Artistic Strategy 2018-2021
Our vision for the next 3 years...

Artistic Strategy – a summary
These are outlines of plans for our vision for the future of SC Choirs over the coming 1, 2 and 3 years.
Each stage outlines ideas, events and changes we aim to  implement in order to develop the quality and range of experiences we offer, as well as utilising the skills of staff to maximum potential. Recruitment and retention is central to this thinking, as is the importance of delivery from the front. As we move forward, it’s essential that all conductors have opportunities to regularly evaluate their skills and delivery so that all choristers – both young and older– get the best possible musical experience.
What we achieved in 2017-18 (phase 1) *Bold text shows minor tweaks/actions/modifications
  • Good, quality service through advertising and word of mouth!
  • Develop a music team who are fully trained, up to speed and totally enthused about choral work. Opportunities to observe each other and train in specific skills is crucial, as well as annual appraisals, so that we can evolve and constantly improve.
  • Moving Senior Voices to Wednesday – all choirs on one day, easier when moving up, creates areal ‘buzz’ at venue, good for any joint rehearsals, tasters for CC members in summer.
  • Exciting opportunities such as BGT (audition) & Flash mob
  • Organise workshops in schools followed by a joint concert, with observations for teachers get kids interested in singing.
  • Social media – more updates, videos and pictures.
  • Much more social approach: regular, inclusive family-based events – encourages belonging and commitment.
  • Scholarship scheme for year 7+ to apply for & opportunities for older ones to help in other ways. *Needs tweaking in line with award cards.
  • Regular rewards and achievements – merits, section attendance cup, certificates for attendance, merit points in rehearsals, record of achievement award at the end of the year, *Need to develop buddies/mentors more thoroughly
  • Have a planned break with wine, nibbles & refreshments for the aduld choir – encourages a less cliquey atmosphere and a much more friendly and inclusive group. This has seen a marked difference with numerous comments from new peolle saying how welcoming we are!
  • Name badges for all – using people’s names encourages inclusivity.
  • Buy more original copies of music – easier to follow, we own more sets of music as an organisation.
  • Recording rehearsal tracks for members to practice parts at home – learning more quickly and efficiently.
  • Keep repertoire varied and broad.
  • Real focus on good technique via well-planned and effective warm ups – that translates into much better performances and more uniform sound.
  • Start to introduce solfege system in younger choirs – develops good ear training, understanding of intervals and eventually sight-reading. Encourages excellent musicianship! This has made a massive impact on the sound and musical ability of our young singers.
  • Emply a professional bid-writer/fundraiser (June 2018): this will enable us to massively expand what we do in the coming years, helping us to fulfill this strategy!
Our plans for the future!
Ordinary text illustrates that this has been achieved in phase one,  & is ongoing in future years.
Anything highlighted is a new or development action for that year.
 
2018-19 (phase 2)
Retention and recruitment
  • Relaunch with FIVE individual choirs using fresh names: SC Choirs Little Voices, Junior Voices, Intermediate Voices,  Senior Voices & Dynamic Voices. SC Choirs to stand for ‘Singing Community of Choirs’, to highlight the fact that we don’t just represent Sutton any more – it’s a wider community
  • Keep subs steady and competitive. Offer discount to pupils who took part in the Friday Afternoons Schools Project
  • Good, quality service increases word of mouth – encourage ‘taster days' to increase word of mouth and inclusivity.
  • Continue to develop our music team , focusing on strengths - have opportunities to observe each other, go to conferences, share good practise and continue  annual appraisals, so that we can evolve and constantly improve.
  • Develop a more fluid approach to ‘promotion’ from younger choirs to older, so choristers earn their place and move up when ready rather than by age.
  • Exciting performance opportunities throughout the year, with something to look forward to at all times both socially & performance-wise
  • Social media & website – regular updates, videos and pictures, including our promo video which can be used to promote everything we do. Maybe have a ‘chorister of the month’ from each choir to feature on website?
  • Continue the social approach: regular, inclusive family-based events – encourages belonging and commitment.
Music and standards
  • Real focus on good technique and high standards via well-planned and effective warm ups – that translates into much better performances and more uniform sound.
  • Further develop the solfege system  – develops good ear training, understanding of intervals and eventually sight-reading. Encourages excellent musicianship!
  • Develop Helen’s role as a Vocal Coach
  • Re-introduce a competitive edge: Choir Of the Year, MACC, Songs of Praise and Llangollen all offer opportunities to aim as high as we can.
  • Record rehearsal tracks for members to practice parts at home – learning more quickly and efficiently.
  • Continue to increase our sets of music – compile into choirs files
  • Keep repertoire varied and broad, and include new compositions and arrangements from our own team, but above all ensure that music challenges
Educational projects and links to other organisations
  • Continue to partner with the RSCO and Cluster Schools in annual Christmas concerts
  • Continue developing links with schools, providing workshops: include specific teacher CPD and observations for teachers and gets kids interested in singing.
  • Develop an education package which schools can purchase (or use via funding):  one-day, 6-week or longer term packages/support – develop an education page on website
  • Aim to meet with the consortium head teachers to promote the importance of singing
  • Schools Concert project  - a concert at Birmingham Town Hall? – similar to Lichfield  Cathedral concert but a larger scale
  • Chorister of the Year – competition for soloists, both from the choir and further afield.


Rewards and incentives for our choirs
  • Scholarship scheme for year 7+ - apply for this OR award to anyone who has demonstrated exceptional commitment/musicianship? Could be ‘head chorister’ for each choir?
  • Encourage leadership & opportunities for older ones: appoint section leaders, mentors, buddies
  • Introduce ROA cards to monitor progress and aid the choosing of above
  • Regular rewards and achievements –  section attendance cup, certificates for attendance, merit points in rehearsals, record of achievement award at the end of the year
  • Continue with a breaks - with wine, nibbles & refreshments for Adults  – encourages a less cliquey atmosphere and a much more friendly and inclusive group.
  • Name badges for all – using peoples names (both leaders and other choir members) encourages inclusivity.
Summer Camps/Residentials/weekend projects
  • Opportunities for workshops during summer holidays – last week of the break.
  • Plan a residential trip – Dunfield House , provides opportunities to develop musicianship to a much higher level
  • Aim for a performance at the end of the period
  • More specifically develop an ethos that encourages participation in weekends/weeks away
  • Plan a trip for adults only?
Utilising our Patrons & professionals
  • Plan workshops with our Patrons Suzi Digby and Only Men Aloud
  • These could be separate events, or form part of our Showcase Concert. Concerts in the park headline?
  • Invite other guest conductors to take rehearsals/input ideas from time to time, such as Malcolm Goldring or Phil King (any others?)

Singing weekends
  • Organise ‘come and sing’ weekends/days – open to members and non-members – and end with a ‘performance’
  • Focus on a specific work or repertoire not tackled before (or maybe about to tackle)
 New Choirs, Satellite Choirs & Partnering
  • Start to develop new choirs in another part of the city – beginning with a children’s choir, modelled on a similar age bracket to our Intermediate Voices. Kingstanding area – set up either September 2018 or January 2019, depending on funding.
  • Encourages links with other parts of the city and a different demographic too, enabling us as an organisation to work with new communities.
  • Partner with music hubs (Sara’s contact?) and other musical groups such as ex-cathedra & conservatoire.
  • Could help us recruit new staff and also enable music student placements with us!
Phase 3: (2019-20)
It is expected key elements of the above will continue, along with the addition of the following…


Music & Standards
Continuing progress and focus from previous phases, plus:
  • Prepare for and enter a variety of competitive competitions – flying the flag for SC Choirs
 
Schools support
  • Following trial sessions, have in place a comprehensive schools support package
  • Further develop the  education page on website to show what we offer with evidence of success, quotes and success stories
  • Offer this as CPD for teachers, workshops for children &  performance opportunities
  • Ultimately support schools in delivery of a singing-based music curriculum
  • Develops more confident teachers and, as a result, a singing culture within schools
 
Satellite Choirs – further development
  • Develop further choirs in original outreach area from Year 2
  • Start to explore the possibility of starting a new choir in another new area of the city
The plan is not set in stone in terms of timescale. Other ideas can also evolve from this too.

 
 
By phase 4 (2020-21)  SC Choirs should not only be providing the best choral programme for all ages, but should act as a beacon of musical leadership  and excellence within Birmingham. We want to shine a choral light on Sutton Coldfield – effectively being a ‘leading light’ in what we deliver!
Key Points over the coming 1-3 years

  • Launching a new choir for 4-6 year olds Sept 2018,
  • New names with new uniform, utilising SCC's logo
  • Promo Video
  • More competitive work again: Llangollen, Choir of the Year, MACC
  • Develop satellite choir(s) in other more deprived areas of the city
  • Provide CPD for teachers - either free for them or subsidised
  • Develop singing packages for schools: short, medium or long term projects to help raise the profile and singing and develop teacher confidence
  • Large-scale schools concert project - involving schools from across the city (next summer?)
  • Plan and produce a large-scale concert opportunity for adults too: Bham Town Hall or Symphony Hall (again next summer?)
  • Provide opportunities for workshops with our patrons, Suzi Digby and Only men Aloud
  • Compete in various competitions nationally 2019 and aim for the Golden Gate Festival in San Fransisco in 3 years' time.
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