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August, 2006
links updated Jan. 2007
Dear Readers,
Over the past few months
I have gotten questions and comments that have had a similar theme from several musicians. The musicians in question
have been choir directors in volunteer or near-volunteer capacities. Their once-thriving choirs have "died" or are fading
away. The reasons for these choirs' demise are remarkably similar. Usually, mistakes by the director aren't
the primary problem--although no directors can be perfect and they can easily contribute to these problems--particularly after
the problem has been started.
In this Start A Choir issue, we will address the problems that ultimately end
up being "choir-killers". Unfortunately, very few of these actions can be changed by the choir director; choir singers,
church members, governing bodies, and pastoral staff are usually the initiating actors in "choir-murder". Choir directors then
have to function in "damage control" mode to keep their choirs alive. And so, read on to find out some of the things NOT to do if you want to keep your choir alive and healthy. Hopefully, by recognizing these major problems, YOUR church can avoid their
consequences. In the meantime, Musicians, please forgive your constituents for "they know not what they do."
Pastors, Singers and Parishoners,
Start A Choir e-magazine would love to present a balanced perspective; you're welcome to write a rebuttal.
I’ll pray for you,
Marie
To contribute to the forthcoming page for music
directors,
"How to Annoy or Alienate Your Choir",
add your choir members' pet peeves and annoyances to the form below.
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August 16, 2006
Dear Marie,
Please ask readers to recommend sources for music for a small choir that doesn't have a musician (good CD or
tape backups included) for their [non-trained musician] leader, Linda. The group preferes gospel style music. Linda's
email address is pennyangel@bellsouth.net
Thank you and TGFM.
Evelyn
Dear Readers,
Please write to Linda at the address above and send her email addresses and
website addresses for any backup tape sources you may have.
Thank you and I'll pray for you.
Marie
August 17, 2006
Dear Marie,
I am a choir director with
no formal training. I've just been doing this since I was a child. How can I teach vocal skills with
no training or no finances to acquire the learning and skills necessary to improve the choir's quality of sound?
$$ Supply too Short
Dear $$ Too Short,
Lack of $$ resources is a problem for everyone, but there are more free--or almost free--resources availble
than most people realize.
LISTEN to, WATCH and LEARN from the professionals. Your first resource would be a university -- a university
that has a music department, that is. Go to their library and read all that you can about vocal and choral technique.
Universities often have extensive music listening libraries as well--utilize them. Next, you should attend all the free choral
concerts you have time for; music colleges, universities, and large churches that have traditional choirs are a good
possibility.
(Continued in next column.)
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(Continued from previous column.)
(Contemporary music groups might NOT use good vocal skills and depend on microphones and electronic effects
instead.) Also watch choral concerts on TV and listen to public radio. This will help educate your ear as to what a unified
choral sound SHOULD sound like. Join a civic or church choral group that has a vocally trained conductor; unless all the singers
are paid professionals, usually the choral director spends a large percentage of each rehearsal demonstrating vocal technique.
Last, use your own ears and eyes for your choir, a mirror and a voice recorder for yourself, to be sure what vocal production
skills work the best for you.
Remember, good vocal skills are primarily tuning, breath control, breath support, relaxation, and diction--and,
of course, a good choral group must achieve all these functions with each choir part in total unison. You can't do these
things FOR your group; you must persuade and teach them to produce good sounds WITH you.
I hope you make wonderful progress in your vocal education.
I'll pray for you.
Marie
Go to:
& Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke
Ask Marie, Page Six, through Dec. 18, '05.
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