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December 9,
2005
Hi Marie,
I was a Worship/Choir
Director at a previous church for many years. My family & I left that church and I became the accompanist and choir
member at a much smaller church with a choir director who has been there forever. He has no formal training except that
he played trumpet in high school. There are many things he needs to improve upon as far as organization, planning, conducting
etc. We sing entirely by CD's; he says that he needs me in the choir as I'm the only alto that can stay on part. The
rest follow me, so we use CD's as accompaniment. When we struggle with parts, or timing issues, he does not ask me to
play parts or anything; he tells everyone to listen to their CDs. Also, a great deal of the time what he is saying is musically
incorrect. It is awfully difficult for me to sit back and say nothing. I have
discussed this with him, but he doesn't want my help; he does it his way. Also, there is one soprano that gets all the
solos regardless ! of whether it's a soprano or alto solo, and he has others in the choir that could do the solos. He
always picks really easy cantatas with only one solo, and she gets them all...I pray about this constantly because it's really
bad at times...especially when I know I can help. Please advise....should I keep praying, keep my mouth shut, or get
out of the choir and just play at worship services.
Thanks,
I'm Praying to Keep My Mouth Shut
Dear
“Praying,”
As I read about your musically impossible
situation, my heart bled for you. Small church “protect-my-turf,” “been-there-forever,” and “pet-performer”
syndromes are extremely difficult to deal with. There are many possible reasons for these attitudes and situations, which
I will attempt to list below.
Apparently, this director likes his job as director, and wants to keep it. Very likely he is insecure about his musical abilities and may
feel threatened by you, a better-trained musician. You didn’t mention if the CDs the choir is using are commercially
prepared or if they’re ones he has recorded of his own performances. Assuming that these CDs are commercially performed,
it is quite possible that your director doesn’t trust any live musician to “get” the music without hearing
a recording, since he himself seemingly can’t make the transition from printed score to performed music. Certain performers
become directors’ “pets” for many reasons beyond just musical reasons. (They work well together, he likes
her voice, he likes her, he doesn’t like the other singers’ voices,
the other singers have had stage fright and ruined previous performances, etc.)
You are already doing the very best
first step, praying. As you are contemplating possible choices, do your very best to support the church, the director and
the choir. In medicine, they say, “first, do no harm.” This adage applies in most areas of life. You said you’ve
already spoken to the director with suggestions for improvement; this is an excellent second step—even if it didn’t
work. You haven’t said if the pastor, church board, and members-at-large have voiced their opinions. Their preferences
make a difference in what you ultimately should do. There ARE other things you can do besides quitting choir. (Since the director
appears to want you there helping the altos, do
try to stay on, even if the lack of organization and musicianship makes you want to shake the director.) All of these can
and should be done while attempting to avoid a harmful and divisive church music war and trying to keep the choir director’s
feelings intact. (The following advice is offered assuming that you actually are
a better-trained musician than your choir director; occasionally there are the people who think
they are great musicians and are in denial about their own skill level.)
1. Find something the director is doing
that you like and praise it—catch him doing a phrase musically, or energetically, something. Then try to encourage better
work by praising even slight changes for the better.
2. You can talk (privately) with your
fellow altos and ask if they would like to do an extra section practice with
you—where you teach a few things like counting, note-reading, proper diction, and vocal support—all going back
to the CD after you’ve learned the part, of course. If this works, the other sections are likely to ask for your help as well.
3. Invite the director (along with his wife and/or other choir members) to performances
of civic or other church choirs to inspire possibilities.
(Continued in next column.)
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(Continued from previous column.)
4. Ask a neighboring choir director
whom you admire if you and the director can go and listen to one or two of their rehearsals. (Go once by yourself to make
sure they are using good rehearsal technique before taking your director along.) This should be a real learning experience.
5. Send him to the Start A Choir website
(with the primary pretext of finding new and/or free music, so you don’t hurt his feelings).
6. Loan him one of your books on choral conducting.
7. Ask for your director’s musical advice about offertory choices, phrasing, tempos,
dynamics, etc., in musical, but non-choir situations. Even poor performers usually have a valid opinion, and being asked will
flatter him and make him more likely to listen to other things you have to say.
You have your work cut out for you—trying
to improve a group from a non-leadership position. Keep on praying and eventually it will work out.
I'll
pray for you,
Marie
December 15, 2005
Hi Marie,
I have been a worship leader for a few years,
I don't play an instrument and can read music slightly. Well, my pastor’s wife decided to have a Christmas
Cantata, and originally I was just there to help out, but now I find myself directing the choir for the cantata. Well,
to make a long story short; how do I teach these new singers harmony? They all have good voices, but
I can't have everyone singing melody. Any tips?
Panicking for Time
December
18, 2005
Hello “Panicking,”
WOW! It sounds as if you're in a real
jam. How much rehearsal time do you have left? Teaching harmony to people who aren't used to singing harmony requires major
amounts of TIME. Looking at the calendar today, less than a week before Christmas, you don't have anywhere near enough—even
if you could read music and
had a great accompanist. I'm not sure that even a professional choral group who could all sight-sing could pull off an entire
cantata in under 5 or 6 hours of practice. (I wouldn't attempt a full cantata without at least a couple months of
rehearsals—one before or after church services and one mid-week.) My guess is that you will have to keep almost everyone on the melody. If there are people who routinely sing a part, let them decide how
much harmony they can/will sing. Vary the sound by having a few solos, and switching off between women and men—and children,
if you're including them. Intersperse Bible verses about the story of Christmas and assign lots of different people to do
the readings. Use lots of congregational participation, both hymns and responsive Scripture readings. If it's an evening service,
use candle light. Everything looks and sounds better by candle-light. (Be sure your musicians/singers have enough light to
read by, though—that means LOTS of light for anyone older than 45 or 50. You don't have enough time for them to memorize
it all.)
Then, when you've pulled off a miracle,
you need to EDUCATE your pastor and his wife about the necessity of rehearsal time for creating musical programs.
I'll
pray for you.
Marie
Go to:
& Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke
Ask Marie, Page Six, through Dec. 18, '05.
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