How to start a singing session without shouting

People are arriving and greeting each other; chairs are being set out; there is excitement in the air and the hubbub of conversation. How do you get everyone to quieten down and focus in order to start your singing session? There are several ways of attracting people’s attention and silencing a room, each with its own pros and cons. Hum gently – or start a well-known song. When people nearby hear the sound they join in until gradually the whole room is humming or singing. This works best if a group is already established, for example, a choir. In a one-off workshop you can’t use a song, and people may not realise that they’re supposed to join in with the humming. Call out: this could be a shout “Let’s start everyone!” or part of a call and response (you call, everyone else responds and starts to pay attention) or just a general loud holler to let everyone know the session is beginning. The downside is that a loud shout can be a bit of a shock and also remind people of school. An…