A Week in the Life of Becky Smith, Choir Director

People often assume running a choir is my full‑time job, which I take as a compliment. If it looks seamless, that means I’ve done my job well. The truth is that I run the choir in the margins of a very full week, squeezed between a demanding day job, band rehearsals, and the occasional pub gig where I’m belting out 90s classics to a room full of enthusiastic strangers.

Here’s what a real week looks like.

Monday

I start the day in my actual job, which requires a level of focus that leaves my brain feeling like it’s been through a spin cycle by 5pm. Then, instead of collapsing on the sofa like a normal person, I head to band rehearsal.

We spend three hours hammering out our set, tightening harmonies, fixing the odd rogue chord, and occasionally derailing into a 15‑minute debate about whether that one chord has always sounded weird.

By the time I get home, my voice has done a full day’s work before the choir week has even started, and of course I’m too wired to go to bed at a sensible hour.

Tuesday - Choir Day

Tuesday mornings start early. I’m up making sure everything is charged, printed, packed and ready for rehearsal. Sometimes I realise I haven’t actually worked out the chords for that night’s song, so I spend 15 minutes at the piano figuring out what on earth I’m doing.

After work it’s a quick tea, then we pack the ever‑growing mountain of gear and head out. We arrive early, set up the room, and greet singers as they come in.

Rehearsal is where everything comes alive. We run through announcements, warm up (sometimes), sing, laugh, and tackle the tricky bits until they finally click and the whole room lifts. Sometimes it happens quickly; sometimes it takes a little longer. But we always get there, and that shared moment of pride is worth every second.

I get home late, tired but buzzing, humming whatever we finished on.

Wednesday - the admin

Wednesday morning I’m usually up early again. This is the day for welcome emails, updating the website with the next rehearsal details, and sorting out the accounts and spreadsheets from the night before. I try to get it all done before work so I can have the evening to myself.

Thursday - creative night

Thursday is for arranging choir songs or learning new material for my band. Arranging involves finding or creating a backing track, then sitting with my mic and headphones, singing each harmony line one at a time.

Sometimes the harmonies fall into place; other times I sing the same line over and over, convinced something is wrong but unable to name it. And occasionally I get to the end and realise the tenors are too high or the basses too low, and I start again.

But usually, I end up with something I’m proud of — something I know my singers will love. The best part of doing my own arrangements is being able to build them around our voices and involve the choir in song choices.

Friday - gig night (in theory)

In theory, Friday is my night off. In reality, one of three things happens:

• I collapse on the sofa and stare at the wall.

• I get a burst of inspiration and work until 2am — usually on an arrangement, a music video, or a website.

• Reviver has a pub gig and I’m on stage belting out Alanis Morissette.

It’s unpredictable, but it’s never boring.

Saturday - Choir gig day

Weekend gigs vary — sometimes a care home, sometimes somewhere like the Cathedral — but they all require prep. I make sure the backing tracks are in order, the choir has the right lyrics and set list, everyone knows what they’re wearing, and all the gear is charged and working.

We arrive early to set up. Singers arrive in waves: excited, nervous, chatty. There’s rarely time to run tricky harmonies, so it’s usually straight into showtime.

Performances are always electric. The energy shifts, the sound comes together, and the room fills with something bigger than all of us. There are often tears — often mine — and mountains of pride. My singers give it everything, and we all know we’ve left it all on the stage. Then we usually go for a well‑deserved beer.

Sunday - a day of rest?

Sunday is for reflection, planning, and the inevitable social media posts sharing our weekend with the world. It’s also when I attempt to reclaim my domestic life, which has usually been abandoned somewhere around Tuesday.

And it’s when I remind myself why I do this: because building something musical, joyful and communal with people I genuinely care about is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.