Chamber Ensembles

I think that a key part of singing in a small group versus a large chorus is having the self-confidence to sing loudly while still managing to blend. In a large chorus, blending is key; the audience is not supposed to be able to pick out individual voices unless they're solo parts. However, in small groups of 8 people or less, the audience is bound to hear individual voices, simply because the voices ARE individual. The goal of small ensembles, then, is to have a unified sound that manages to harmonize well enough so that the audience forgets about individual voices and only notices how well all the voices sound together (thus creating a blending of voices, though a different kind of blending than is found in larger choruses). I also think that a common misconception regarding small chamber ensembles is that only the best singers can be part of it. Sure, the singers in chamber ensembles might have a bigger musical range or whatever than other singers, but that's only because the "better" singers have the confidence to try out for smaller groups. However, the best musicians in smaller groups are not the ones who have the prettiest vibrato or loveliest solo voice, but the ones who can listen and blend harmoniously with the musicians around them. So, the people who try out for smaller ensembles might have more self-confidence than others, but oftentimes the best singers in small ensembles are the best listeners, not the "belle canto". Lastly, I don't think that in a group of 5 people or less any individual person leads the group. There is no "i" in group- hence, the whole group leads itself. Maybe one person carries the pitch pipe or another person taps out the beat, but there is no conductor for a group of 5 people...one isn't really needed. After all, as long as the group listens to each other, it's quite easy to stay both in tune and in the correct rhythm. Regardless or whether one is singing in a large chorus or a small ensemble, listening is key and could or break a performance.