A boys’ choir that can rehearse in a car park, tour for weeks, premiere brand new works, and still feel like a safe place to belong does not happen by accident. We sit down with Herbert Washington, Artistic Director of the Phoenix Boys Choir, alumnus, clinician, and leader of a Grammy-winning choral organisation, to talk about what it really takes to build an outstanding boys’ choir programme from the inside out.

We get into rehearsal strategy that actually works for boys: making practice accessible, using accountability without humiliation, and letting peer leadership do real work. Herbert shares how he keeps standards high when he only sees singers a couple of times a week, why “every voice counts” is more than a slogan, and how a shared mantra can reset focus the moment warm-ups begin. We also talk about building the whole singer, with gentlemanly discussions on bullying, confidence, interviews, and even practical touring habits, plus short fitness sessions to support stamina and vocal freedom.

Voice change is a major thread, and Herbert offers a refreshing, practical approach grounded in adolescent vocal pedagogy. Instead of telling boys their voices are “breaking”, he teaches transition, physiology, and self-trust, and he explains how creating a young men’s ensemble can keep early-changing singers engaged and thriving. On the repertoire side, we explore tessitura choices, masterworks, and the New Works Rising Choral Composition Competition, which brings living composers into rehearsal and gives boys music written for their sound and their lives. We finish with the story behind a Grammy-winning recording project and what that level of focus teaches young singers about doing hard things well.

Subscribe for more conversations for choir directors and vocal leaders, then share this with a fellow conductor and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. What idea are you most keen to try in your next rehearsal?

***
More about Herbert Washington:

Website: www.boyschoir.org
Instagram: @herbertwashington_conductor
Facebook: @phoenixboyschoir

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
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• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

Choirs do not become resilient by accident. They last when rehearsal choices are deliberate, kind, and repeatable, even when singers have mixed skills and limited time. I’m joined by Walter Martella, a Canadian musician, conductor, and educator from Powell River, British Columbia, to talk about what really keeps a choir improving across a season.

Walter shares how his background as a trumpet player and improvising jazz musician shapes the way he teaches choral musicianship. We get practical about harmony, showing singers how to hear chord movement and phrase direction so tuning and expression feel logical rather than mysterious. We also dig into how to start teaching a new piece depending on the ensemble, whether that means finding a shared rhythm for an auditioned chamber choir or anchoring everything in a clear melody for a men’s choir where many learn by ear.

We also zoom out to the bigger picture of sustainable choir leadership: using clear landmarks and simple musical language to build music-reading confidence, giving feedback in a way that helps singers grow without fear, and creating community through festivals and shared projects. Walter also introduces his Unity Project, designed to welcome newcomers through rehearsals and a beach concert, and leaves us with a moving idea: singers can be everyday activists of peace.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if this conversation helps your rehearsals, please share it with a fellow choir director and leave a rating and review.

***

More about Walter Martella:

Website: https://www.waltermartella.com/
Instagram: @martellawalter/

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

“Authentic” choral singing is not about getting the accent roughly right and hoping the audience buys it. It is about understanding why a piece exists, what a culture expects singing to do, and how your rehearsal habits either honour that truth or flatten it.

Russell Scott is joined by Dr Michael J Barrett, South African choral conductor, educator and composer, to unpack what changes when you move between choral cultures and why South African choral sound is so distinctive. We talk language, vowels, resonance and the very practical reality that musical colour comes from people: their speech, their traditions and the way they have learnt to make music in daily life. Michael shares how different rehearsal expectations shape excellence, from intense multi-rehearsal models to cultures that prioritise balance, and how a conductor can hold high standards without turning into a dictator.

The conversation turns to presence and why choir can be a refuge when life is heavy. We explore how focus at the start of rehearsal brings singers into the same space, why music can pause worry and grief, and why arts education matters more than ever for young people. Michael also shares concrete rehearsal tools: doing the “rabbit hole” research, teaching the moment that made you choose the piece first, and building instant buy-in so singers connect personally and sing with conviction across styles, including culturally rooted repertoire.

If you care about culturally respectful programming, rehearsal technique that actually works, and building a choir culture that rejects mediocrity without losing kindness, hit play. Subscribe for more conversations with leading choral voices, share this with a fellow choir director, and leave a rating and review so more conductors can find the show.

***

More about Michael Joseph Barrett:

Website: https://australiasings.au
Instagram: @mbarrett1310

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

Your choir already has a sound, but can you change it on demand, protect voices across styles, and still keep rehearsals upbeat? Russell Scott sits down with Jeremy Matheis, Artistic Director of Choir of the Sound in Seattle, to get practical about what actually works when you need singers to respond fast and perform with confidence.

We start with Jeremy’s story, from conducting as a child to leading a large, versatile ensemble, then move straight into the craft: how to “hear the sound first” and translate vague requests like brighter or darker into singer friendly actions. Jeremy shares concrete tools for choral sound, blend and balance, including how pop placement, breathiness and rhythmic attack differ from the taller vowels and classical focus you might use for a masterwork. If you run a community choir, you’ll especially value his thoughts on making limited rehearsal time count.

The conversation also opens the door on programming and production. Choir of the Sound is known for doing both masterworks and contemporary pop shows well, with movement, costumes and choreography that complement the music rather than distract from it. Jeremy breaks down the teamwork behind big concerts, how to motivate people with different comfort levels, and why authenticity and humour can make high standards feel energising. We finish with performance mindset and accountability, including the idea of singing as the ultimate team sport.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode, share it with a fellow choir director, and leave a rating and review to help more conductors find the podcast.

***

More about Jeremy Matheis:

Website: https://www.choirofthesound.org/
Facebook: @ChoiroftheSound
Instagram: @choirofthesound

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

A gospel choir can sound thrilling and still miss the point if the style is borrowed without the roots. I’m joined by Kansas City composer, conductor, pianist, and choral clinician Isaac Cates, an artist whose music is sung in over 17 countries, whose ensemble Ordained has earned over a million social views, and who made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2023. Together we talk about what it really takes to cross musical borders with integrity, whether you’re programming classical masterworks, spirituals, or contemporary gospel. 

Isaac shares how his musical life started in a “high” Baptist church environment where anthems and gospel sit side by side, alongside classical piano training from the age of four and voice study as a teenager. We explore why the basics of music theory travel across styles, how film and Disney scores model world-building through motif and storytelling, and how those classical sensibilities quietly shape Isaac’s own writing, including large-scale choral work like Canon for Racial Reconciliation. 

We also get practical and specific about “black style singing”: what the term means, the historical and cultural lineage behind it, and why rhythm, movement, call and response, tone production, and rehearsal practice matter as much as the notes. If you’re a non-black choir director building a gospel choir, Isaac offers clear guidance on immersion, study, using scholarly resources, visiting rehearsals, asking respectful questions, and learning the “code” of a tradition without turning people into a shortcut. 

If you care about better rehearsals, healthier vocal leadership, and programming that honours where the music comes from, press play. Subscribe, share with a fellow choir director, and leave a rating and review so more conductors can find the conversation.

***

More about Isaac Cates:

Website: isaaccatesmusic.com
Instagram: @isaac_cates
Facebook: @isaaccatesmusic

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

Your choir can sing the right notes and still feel disconnected. The missing piece is often not “more rehearsal”, but better ensemble connection: eyes up, bodies engaged, breath shared, and responsibility spread across the group. I’m joined by Dr Gary Safeman, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Trinity University, to explore the practical science behind what happens when singers perform together and how that can transform your rehearsals.

We dig into the neuroscience of singing, emotional contagion, and why mimicry and visual connection can tighten rhythm and unify vowels faster than another verbal correction. Gary shares how thinking in terms of movement, weight, inertia, and muscle memory makes ensemble skills trainable rather than mysterious. If you’ve ever felt a disconnect between your gesture and the sound coming back at you, you’ll hear concrete ways to rebuild that mind-muscle link.

We also talk conductor dependency and how to build a self-driving choir without losing artistry. One of the simplest rehearsal exercises is also the most uncomfortable: letting singers start and maintain a passage without you conducting, so they learn to breathe together, listen laterally, and own the pulse. Along the way we touch on creativity, the default mode network, and how interdisciplinary ideas from sport and beyond can spark better choral rehearsal technique while reducing burnout.

If you want more expressive singing, stronger synchronisation, and a choir that connects with each other and the audience, press play. Subscribe for more conversations for choir directors and conductors, share this with a colleague, and leave a rating and review so more choral leaders can find the show.

***
More about Gary Seighman:

Website: https://trinity.edu/directory/gseighma
Instagram: @gary_seighman

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

A choir can rehearse for years and still feel like a group of strangers who happen to sing in the same room. The moment you take singers on the road, something changes: conversations deepen, trust builds faster, and the music starts to sound like a shared commitment rather than a weekly task.

We talk through how choir travel and choir tours can be genuinely transformational without being extravagant. I share why local choir trips often punch above their weight, plus a simple progression that helps you build confidence and leadership capacity step by step. We also dig into the musical side: how different acoustics expose tuning and balance, why outdoor performances demand focus, and how a same-country tour can raise standards while keeping logistics manageable.

Then we widen the lens to international choir touring. I unpack the difference between musical tourism and musical exchange, and why the best trips are built around connection with other musicians, not just performances. If you’re considering something bigger, we cover the hard realities too: budgeting, fundraising, payment plans, inclusion, accessibility, anxiety, and safeguarding policies that protect everyone. Finally, we land on practical principles that keep trips meaningful, well-paced and restorative, so the experience echoes back into rehearsal long after the coach gets home.

If you’re wondering whether your choir should travel more, start where you are and choose the next meaningful step. Subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share this with a fellow choir director who could use a clearer plan for making trips work.

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

Most conducting careers do not begin with a neat roadmap. They begin with a choir, a spark of curiosity, and a moment where you realise you would rather shape the sound than blend into it. We’re joined by Tori Longdon, Principal Conductor of the Covent Garden Chorus and Associate Chorus Director of the London Philharmonic Choir, to talk about what it really takes to build a respected, sustainable life as a choir director and choral conductor.

We go back to the foundations: youth choirs, early musical opportunities, and the social and emotional skills that group singing teaches long before anyone talks about “career development”. From there, we dig into repertoire and musical taste, including Tori’s brilliant reminder that all music becomes classical if you wait long enough. If you care about inclusive programming, singer engagement, and keeping rehearsals musically rich without getting stuck in genre battles, you’ll find plenty to take into your next season plan.

The conversation turns personal and practical with vocal health. Tori shares how vocal strain and limited guidance pushed her towards conducting, and how that experience shaped a more efficient rehearsal style. We also explore mentoring as a two-way street, why learning never stops after conservatoire, and how programmes and networks can replace the support structure many musicians lose after study.

Finally, we name the quieter realities of leadership: loneliness, fear of failure, fear of success, and the adrenaline crash after big projects. If you’ve ever wondered whether you are “doing it right”, this is an honest, hopeful listen. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a fellow choir leader, and leave a rating and review so more conductors can find the show.

***

More about Tori Longdon:

Website: https://torilongdon.com

Facebook: @torilongdonmusic

Instagram: @torilongdon

***

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

Most choirs don’t need more rehearsal time. They need rehearsals that feel alive. Russell Scott is joined by choral conductor, composer and educator Peter Futcher of Choir Matters to explore what actually lifts a choir from competent to compelling, even when you’re working with busy adults who arrive tired, stressed and short on headspace.

We talk about playfulness as a serious tool for better singing: taking musical risks, creating a rehearsal room where people belong, and staying focused on the journey rather than obsessing over a single performance date. Peter shares why some of the most memorable concerts happen with almost nobody in the audience, and how that freedom can unlock sound, confidence and connection. You’ll also hear practical ideas on choir positioning beyond the standard SATB block, including mixing parts and changing sightlines to improve listening, tuning and attention.

The heart of the conversation is conducting gesture and sound. Peter keeps returning to one blunt, helpful test: are we adding value, or are we just beating time? We dig into clarity, simplicity, watching, and why the “magic” is rarely in fancy patterns. Along the way we touch on repertoire choices, audience emotion, bold musical opinions, and the difference between reading vertically on the page and singing horizontally in a true line.

Subscribe for more rehearsal craft, share this with a fellow choir director, and leave a rating and review so more conductors can find the show.

***

More about Peter Futcher:

website: https://www.choirmatters.org/

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.

The fastest way to improve a choir is not a new warm-up or a clever baton trick. It is building trust so singers feel safe enough to actually sing. Russell Scott sits down with Susan Cox, director of the Grand Union Community Choir, to explore what community choir leadership looks like when you take confidence, wellbeing, and real life seriously, especially in mixed ability groups.

Susan shares what she has learned from decades in music education and choral directing, including how different ages can experience rehearsal in different ways. We talk about why some older singers need more repetition, clearer visual cues, and a little more time, and how anxiety and self-belief can matter as much as raw musical capability. If you lead singers who bring past criticism, learning differences, or performance nerves into the room, you will find practical, compassionate approaches you can use straight away.

We also tackle one of the most sensitive topics for choir directors: singing off book. Yes, performing without sheet music can boost audience engagement and presence, but the push to memorise can create stress that stops people singing. Susan explains how to introduce off-book singing gradually, how to use a “safety net” without losing connection, and why there is no one-size-fits-all model across community choirs, SATB ensembles, and more traditional reading groups.

Along the way we dig into self-awareness, imposter syndrome, rehearsal planning, and why filming yourself can reveal habits your choir sees instantly. If you want better rehearsals, a healthier choir culture, and a more confident ensemble sound, subscribe, share with a fellow choir leader, and leave us a rating and review.

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Resources:

The Choir Director Podcast — helping you build stronger choirs, run better rehearsals, and create outstanding musical experiences.

• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
• Mailing List: Join our Newsletter

Follow Russell Scott:

• Website: russellscott.org
• Instagram: @russellscottofficial
• Facebook: facebook.com/russellscottofficial
• X: @russellscottuk

(c) Russell Scott 2026.  All rights reserved.