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Quartet championships are rarely won on stage. Winning a contest entails far too many variables that are not controllable by the winner. But every championship was won in the den or living room of someone's house. A quality quartet experience requires a focus on individual efforts and the expectation to rehearse and perform like champions. Combine this focus and attitude with putting the music as the #1 priority, and the winning will take care of itself.

Warm up. Devote a minimum of 20 minutes to proper vocal warm-ups before each rehearsal and every time before you sing. Start by doing a few breathing exercises that focus on the origination of the breath. Spend time working the complete vocal range from falsetto and head tone through the lower chest voice. Start lightly. Allow the voice to be vulnerable. (Bubbling, unison singing, chord exercises while vowel matching are effective warm-up tools). Focus this time on finding the sound -- that tall, round, resonant, connected, spin-filled sound that blends superbly, seems almost effortless and rings like crazy. The more you sing together, the sooner you'll find it.

Discover the song. Discover the intent of the message and incorporate it into your vocal colour, dynamics and physical presentation. Pay attention to the musical elements that make up the song, such as rhythm, meter, embellishments, solos and patters. Structure your rehearsal to devote time for each of these elements. For example, sing the song while using a metronome to solidify tempo, and set an electronic pitch pipe to maintain a continuous tone on the tonic to reaffirm the sense of "do." Above all, dedicate yourself to the ensemble sound and expect improvement.

Identify and work the trios. Often, a song will feature or highlight one of the harmony parts on the melody line, echo or patter, thus creating a trio with the other parts. Identify in the music where this occurs and rehearse those trios separately. Conversely, if the arrangement calls for your part to be featured, put in your personality and for Pete's sake, let it fly!

Incorporate duetting. Practice by often pairing all parts together -- yes, including the bari-tenor combo! You'll discover that by solidifying the relationship of each part to the others you will improve synchronisation and connection and lessen the extraneous noise (white space) in the sound, resulting in a cleaner, more pleasurable sound.

Perform, perform, perform! The way you look and act while singing during rehearsal is essentially how you'll perform on stage. No matter what other aspect of the music you're working on, incorporate the physical and visual aspects of performance as though you were on stage (yes, even when you're rehearsing in a circle). Occasionally, rehearse in front of a full-length mirror or use a video camera to tape and watch your performances. Watch it together, but only criticise your own performance. You can also do a visual 3-on-1, with one person (preferably the lead) facing the other three parts, allowing him to draw out the faces and attitudes he is looking for.

Record yourselves. Buy a hand-held audiotape recorder for each quartet member. At designated times throughout the rehearsal, record the song at its current best -- the week's baseline. During the week, while driving, listen to your part carefully, find areas for improvement, and fix them prior to the next rehearsal. Establish a new baseline each rehearsal.

Get coached regularly. The improvement of your quartet will be elevated immensely by having a knowledgeable and experienced fifth set of ears and eyes involved on a regular basis. Establish a primary coach with whom you can get together every four to six weeks. Supplement those sessions with additional coaches who will provide value in particular specialities. Plan ahead for important dates, such as contests. Don't expect coaches to perform miracles. You can have the greatest coaches in the world, but if you don't apply their knowledge, it's a waste of your time and theirs.

There are many ways to individualise these recommendations for your quartet to maximise the opportunity for consistent improvement. If you dedicate yourselves, you'll experience a fun-filled, energising and rewarding quartet experience. And who knows -- maybe even a championship!

• No matter where you are, be all there. Don't waste time thinking about outside cares at quartet rehearsal.
• Develop a plan and stick to it!
• Meet a minimum of once a week for at least three hours. If only two of you can get together, duet.
• Focus on rehearsal quality before quantity, or you'll only solidify bad habits. If you're singing well, sing a lot.
• Work on three songs and sing through one new one after you're well warmed-up. Decide next rehearsal's music at today's rehearsal.
• Be careful and respectful when coaching each other, and make constructive criticisms. Be positive and point out strengths as well as weaknesses.
• Work on words and notes on your own time. Don't waste rehearsal time!
• Handle most quartet business outside of rehearsal time. Distribute tasks equally and commit to doing your part. Avoid business burnout.