About Choir Tonight
Hi, I'm Matt! I came to choral singing relatively late in life, and initially felt quite out of my depth. There was so much to learn - not just the music itself, but all the terminology and unwritten rules that more experienced singers seemed to take for granted. I found that I had to work quite hard to learn my part and to understand how everything fitted together. Over time, though, things got easier, and singing became a hugely rewarding - and essential! - part of my life.
I now sing with several choirs - including some solos when lucky enough to be asked - and have been chair of my original choir, as well as running its website for many years. All of this has given me an even broader view of the questions and challenges that choir singers face.
I created Choir Tonight to put that experience to useful purpose. My aim is to provide clear, practical information and resources for singers - whether you are joining a choir for the first time, finding your feet in the early years, or are an established singer looking for help with a particular work or aspect of choral singing.
The name Choir Tonight came about for a few reasons. It reflects that, for many of us, choir is an evening activity. It captures something of the excitement and buzz of concert night. Above all, the name arises from the phrases choir singers use all the time: “Have you got choir tonight?” or “I’m going to choir tonight.” That felt right, because the joy of being in a choir isn’t just about the final performance. It’s also in the weekly rehearsals - learning the music, singing alongside other people and gradually hearing everything come together.
I’ve started by focusing on the things I think are most useful to singers: help for those who are just getting started, a "singer's handbook" covering the many aspects of choir singing that aren’t always explained, and a growing collection of choral works with links to practice aids, recordings and scores.
Over the coming weeks and months I’ll be adding many more works, as well as a detailed glossary of choral and musical terms. I also plan a whole section with advice for people involved in running choirs.
If you have any feedback, questions, suggestions or requests, I’d love to hear from you - please get in touch via the Contact page.