HAVEN'T SUNG BEFORE? DON'T READ MUSIC? THIS PAGE IS FOR YOU!
Over the last three years, many women have come to Song Circle who have not sung before and/or who don't read music. If you have a listen to our most recent recordings (here). You'll find that they most definitely CAN sing and that they're doing it in harmony!
So how did this happen? Well it's all down to Anna's teaching techniques. Which you can read about below ...
ABOUT ANNA AND HER TEACHING METHODS
Who is Anna?
Anna Winton Mills (M Ed) lives in Mid-Suffolk.
She has been a musician, singer and teacher for more than four decades.
During that time her long career has taught her the following things…
1. There is no such thing as someone who can’t sing.
ANNA SAYS: "The world is divided into two types of people: those who can and do sing and those who can’t or don’t sing YET. My mission is to convert those who don’t sing yet into people who can and do sing. I did this for many years in schools and with my private pupils & this is why I set up Song Circle".
2. Anna believes that everyone is different and everyone learns in different ways and at different speeds.
ANNA SAYS: "This is why I always teach in a circle. This allows me to include everyone in the learning process. It also helps me to observe how everyone is doing and to work out who needs what sort of help as we go along. I hope that by sitting in a circle everyone feels equally involved in the choir, from the longest serving member to the newest arrival".
3. Any sort of singing is fun but it’s even more enjoyable when you really know what you’re doing
ANNA SAYS: "This is why I insist that people really learn how to sing as they go on their journey with Song Circle. You don’t need to be able to read music to be part of the choir (although of course it helps) and there are other ways that you can learn your part (whether soprano or alto – I can help you work out what you are if you don’t already know). This is why we provide audio tutorials to help members learn the different parts of some of the trickier songs we work on".
4. This doesn’t stop learning being a challenge, but the answer to tricky challenges is to stick with them and to keep going.
ANNA SAYS: "I myself have had many times in my life where the way ahead seemed blocked, or where the goal that I wanted seemed unobtainable, but I've learned over time that sheer persistence will get you through. The old adage ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again’ is one that applies to learning how to sing as much as it applies to everything else in life. So come join us, sing with us and – if things feel a little difficult or challenging at times – just be aware that the answer is always to keep going and things will get better!"
5. Learning is even more satisfying if you stretch yourself.
ANNA SAYS: "I believe that you’ll be surprised at what you can do if you try. So far, the choir has sung songs in German and Italian, Hebrew and Bantu. At the moment we’re learning a piece in Latin. We have many singers who would not have dreamed of doing this when they joined but I try to ensure that everyone can do what they need to do by the time we get to each term's concert. We’re confident you’ll be surprised by how much you’ve learned in just one term".
6. A choir is better when we all support each of the individual members.
ANNA SAYS: 'Everyone goes through ups and downs at different time. For me, the most heart-warming aspect of setting up the choir has been observing how members have formed great friendships. I've watched how choir members support each other through difficult times and how we've jointly celebrated the wonderful events like the birth of our two choir babies!"