Connection and Community

GALA choruses serve as family, faith community, support group and a primary social outlet for many of our singers. Here are creative ways that GALA choruses are connecting during Covid-19!
- How to compose music or create a choral arrangement
- Group voice lessons by section
- Tips for learning intervals
- Tips how to memorize music
- Reading rhythms
- Beginning score reading
- Advanced levels of music reading
- Teach dance steps for your next concert
- Choral diction
- Navigating the piano keyboard
- Vocal warm-ups
- ASL basics
- Collaborate with/invite in other choirs to join your virtual rehearsal
- Guest directors or videos to lead warmups
- Internal multi-track contest (part of a song, original work, collaborative or individual)
- Sing along with YouTube: Sound of Music
- Service projects (like mask making), donation drives
- Host a public sing-along event: Seattle Window Sing-Along, Minnesota Bring the Sing HOME
- Post Videos from former performances
- Virtual Choirs/Collaborations
- Singing Telegrams
- Individuals singers perform a song outside the window of elders or individuals who are sick
- Promote questions for public engagement:
- What is your stay at home sound-track?
- What songs are on your feel-good playlist?
- What themes might our chorus address in performance post-Covid?
Beyond The Music: Social Activies - List of Sugesstions
Beyond the Music: Keeping Singers Engaged - Presentation
- Chorus Poetry Slam via Zoom
- Teach cute handwashing songs
- Use Zoom breakout rooms for smaller group sharing
- Create a Virtual Choir – see GALA’s how to
- Create a buddy system for chorus members who would like regular support and check-in via phone or email
- Board games night via virtual game apps
- Host a dance party
- Musical scavenger hunt
- Virtual Idol and Sing-off between choir members
- Pet Drag Show or Pet Talent Night
- Book club
- Virtual house tours
- Hollywood Squares via Zoom with singing couples as contestants
- Trivia competition
- Pictionary
- Zoom Coffee with the Artistic Director
- Movie watch parties
- Surprise guests appear at your Zoom gathering: former conductors, guest artists
- Post your favorite memories/pictures from the last year (social media or email)
- Happy Hour/Tea Time with chorus sections
- Post Virtual Rehearsal social hang out (BYO everything)
- Fact Quiz (spotlight on individuals – can be a game like two truths and a lie)
- Social Media get to know you quizzes (internal/private group pages)
- Watch Party of former chorus performances
- Watch party of other chorus performances
- Themes for virtual rehearsals: silly hats, color days, pajama day, etc
- Use "breakout rooms" if group is large for social time/check ins
Got a creative idea from your chorus? Email GALA’s 411 Artistic Advisor, Kathleen Hansen.
New Harmony: Equality, Access, Belonging
Chorus on hiatus? This might be a great time to create some virtual chorus conversations around equality, access, and belonging. Check out the New Harmony workbook and resources.