This page is for sharing news about the CCA's achievements, as well as recent press coverage and articles by Sandra – as and when we get time to post them all! Here we have made a start...

Two 'Most Improved Chorus' competition awards:

Sandra Smith (pictured right) is sharing yet more celebrations as another of the Devon choirs she coaches recently won an award as a result of her choir coaching skills. This is the second major win this year alone for the choruses she coaches, in both American and British choral organisations.

As both the choruses involved have won 'most improved chorus' awards it is clear that these successes are a direct result of Sandra's coaching. Read the full reports below.

Since the beginning of this year, Sandra has been working with the Newton Abbot-based female barbershop chorus, The Chordettes, who are part of the Ladies Association of British Barbershop. She was called in after their very disappointing results at their regional heats. Sandra’s work paid off as The Chordettes are delighted to have just won the ‘Most Improved Chorus’ trophy at this year's LABB Choral Convention by moving up an impressive seven places.

Their success is all the more remarkable as the chorus has been through one of the most difficult and challenging periods in their long 30 year history. They have been searching for a new conductor to lead the chorus since last January and have had two changes of deputy Musical Directors in nine months but, with Sandra’s help and encouragement they nonetheless managed to emerge triumphant from their national convention.

“This award is a really important acknowledgment of how a chorus can turn itself around”, says Sandra. ”It really recognises the hard work and commitment that a chorus puts in to improve their overall marks. I am thrilled that The Chordettes have achieved this.”

Sandra has worked once a month with the chorus since January 2008. She started by updating their rehearsal techniques and brought a different structure and focus into the chorus. The singers commented on how the energy had risen and they were eager to come and sing again! Members stepped forward to share a collection of skills from drama to t’ai chi which were previously under-utilised and hidden in the background. This helped the choir become a more united, re-motivated and interesting chorus.

Sandra also trained the singers in new vocal and breathing techniques and demonstrated how to brighten and strengthen the tone and vocal energy. Showing them more effective ways to learn the songs helped to improve the listening quality, tuning and interpretation within the chorus and of course also improved presentation and delivery for the competition.

Sandra always works by building changes at a core level through fully explaining and illustrating techniques so the chorus has a comprehensive understanding rather than resorting to simply ‘mimicking’ at a superficial level.

As Sandra points out: "Changing techniques is always a difficult transition for a chorus and new techniques need time to mature, but with perseverance and practice the effects of taking on new coaching ideas can have the winning results - as shown by The Chordettes in their recent victory!"

The Chordettes website: www.thechordettes.co.uk

Buckfastleigh singing teacher and choir coach Sandra Smith has just returned from a triumphant International Barbershop Chorus Convention in Birmingham. She has been coaching The Mayflowers barbershop chorus from Plymouth over the last year and they were delighted to win the ‘Most Improved Chorus’ award out of 22 choruses with a whopping 68 point increase!

The chorus belong to the 'Sweet Adelines', a worldwide women's barbershop organization providing training in all areas of this style of singing. The regional competition covers Great Britain and the Netherlands and boasts 1200 members. The winner of the competition, Lace City Singers from Nottingham, go on to compete in the USA. It is the highlight and focus of the Barbershop world!

“The Mayflowers have worked incredibly hard this year,” says Sandra, “I am so proud of helping them win this award. They wanted to improve on last year's results and they trusted me to radically change their vocal technique, which takes a lot of commitment, courage and nerve. We also improved their stage presence and presentation by building their self-confidence – this is a chorus who now believes in themselves!”

Jo Channon the conductor of the Mayflowers says: “The chorus are ecstatic and are really grateful for Sandra’s input – we couldn’t have done this without her guidance and commitment to us.”

Jo adds: “If you can improve by 20 points in a year that’s good, so this 68 point increase is wonderful! A really nice comment overheard from an audience member was that she couldn’t believe the big sound we made came from such a small chorus! That’s down to Sandra’s work –she’s changed our sound!”
The Mayflowers only had 37 singers on stage and were competing against choruses with up to 90 singers.