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Help From People
Elect Choir Officers. There can be a choir
president, a music secretary, a communication leader, and a section leader for each vocal part.
The Choir President can help with logistical
planning.
The Communication Leader can be the one who
starts a telephone chain if rehearsal or performance times and/or places need to change unexpectedly.
Section Leaders can be the ones who take
attendance records within their own vocal part and always plan to be there.
Get a Commitment from a core group of singers to
attend all rehearsals.
Physical Planning
Comfort: Make sure the rehearsal room has
a comfortable temperature, good ventilation, reading-brightness lighting, and comfortable chairs.
Comfort 2: Wear
comfortable shoes (and clothes). Since you will be standing for more total time than anyone else, be sure it's possible to
do without pain.
Set-up: Have chairs set up ahead of rehearsal time.
(The Choir President could arrange for this.)
Extras: Keep two or three extra folders
with complete sets of music ready for new members. (If current members borrow the extras because they forgot their own, make
sure they return it.)
Extras, #2:
These extra folders can
also be ready for people who insist on interrupting the rehearsal to talk with choir members. The offending interrupter can
be greeted with a cheerful "I'm so glad you decided to sing with us today. Here's a music folder for you." And then they're
either going to stay and sing or be embarrassed by having to acknowledge that they're just here to interrupt.
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Help From Technology
Group Email: Use a group
email list to communicate with your choir members.
Choir Website: Have a choir website
with the rehearsal schedule, music list, pictures. You don't have to spend a lot -- or even ANY -- $$ to do
this. There are many free website hosts that even have easy online web-builder software and you just
have to put up with the ads. The Tripod logo below is a link to one of the many
available free services, and is the server for this website. Ad-free services can cost as little as
$5/month.
Search Engine Optimization and Free Submission
On-line Listening: When you've bought
choir music from a company that has on-line listening, give your singers the web address (link it to your website if you have
one.) so they can listen on their own.
*
* * Keep a Music Library Inventory: Ask your "Choir Secretary" to keep track of all the music the choir owns, who has borrowed
it, etc.
Organize Yourself
Folder Organization: Organize your music
folder. Keeping music in the order you'll need it saves time AND you're less likely to omit rehearsing future music that needs
work.
Minimize Page Turns: If you make photocopies
of the backs of all your pages, and then tape the music out flat, you won't lose your place as easily. This is especially
useful if you direct AND accompany.
Be Dependable: Be EARLY to rehearsal.
Plan Ahead: Today's music practice
list and rehearsal tactics should planned ahead of time.
Plan Ahead #2: Make sure you know the music
inside and out, and have all your dynamics and tempos planned ahead of time. If you've already decided what needs to
be done and where, singers are more likely to accept your authority as director. If there is a question of what to do, singers
who are also trained musicians will help answer that question, creating differences of opinion or discussion that uses
up rehearsal time.
Worry Early is considered to be an invaluable resource for choral musicians and conductors alike. The book is available for order through
The College Store at a cost of $24.95 plus tax. Order Online
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