finally, inhale again but with your mouth wide open like a drain pipe.

Practice makes pleasurable

Whilst breathing to sing involves techniques that can be tricky to master, a little regular practice will give you greater control of your singing instrument. You’ll know when you get it right because it’s such a joyous feeling!

So here are a few final tips to help you on your way:

• Try to include at least one breathing exercise in your daily singing routine

• Work on the breathing techniques one at a time; wait until you feel confident with one before you move on to another

• Don’t worry or feel embarrassed if the exercises make you yawn – it’s perfectly normal!

• Try to stay as relaxed as possible, although it is normal to feel some tension when you first learn where your muscles are and try out these breathing techniques

• Breathing to sing encourages a deep, meditative cycle of breath-taking, which is good for your mental welfare and physical health – so if you feel a bit stressed, have a breathe and a sing!

Feeling inspired?

If you’re thinking about joining a choir but are afraid your breathing isn’t up to scratch, Fascinating Rhythm can help! Breathing exercises are always part of our rehearsal warm-up routine and, after many months on Zoom, we’re revisiting our breathing technique and working on getting back our breathing fitness.

So, if you’d like to find out more about singing with Fascinating Rhythm, we’d love to see you at one of our Thursday night rehearsals. Please get in touch via our Join Us page and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

You might also like to see other articles in the Fascinating Rhythm Insight series:

01 – Why singing is good for you

02 – Making your performance authentic

03 – Performance through vocal expression

04 – Teamwork makes the dream work

05 – Why warm-up? 

06 – The New Members Guide to Joining a Choir in a Pandemic!

08 – Junior FR: how it started / how it’s going

09 – Singing is a Family Affair

10 – How we choose Convention songs

11 – Mixing it Up

12 – Love to Sing

Keeping it in the Family – Lily joins Fascinating Rhythm

Just three weeks after re-starting in-person rehearsals at Yate Town FC, Fascinating Rhythm are delighted to welcome a new member, Lily, who has passed the first stage of our assessment process. 

Lily is well-known to Fascinating Rhythm because she’s been supporting our chorus at concerts and competitions and coming along to rehearsals with her mum since she was seven years old. It was in being part of the Fascinating Rhythm family that inspired Lily to join. “I really like all the ladies and wanted to sing with them”, she explains. 

Lily is looking forward to learning our repertoire, especially the Pachelbel Canon (her favourite Fascinating Rhythm song) and singing on stage at the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) Convention. “I went to my first Convention when I was nine years old and have been every year since. I watched all the quartets and gave them marks. I loved it!” she says. “I’m looking forward to competing with Fascinating Rhythm and seeing what happens backstage!”

Lily’s mum, Sarah, says, “I came to my first Fascinating Rhythm rehearsal in June 2014 (having been to one of the Learn To Sing days) and passed my audition three weeks later. Now, exactly seven years on, Lily has done the same! I know the date because every year, I give our Musical Director, Jo, an FR anniversary card.”

Sarah feels pleased that Lily will be joining her in the Baritone section and keeping it in the family. “It’s brilliant because Lily’s a better singer than me and will help me learn. Plus, she knows how to download the teach tracks to her phone, so I’m hoping she’ll do mine too!” Sarah says.

Musical Director Jo Thorn says, “what an absolute joy to have Lily joining us; she is an incredibly talented young lady who we have witnessed grow and flourish over the last few years. We know only too well the social value of belonging to a community such as Fascinating Rhythm, and we hope that Lily will gain so much more singing skills whilst she is with us. The confidence that can come from spending time with like-minded people is priceless. I joined my first female chorus at the same age and instantly gained 40 new ‘mother figures’ – we aim to ensure that Lily has great fun with us whilst learning a whole host of singing and life skills. It also, of course, brings down the average age of Fascinating Rhythm, so a total win-win!” 

Lily is a former member of Junior FR and is the first person to move up to Fascinating Rhythm from our girls’ choir. “I joined Junior FR when mum was helping direct their show ‘Cinderella’ in 2015. I got a part in the chorus, and I liked it because I met people and made friends from outside of school,” she remembers.

Junior FR’s Musical Director, Wendy, is over the moon that Lily is joining Fascinating Rhythm. “I was privileged to sing with Lily during her first assessment piece, and she sounds amazing!” Wendy says. “Lily holds her part really well and has a beautiful voice with a lovely tone. She’s going to be a cracking member of the chorus.”

“One of the things we’ve always flagged up for the Junior FR girls is to come through the choir and end up in Fascinating Rhythm, but it hasn’t ever happened before – Lily is our first candidate to do it! I’m absolutely delighted that she has chosen to carry on her singing and it’s so lovely that she can do it with her mum,” Wendy enthuses.

Wendy hopes that Lily will be an inspiration to other former Junior FR girls who left a few years ago. “We always invite ex-Junior FR girls to our Learn To Sing days, so they know Fascinating Rhythm is here, and we would love to have them come along to a rehearsal,” she says.

Sarah says, “If you’re thinking of taking up singing or joining a choir, I’d say just go for it! I walked into my first rehearsal alone, not knowing anyone, and it was the best thing I ever did… (apart from having Lily, obviously!).”

If you are inspired to join Fascinating Rhythm or Junior FR, please contact us via our website.