Yes, it's vital. We can't live without breathing. And, you might think it's just a natural thing. But, breathing efficiently and effectively is not something you can leave up to nature. In every physical activity, proper breathing technique is important. Running, swimming, every sport demands a different breathing technique. Singing is physical too, and you have to pay attention to your breathing.
When we do warm-ups, I'm always sure to remind you to breathe with your whole body, with a focus on your "core". When we sing, I remind you of where you can and cannot take a breath. I encourage you to mark the places where you need to take a breath, so that you do it consistently and so you don't run out of air and take a big gulp where you're not supposed to.
We talk about the team work a choir does when we use staggered breathing over a very long phrase. You take a quick breath when others aren't taking theirs so that it sounds like nobody's taken a breath at all. We should not be able to hear a breath in the middle of a phrase.
Particularly in solos and small groups, you can't afford to take a breath in the middle of a phrase, because you will be heard. And, the distraction will detract from the performance. Mark your breaths and pay attention.
Listening to some of the recordings of previous performances, I was hearing some annoying sounds of breathing where there shouldn't be any. It's almost as bad as frowning and making faces, and not watching, and wearing short sleeves when everyone else is wearing long sleeves. Watch the videos on YouTube before we perform again, and let's try to make this performance even better!
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