Virtual Choir Projects - The stuff people don't talk about

If you are a singer and you are online you will have seen more than one post about virtual choir projects. You may have watched one or many of the projects that have popped up since the onset of Covid-19. You may have read one of the thousands of articles and posts that can be easily found touching on the making of, the post-production process, equipment, how fun it is, how much work it is… 

In these times when we cannot share our art together and with our patrons, virtual choir projects make perfect sense! Personally I have participated in several VC projects and can tell you from experience that it is indeed “as easy as they say” but no one talks about how terrifying, humbling, and downright awful it is. No really. I joke not. I in no way want to discourage you from tackling such a project because honestly, I enjoy watching them, and eventually after the scars have healed, I enjoy participating in them. That said, I do want to shine a bit of light behind the curtain… an honest look shall we say.

Ensemble singing = together singing 

We, Lions Gate Chorus, are an award-winning a cappella chorus in the Vancouver area and we have earned our way to compete at an international level. We value excellence and are motivated by achievement. We’ve come home with silver medals the last two times we competed on the world stage! As a pride, we create world-class harmony.

Now take this pride, this ensemble of voices, and self-isolate the members. Spend endless hours working hard to create online programming that will keep “together-singers” engaged in a “we can’t sing together” world. Enter online rehearsals and the virtual choir project…

Perfection is not required… ummm did anyone hear me?

A virtual choir is solo recordings mixed to create an ensemble sound. You would think that the end result, that ensemble sound, would help participants understand that perfection is not required. I mean who of us is perfect on the risers at every rehearsal and performance? Ok, well maybe the tenors are if you ask them, but the rest of us are not perfect. Yet, when we sing as an ensemble there is a level of forgiveness built into the experience. Good grief, this level of forgiveness is completely forgotten, ignored, shunned, and un-acceptable when we record ourselves for a virtual project. 

Truth is, self-criticism is brutal when it comes to something we are “good at” until we feel we aren’t. Music, singing, art is “heart-form”. Ok, so I totally made that word up, but it is pretty correct. We make music from our hearts. When we feel that art doesn’t represent our heart, we beat ourselves up. Virtual choir projects where ensemble singers take a soloist approach to an ensemble product are a recipe for a terrifying, humbling, downright awful experience. It is no easier on take one than it is on take 5,972. 

The pain will subside… right?

You finally send in a recording. It is the best of the worst. You don’t want to hear that song ever again. Ever. I promise you, when you see and hear that final product, that virtual choir video, you will have an emotional response. You might laugh, you might cry, you might be simply amazed. 75 self-proclaimed awful recordings have been mixed into a beautiful musical product. The experience cannot compare to “together-singing”, honestly nothing can, but you will end up with something you had a part in making that you can be really proud of. 

Hopefully, your next Virtual Choir project will be coloured by this experience. Ok, it probably won’t be, but wouldn’t it be nice if it were. 

Not to put too fine a point on this article, but here, enjoy these caught on camera moments of ensemble singers trying to function as soloists. This could be you!

Thank you to @Natalie Cotton for creating this video of bloopers.

Our Virtual Choir project “Fight Song” is coming soon! Currently, the video is in the editing and mixing stage and we will share it with you when it is done.

#LGCstrong #hearusroar

About the author

Stacey Rose is a Baritone in Lions Gate Chorus, the 2020 International Silver Medalists. As of 2020, she is also the Marketing Coordinator for both Lions Gate Chorus and Region 26 Sweet Adelines. 

marketing@lionsgatechorus.ca