Singing With Expression and Emotion

Hello Singers,

Paul and I had a discussion after rehearsal on Thursday which began with Paul saying, "I need to figure out how to emote more when I sing." I gave him some ideas about what helps me, and then I reasoned that others in the choir may have the same need. So, I asked a few choir members and did a little internet research about singing with expression and came up with the following list of 10 things that will hopefully help you:

1. Learn your music, both the notes and the words. This has to be number one because, unless you know your music, you'll be so busy focusing on trying to get that right that you'll look like you're studying for an exam...which may be a big part of the problem we're seeing in our choir.
2. Connect with the message of the song you are singing. Think about what you're singing. Are you singing about something sad, or something joyful? Are you singing about something soothing, or something exciting? Many of the songs we sing are about the Savior. Be mindful of the fact that you are literally bearing your testimony through the things you are singing.
3. Imagine yourself being in the scene of the music. For example, when singing "Hymn of Angels," imagine yourself singing with the choir of angels at Christ's birth. There's a good possibility that you were actually there. When singing "Holiday Craziness," imagine yourself in the wonderful craziness of the Christmas season, and think of how, in spite of mishaps, it's still a joyful time with family and friends. Have fun with it! When singing "Come, Join the Holiday Season," I imagine I'm in the Lawrence Welk choir singing at the mall and I want everyone to stop and listen to us. I'm not sure why that works for me, but it does.
4. Sing to the 3-year-old in the audience, and tell them the story of the song with your face. You're right, there isn't one there right now, but imagine there is. Young children have very short attention spans, so you have to make your face and body interesting while you're telling them anything. Remember what it was like when you read to your little children and incorporate the same skills of making your voice interesting into your singing. If you don't know how to do this, ask your bishop if you can be the Primary chorister for a couple of weeks!
5. Pick an audience member during a performance and sing to them. I do this, and it really does help. During rehearsals, when there's nobody in the audience, I imagine someone there. Maybe it's your mother or your child. It changes your singing from being an impersonal experience to a one-on-one exchange, where you're trying to tell just that one person the things you're singing.
6. Practice looking in the mirror while you sing. At first this will seem awkward and embarrassing, but do it anyway. It will become easier and you'll learn a lot about how you look while singing.
7. Try speaking the lyrics with expression. What are you actually trying to say? The lyrics are not just a bunch of pretty words strung together. They're a sermon; a poetic expression of an idea. Practice saying the words in a way that they make sense to someone who's never heard them before.
8. Sing in the shower. You're undisturbed in there and you can just let yourself go. Try different things to see what sounds more emotive while you sing.
9. Practice emotions. Write down different emotions on cards and pull them out randomly. Look in the mirror and show that emotion with your face. Limber up your face first by trying to make it tall or wide, flat or long. Get your face used to moving.
10. Above all, don't fake it. I know that sounds kind of contradictory, but it looks really bad when someone tries to fake an emotion they're not really feeling...which is why #2 is so important. So, the idea is to learn to express through your face and body the emotions you are feeling, not to force feelings that really aren't there.