Latest news

The annual Woodbridge Singing Safari (create a choir from scratch in just six rehearsals) sets off on Thursday 14 February, ending in a concert on Saturday 23 March. It's still not too late to join us.

There are still some places on the Beach Boys weekend in the Wye Valley 3-5 May 2019. All single rooms have gone, but there are plenty of twins and doubles. Come with a friend. We also need more MEN! The early bird deadline is Friday 1 February, after which the weekend will cost an extra £20 per person.

I am slowly compiling a list of accessibility information for all the weekend and singing day venues that I use. It is a work in progress and I'd appreciate any feedback you can give. Most workshop pages now have a link to the accessibility information page. Let me know what you think.

I send a newsletter out to everyone on my mailing list twice a year: once in mid-September and once in mid-January. My next newsletter will be sent out on the afternoon of Wednesday 16 January and will contain news of all my forthcoming workshops – one-day and weekends – for the second half of 2019 (July onwards). The workshops will go on sale at the same time on my website.

Don't miss out! Make sure you sign up to my mailing list to be sure of getting your own copy. Click to read last September's issue.

I have just designed a brand new singing day: An introduction to mindful singing taking place in Woodbridge on Saturday 26 January 2019. Improve your harmony singing skills in a smaller group. Strictly limited to 20 singers (five places reserved for men). Advance booking essential.

I have been invited to St. Osyth near Clacton-on-Sea to run a Harmony singing day on Saturday 23 February. It's only just been announced and has generated a lot of interest already! Price includes a delicious luncn and lots of cakes.

There is still a place for ONE MAN on the Better harmony singing weekend 29-31 March 2019. The early bird deadline is Friday 28 December, after which the weekend will cost an extra £20.

There are also plenty of places on the Beach Boys weekend in the Wye Valley 3-5 May 2019. All single rooms have gone, but there are plenty of twins. Come with a friend. We also need more MEN! The early bird deadline is Friday 1 February, after which the weekend will cost an extra £20.

I visit London twice a year to run harmony singing days: once in May and once in October. I've just added next May's singing day to the website and booking is now open. You can find more information on the London singing day page.

I also make an annual visit to Kenilworth in Warwickshire in early June. I used to live in Coventry, so it's a bit like going home! Booking is now open and you can find out more information on the Kenilworth singing day page.

For those of you who don't know (yet), every month I publish a roundup of interesting snippets about music and singing that I've been collecting over the years on my Facebook page.

It comes out on the first of the month and contains eight music articles, a song of the month, and a blog post of mine that you might have missed. It's easy to sign up to get your own copy (and read archived copies). Just pop over here: tinyletter.com/chrisrowbury and put your email address in. You'll then get every issue arriving in your inbox on the first of each month. Simples!

In October 2018 an intrepid bunch of singers set off from Ipswich on an imaginary Singing Safari to collect songs from all over the world. Their journey ends in Ipswich in November where they will share the songs they've learnt at St. Peter's by the Waterfront.

This promises to be an evening of singing to stir the soul, warm the heart, and revive the spirits on a cold winter's night, all sung in glorious harmony. We are delighted to be joined for the first time by the Columbines folk trio.

For some reason men leave it until the last minute to book on my workshops. That means that many of the workshops end up with just one or two men and loads of women. But if I put a call out nearer the time, the men come flocking and happily book. Why is that?

So men: you are needed on my Better harmony singing: the small group challenge weekend near St. Neots in March 2019, my Beach Boys weekend in May 2019 in the Wye Valley and my American harmony singing traditions weekend near Peterborough in June 2019. Sign up now and bring your manly voices to the mix!

I have now heard back from the Wye Valley venue, Lindors Country House Hotel, with costs for 2019.

You can find full information, prices and booking form for the Beach Boys weekend there 3 - 5 May 2019 on the Beach Boys page.

On the first of each month I publish a roundup of articles, song clips, videos and other interesting snippets that I've collected on my Facebook page over the years.

This month's issue includes: What's behind stage fright? Examining the nature of silence; Alice Parker on a life lived in song; Do you have perfect pitch? 12 things you only know if you sing in a choir; Song of the month: the spiritual Keep your lamps trimmed and burning; and more!

Sign up here for your own copy and to read past issues: tinyletter.com/chrisrowbury

I send a newsletter out to everyone on my mailing list twice a year: once in mid-September and once in mid-January. This autumn newsletter contains news of all my forthcoming workshops – one-day and weekends – for the first half of 2019. The January newsletter will cover the rest of the year.

Make sure you sign up to my mailing list to be sure of getting your own copy. Click to read the most recent issue.

I now run three Singing Safaris each year (basically six weekly rehearsals to create a choir from scratch): a spring one in Woodbridge, a summer one in Colchester and an autumn one in Ipswich.

This year's autumn Safari will set off from Ipswich on Tuesday 16 October ending in an evening's concert at St Peter's by the Waterfront on Saturday 24 November. I am delighted to announce that this year we will be joined by the Columbines folk trio.

You can find full information on the singing workshops page. If you have no idea what a Singing Safari is, you can find out more on the workshop themes page.

I've just added 13 new songs to my set of song arrangements. Quite a few of them are British folk songs, and many are in English. There are also some tasty songs from Kenya and Tanzania as well as a cheeky vocal arrangement of the theme tune from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Songs are very cheap and you only need to buy one copy regardless of how many singers you have. Pop over to the song arrangements page and have a browse.

Sing Out Saturdays are monthly drop-in singing sessions which take place on the third Saturday of each month: mornings in Hadleigh and/ or afternoons in Wivenhoe. Ideal for those who love to sing, but don't like commitment! Just turn up when you can.

We always have a summer break in July and August, but will be back with new songs and new faces on Saturday 15 September. Full information on the Hadleigh or Wivenhoe pages or on the Sing Out Saturdays website.

I've been putting it off for ages, but have finally got round to updating my website design! Most importantly, the website is now fully responsive which means that it should be as easy to use on mobile phones and tablets as on your desktop. Do let me know what you think or if you find something that doesn't work or is a bit clunky. Enjoy!

Prompted by the new GDPR regulations, I have developed a Privacy Policy which I have now put on the website.