- Make sure that the person chosen as choir accompanist really knows how to play the piano.
- Practice with the choir accompanist before he/she comes to rehearsal for the first time.
- If necessary, play the piano accompaniment for the accompanist either before or during the rehearsal.
- Never expect the choir to sound like the Cambridge Singers.
- Do not let people perform with the choir who have never come to rehearsal. (We practiced a Thomas Tallis piece for three months and I made the mistake of letting someone sing with us during the final performance. I didn't know how to turn her down. Anyhow, she came in one beat too early on a verse, and it through the whole choir off for the rest of the song. When singing Renaissance choral music, one faulty musical entrance can ruin the whole song. And, well, the performance was ruined. After we toiled on the same song for three months.)
- You will never be able to convince the people who actually know how to sing to join the choir.
- You will never be able to convince the people who actually play the piano to be the choir accompanist.
- There will always be at least one person in the choir who can only sing LOUDLY. And flat.
- You can try to teach the choir about enunciation and pronunciation (in an effort to help soften the hard Utah accent), but it just won't work. Even if most of the choir does it, the effect will be ruined by the same LOUD singer. Bless her heart.
- Do not order Christmas music from Best in Music. It will never arrive.
- Only 25% of the choir will come to rehearsal on a consistent basis. Consequently, you will spend two out of three weeks reviewing the same music for people who weren't at the previous rehearsal.
- Bringing treats to choir will not increase attendance.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
church choir
Since we are moving, this means that last Sunday I held the final rehearsal as choir director of my church choir. In some ways, I have loved being choir director since I got to superimpose my musical preferences on the ears of the congregation. Over the past two and a half years, the choir has sung Renaissance choral music, John Rutter, traditional French Christmas carols ("Whence is the Goodly Fragrance Flowing?") and some of the lesser-known hymns. It's been really fun. Furthermore, I made sure that the choir has never sang any Mormon pop/EFY songs that contain ridiculous over-extended metaphors about candles, bridges, stormy seas, lighthouses, or seashores. Hooray for good music instead! At the same time, however, directing the choir has been rather stressful and difficult. I thought I would list some of the things I have learned during my time as choir director:
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7 comments:
Where are you moving? I hope it's somewhere exciting!
We are moving to Seattle next week! You can read a little bit more about the details on my post from November 3rd.
Agreed on all of the above. I've also found it exceedingly difficult to be in the same ward, but no longer be the choir director. I just can't help but think I would do things better...especially when it comes to choosing the music.
I am not the choir director in my ward, but I am a loyal participant. We have practice every sunday at noon, which gives me 4 hours of church a week.
Since I go EVERY week, I hate (but hate is not even a strong enough word) when people only come to the day-of rehersal and sing with tons a vabrato and mess up the dynamics that we have spent months perfecting. It is rude and insulting to us loyalistis who slave and sacrifice. If you really want to sing and not just do it for attention, which I think is a huge motivating factor in a singles ward, then you can come at least 2 weeks before we preform.
Our choir director (whom I adore) is inadvertanly obsessed with Mac Wilberg arrangements. I'm kind of sick of the men sing, women sing, then a dramatic combo at the end. But this week we are singing My Shepherd Will Supply My Need which makes me cry. It is so beautiful and it was sung at President Hinckley's funeral.
Yay for ward choir!!!!!
I know what you mean about Mack Wilberg, Alli. I've tried to avoid having the choir sing his stuff too, mostly because it's too predictable. Whenever the MoTab sings for conference, J and I always predict when the "dramatic ending" is coming. It's not to hard to pinpoint, since his endings always involve a 1/2 step modulation higher than the previous key.
I wish I could have heard your choir perform. I never even got to hear you sing. :( Kudos for avoiding the smarmy music.
I always opt out of the choir. They like to announce that the choir is for everybody at church, but I know deep down that they're better off without me. I can't sing to save my life.
Those are some great tips, thanks for sharing! I've never had that calling yet (kind of dreading it, I'd hate to do all the recruiting!) but I'm the Primary chorister in my ward right now. I'm sure you did an amazing job as director!
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