Building Ensemble from the Ground Up
It’s one thing to get a choir singing the right notes. It’s another thing entirely to get them to sound like an ensemble. That difference isn’t about volume or polish - it’s about listening.
For lower voice choirs especially, where timbral blend can be a challenge, ensemble has to be consciously developed. You can’t assume it will emerge just from people singing together. It needs to be built. And the good news is, there are practical ways to do that.
One exercise I keep returning to is singing with eyes closed. It’s simple, but it’s revealing. As soon as you remove visual cues, singers are forced to rely on their ears. They become more aware of timing, tone, and how their sound fits (or doesn’t fit) with those around them. It’s a great way to highlight where the group is - and isn’t - together.
Another one: hand gestures. Ask singers to show with their hands what they’re trying to do with their voice. It feels daft at first, but it forces them to make a decision. They have to think: "What am I trying to do with this phrase? How am I shaping it?" That self-awareness, even when messy, is the start of real ensemble thinking.
Then there’s the benefit of singing in mixed formations. It might seem counterintuitive - don’t singers need to be near others on their part? Sometimes, yes. But once they know their line, standing next to different parts actually strengthens ensemble. It forces singers to hear across the group and make constant real-time adjustments.
These exercises share one thing: they break habits. They shake up routines that let singers coast. Instead of falling into the comfort of following, they require initiative. That’s how you get a shift from “singing in the choir” to “contributing to the choir.”
And remember: progress in ensemble comes not from perfection but from practice. These tools aren't about getting it right instantly - they're about building the awareness and responsiveness that make ensemble possible.
Start with small steps. Close eyes for one phrase. Try gestures in a warmup. Mix up the seating for one piece. Each change shifts the focus from individual singing to group listening.
In the next post, we’ll look at how to use sub-groups - halves, thirds, quartets - to increase accountability and bring clarity to rehearsal.
