A choir warm-up on a whiteboard turns into a viral moment, then into a teaching philosophy. We sit down with Myles “It’s Mr Finn” Finn to talk about what actually makes singers lean in: not performative energy, but real craft, clear standards, and a teacher who shows up as themselves. If you lead a school choir, conduct a community ensemble, or juggle show choir and musical theatre, this conversation is packed with practical rehearsal thinking you can use straight away.

We get into the nuts and bolts of running school musicals at scale, where 120 plus students might be involved and the “cast” includes everyone from singers to set builders. Myles shares how he prioritises the ensemble so they do not feel like background decoration, how he thinks about ensemble versus chorus, and how staging challenges like sight lines and levels become solvable musical problems. We also talk about quality control with young people: building from musicianship, keeping rhythm honest, and obsessing over intonation because audiences notice it instantly.

Then the story shifts to a big life move: leaving the US for Zagreb, Croatia, and learning the realities of international school teaching where relationships can feel like a revolving door. Myles explains why family mattered in the decision, what changes in student culture surprised him, and why he is now building a new community choir in Zagreb to keep music-making open to more people.

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More about Myles Finn:

Website: www.itsmrfinn.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/itsmrmylesfinn/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/itsmrmylesfinn/

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• Website: thechoirdirectorpodcast.com
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