Choral kaleidoscope: ABCD Annual Convention

What might be the collective noun for a gathering of conductors?

That's a question for any one of up to 250 people heading to Leeds for the 33rd annual convention of the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD).

This year's artistic director is Thomas Leech, who is also director of the Schools Singing Programme for Leeds Diocese and musical director of Bradford Festival Choral Society.

He recalls his first ABCD convention at Sage Gateshead, when working at Ripon Cathedral: ‘I went thinking there was not much that anyone could tell me’, he says. ‘We were singing ten services a week, after all. But it totally transformed my conception of choral directing and conducting: a profound transformational experience.’

That experience was clearly useful, as Leech is artistic director for this August's convention. His enthusiasm is contagious, though he is quick to admit he's not entirely alone in the driving seat.

‘It's the biggest assembly of conductors in the country,’ he says, ‘and it falls to the regional committee to drive the direction of the convention. To hold it in a big city such as Leeds, with all its social and cultural diversity, is good. But we have to remember there are also areas of extreme deprivation in West Yorkshire, and addressing that forms one of the major strands of the convention.

‘I work with some incredibly diverse choirs and the overall agenda for the convention kicks over some of the complacency we find around classical choral music. We'll be asking big questions: Who's it for? Who has access? Who's in charge? What happens to children who have no access to choirs, or any music, because they live in poverty?’

Leech is keen to point out that there is no political agenda: ‘We must make sure that the organisation says these questions are on their radar. The only way to thrive is to find answers to those difficult questions.’

Choral diversity

One more positive question for anyone attending the convention is which workshops to choose once they get to the Headingley Campus of Leeds Beckett University. ABCD promises a ‘kaleidoscope of ideas, connections and choral refreshment’, with five major themes running through the programme this year: focuses on young choirs; choral music and the community; technique; repertoire; and essential management and administration knowledge.

‘As far as development of repertoire is concerned, diversity is a huge resource’, says Leech. ‘That's why we have a wide range of publishing houses represented, from big publishers to smaller ones.’

Opera North, described by Leech as the ‘city's outstanding musical organisation’, will be involved, with their education department showing delegates how much they have achieved in recent years.

‘We're also looking forward to Jenevora Williams's contribution,’ says Leech. ‘She is a leading light in vocal pedagogy with children and she has one very intriguing session called Choral Chinese Whispers in which she will be dispelling some of the myths of choral production techniques, and questioning some of the things teachers say because they have heard them once or twice – but have no real idea what they mean.’

Refreshed thinking

There are also sessions with Jo Tomlinson and Friday Afternoons, community choir champion Em Whitfield Brooks, Paul Whittaker on signing for choirs, and a plenary session on diversity led by Manvinder Rattan and Leslie East.

‘We're also welcoming the great educator Charles MacDougall, who sang with Voces8, who will be examining an effective model for choral warm-ups,’ says Leech. ‘And Craig Lees, who runs Leeds Contemporary Voices, will demonstrate how to deliver and work on pop repertoire, how to get a convincing style and a healthy sound – a real toolkit for rock and pop performances. That is rather a new departure for the convention.’

There will be sessions on improving conducting techniques, including working with singers from a typical local choir as well as children's choral groups. And in another new departure, in association with Making Music, there will be a chance to improve conducting techniques in front of a full symphony orchestra – ‘getting flying time in front of the band’, according to Leech – something which many choral conductors only face at the final rehearsal for a major concert.

Repertoire picks

There will also be explorations of new repertoire from the following: Opera North chorusmaster Olly Rundell; Craig Lees; composer Vytautas Miškinis; and Janet Oates from Contemporary Music for All. The closing concert, at Leeds Cathedral, will feature a performance of Ethel Smyth's Mass in D under the direction of Neil Ferris, chorus director of the BBC Symphony Chorus.

There are also practical sessions, looking at legal issues such as copyright, safeguarding and health and safety as well as the prickly problem of how musicians manage all those volunteers who are the backbone of choirs.

‘We are out to challenge the conventional ideas of what choirs are all about,’ says Leech. ‘I hope for a sense of inspiration, irrespective of genre, and an acceptance that music improves people's lives and that choirs have a role in that.

‘A choir does not exist just for those who are in it, so I want people to go away feeling confident and energised and empowered to do new things as a result of all the technical help the workshops will give them.’ MT

ABCD's Annual Convention will be held at Leeds Beckett University on 24–26 August. For more, go to www.abcd.org.uk/convention