The Choir Director Podcast

The scariest moment for many choir directors is not the high note, it is the first time you ask the group to move and everyone suddenly forgets how to stand. We sit down with choir choreographer Daniel Raaflaub to get practical about choir choreography, staging, and how to build confident stage presence without turning your ensemble into a “dance troupe”. Daniel shares how his background in performing arts and musical theatre shapes a storytelling-first approach: movement that clarifies mean...

A choir can sing the right notes and still leave an audience cold. That’s why I loved sitting down with Berlin choral musician and choir leader Simon Berg to get practical about the one thing that changes everything: how singers feel and listen while they sing. Simon’s work connects ensemble blend, tuning, and expression into one skill set, so we stop treating “technical problems” like isolated fires to put out and start building a choir that self-corrects in real time. We talk about Simon’s...

If you have ever watched a school choir rehearsal lose five minutes to late arrivals, missing copies, and low energy, you already know the real challenge is not musical talent. It is leadership, structure, and buy-in. I sit down with James Manwaring MBE, Director of Music at Windsor Boys’ School and a major voice in UK music education, to talk about what actually works when you are leading teenagers and the clock is against you. We unpack practical rehearsal techniques for school choirs: how...

A gospel choir in Ireland might sound unlikely until you hear how it actually happens: one person asks to sing, a choir director says yes, and a community begins. I’m joined by Keara Sheeran, a choral practitioner and gospel music specialist based in Galway, who has spent more than 25 years championing gospel music and connecting directors across Europe and the US. We talk about what “gospel” really means in musical terms, not just as a label. Keara shares how she moved from familiar church ...

What does it really take to lead hundreds of everyday voices into a single, confident sound—and keep joy at the centre week after week? We sit down with Scotland-based Rock Choir leader and arranger Jen Bonnar to unpack the craft behind community singing that changes lives. From a childhood in classical choirs to careers in electronics engineering and learning and development, Jen’s unusual path built the clarity, empathy and stagecraft she now brings to multiple choirs across the west of Sco...

Ever walked out of rehearsal wondering why you worked so hard yet moved so little? We kick off The Choir Director Podcast with a clear promise: cut the chaos, save time, and lead with calm confidence using practical tools you can try this week. From community ensembles to professional groups, we focus on simple, proven frameworks that make choirs sound better fast—without burning you out. We share the core pillars that consistently lift results: clarity of goal, smart process, and steady lea...