Don't Peak Too Soon

"A higher rate of urgency does not imply ever-present anxiety, panic or fear. It means a state in which complacency is virtually absent."
                                        -John P. Kotter

As we wrap up "Time Management Month", we're going to address the issue of long-range rehearsal planning. Most of us are good about planning on a week-by-week basis, outlining each rehearsal as it comes (although some conductors fail to do even that). An equally important skill is the ability to think long-range, and to plan a protracted sequence of rehearsals accordingly. This takes deep strategic thinking, but when done right, long-range rehearsal planning can really augment your choristers' experience and enhance the pacing of your ensemble's progress toward a performance goal.

We've all participated in performances where the ensemble simply wasn't "ready for prime time", when one or two additional rehearsals would've made all the difference. Perhaps less common is the scenario when an ensemble is performance-ready well in advance of the performance date, and the ensemble finds itself with time to kill. This may sound like a non-issue, but in our experience, urgency is a great motivator; conversely, the lack of urgency over an extended period of time can really drain an ensemble's momentum.

It's beneficial to always have a "challenge" on the horizon for your ensemble- something that they're working toward. This keeps people engaged, and often brings our their best qualities: their creativity, their passion, their work ethic. Peaking too soon in the rehearsal process can cause people to check out, and by the time the performance rolls around, they've already psychologically moved on.

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KRISHAN: I recently had the pleasure of working with the Boston University Singers, a 50-60 voice ensemble comprised mostly of undergraduate voice majors (with some grad students and composers thrown in for good measure). Earlier this month, I conducted this group in a challenging 25-minute cantata by Nico Muhly, a contemporary composer who writes in a highly inventive style that isn't necessarily intuitive for young singers. We had about six 70-minute rehearsals to prepare the choral parts, plus two rehearsals of similar length with the orchestra. As I considered the rehearsal schedule during the planning process, I knew this was going to be barely enough rehearsal time; I was aware that we'd be going into the first orchestra rehearsal with notes still unlearned. I was nervous about being able to successfully pull off a convincing rendition of the piece, and my trepidation was heightened by the fact that the composer was going to be present for the dress rehearsal and the performance.

As we got into performance week, however, I realized that we had exactly the right amount of rehearsal time. By the penultimate rehearsal, the energy was ramping up and the performers were just starting to really "get" the piece (certainly, having both chorus and orchestra present helped!). By the dress rehearsal, I sensed a genuine excitement in the air, as the performers were right at the threshold of conquering this difficult piece. We peaked at exactly the right moment- during the performance, in front of the audience.


KIRSTEN: In the 2014-2015 school year, I had the opportunity to work with my first high school show choir. Though I'd had plenty of musical theatre experience, my only choral experience had been classically-based. When it came time for competition season, I turned to the student leaders (comprised mostly of seniors) to manage rehearsal style/time. I quickly had the students learning the simple pop arrangements, and they had the parts memorized and performance ready in a very short amount of time. I was proud of their preparedness, and was confident that they would perform the pieces accurately and with ease.

What I failed to realize was the length of competition season. Two months later, we were found still rehearsing the same 5 pop pieces - perfecting tone, articulation, projection, balance, choreography, costumes, and more. I found myself getting quickly bored with the music, and I would have rather rehearsed anything else than those pop songs one more time. The students were performing well, but often would lose details quickly and revert to singing plain notes and rhythms. In this situation, the students and conductor peaked too early, and there was no urgency to drive the music-learning process forward. The spark and energy had left the rehearsal process, and it became a redundant and dull class period.

I learned through experience that there is such a thing as too much rehearsal time!

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While there's obviously something to be said for erring on the side of caution and allowing yourself some wiggle room, it's also important to keep in mind the very real phenomena of group dynamics. A musical performance, unlike a sporting event, doesn't allow the uncertainty of whether out team will win or lose. Nevertheless, a little uncertainty isn't necessarily a bad thing; a sporting event isn't any fun if we know the outcome beforehand!