Program For The Choir You Have, Not The Choir You Want

"It is exactly the unattainability which differentiates a dream from a goal; goals are reachable, when you fight for them. Dreams are not."
                                                                                                -Fabian Cancellara

There's a lot to be said for ambitious programming, and in a future post we'll address the benefits of setting the bar extremely (perhaps even unrealistically) high. But in this post we're going to discuss one of the pitfalls besetting many choral conductors, particularly those in new positions: programming repertoire that your ensemble can't perform well.

We all have our repertoire "bucket list". Britten's War Requiem, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, or any other number of overly grandiose choral warhorses. On a smaller scale, we all have those pieces we've been wanting to conduct forever, and once we get our hands on a competent ensemble, many of us rush into programming repertoire that our ensemble may not yet be ready for.

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KRISHAN: I've definitely been guilty of "overprogramming"; in fact, I'm a bit of a chronic overprogrammer. I get excited about repertoire, and if I have an ensemble that is within shooting distance of a piece that I want to conduct, I tend to throw caution to the wind and go for it. But after several years of doing this, and after consistently walking away from performances feeling that things didn't quite go the way that I wanted them to, I finally drew back and examined this habit of mine. Moving from California to the East Coast for grad school provided me with an opportunity to change my approach, and I made a decision to focus on thoroughly learning a score and teaching it slowly and methodically, rather than flying by the seat of my pants. Although my more advanced choristers may now sometimes grow impatient with the pace, I feel that my ensembles are more confident and more thoroughly prepared than in the past.


KIRSTEN: In my fourth semester teaching after school at San Diego High School, I was thrilled to finally have eight men in my Chamber Choir - four tenors and four basses. This only meant one thing to me as an excited new conductor: I could finally pick repertoire with four-part men's divisi! Quickly, I pulled out There Will Be Rest by Frank Ticheli, and knew that my students would love the challenge. I was sure that with our full forces of Chamber Choir, we could perform this piece very well.

However, I neglected to consider that if, at any point in time, we were missing a tenor or bass from rehearsal, the rehearsal would be exceedingly difficult. The program being an after-school volunteer-based club, including mostly freshman and sophomore students, attendance could be sporadic from rehearsal to rehearsal. Rarely, if ever, did I have all eight men present on the same day. Consequently, someone would be trying to sing their own part, and would struggle through learning the piece.

In the end, the students performed the piece well. However, if I could go back and pick something with three-part men's divisi instead of four, I would in a heartbeat. I wish my students could have left the stage feeling like they nailed the piece, rather than feeling as if they just barely made it through. Was the repertoire choice possible for this group? Yes. Was it the best/most reachable goal, that would make them feel the most accomplished and confident at the end of the day? Probably not.

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It's important to ask yourself if your choir can actually perform a piece well before going ahead with it. This may sound obvious, but it's not always easy to practice. We've all heard church choirs where a single alto is valiantly plowing through her part while twelve sopranos sing the melody. A beautiful unison sound, while perhaps less ambitious than the scenario described, would be a more suitable goal in this kind of situation. This approach takes humility; the conductor must be willing to sacrifice the goal of independent part-singing for the less glamorous goal of an integrated, blended sound. Likewise, the conductor must be able to impart a sense of humility to the more advanced choristers, teaching them to value teamwork and similar abstract concepts over the tangible rewards of independent part-singing. Ultimately, the willingness to work on a more humble scale, at least for now, will lead to greater confidence in the future. As Stephen Covey wrote, "Happiness can be defined.. as the ability to sacrifice what we want now, for what we want eventually."

Quantity is Quality

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life." 
                                                                                     -Mary Kay Ash

Recruitment is always a relevant topic. Choral conductors, regardless of their level of achievement, are always looking for ways to generate more interest in their choirs among the singers in their community. Church choirs, school choirs, community choruses, even union-level opera choruses- all choral organizations are on a never-ending quest to get more singers in the door. We've never heard a single choral conductor complain about too many auditionees.

In last week's post, we discussed the importance of personalized e-mails. This practice is perhaps even more important during the recruitment process. People are busy, and have no shortage of excuses to avoid getting involved in a choral ensemble. When recruiting, our primary objective is to get people in the door. More often than not, once they come through the door, they end up sticking around. The ones we lose, we usually lose before we ever meet them. But in our e-mail communication, we're always trying to do whatever is necessary to simply get people through the door.

We were recently hired to recruit choristers for the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a musical based on the 1996 Disney film (we helped launch the first U.S. production of the Hunchback musical at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2014). The score, by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, is unique in that it calls for a 32-voice choral ensemble placed onstage in a stationary position for the entire show. The choir's material is influenced by Gregorian chant and 19th century French opera, and is heavy by musical theater standards.

The Ogunquit Playhouse is a major summer stock theater in Southern Maine, and they had planned a long run: 32 performances during the course of 4 weeks. That's a lot of consecutive shows for a 32-voice choir! The Associate Producer had done a tremendous amount of work getting the word out in the local choral community, but no one anticipated that it would take the total focus of at least one (if not two) individuals to recruit enough qualified choristers to fill out all of those performances. Due to our previous success working on the show, we were brought on board about a month before rehearsals were to begin, with the task of recruiting and organizing the choir.

In doing so, we had one guiding principal: Quantity is Quality. We needed bodies on the stage: 32 of them a night, in 4 balanced sections. We knew we weren't going to find 32 singers who could commit to every single show, so our aim was to recruit as many singers as possible so that we'd have a large pool to draw from. Of course, some choristers would be more experienced than others, but we weren't concerned with that during the audition process. Ultimately we knew that the more singers we had, the easier it would be to schedule 32 per night.

The rehearsal and performance schedule was demanding, and many interested singers that we contacted expressed concern about the schedule before auditioning. We had to address each singer individually by phone or e-mail, assuaging their concerns about the schedule and assuring them that we would be flexible and try to accommodate their pre-existing conflicts.

This practice was crucial in getting singers through the door for auditions and getting them excited about the project. And it didn't take long for singers to begin prioritizing our rehearsal schedule over other commitments, once they realized how fun and unique the experience was going to be. In the end, we exceeded even our own expectations in recruiting the choir for this show.

The hardest part of recruitment is getting singers through the door. Of course, once they're there, you have to make sure that they have a positive experience that makes them want to stick around.

People instinctively get nervous when asked to commit to something they've never done - even for just one weekly rehearsal for a semester. When recruiting choristers for high school choruses, we initially ask them to attend only three rehearsals. Three rehearsals is a great number - it ensures that the new chorister really gives it a try. After three rehearsals, they are allowed to leave if they feel it is not a good fit, with no hard feelings. This usually makes the students more comfortable - they don't have to commit long-term. It's a tough sell to ask people to commit to something that they may not end up liking. Ask for a small commitment, get them in the door, and then make them LOVE IT by approaching them individually and having your other choristers be warm and inviting. You'll easily double your numbers in no time with this approach.

Nobody wants less interested choristers- everybody wants more. You may find yourself in a position where you need to turn singers away because of space restraints onstage, etc. But that's a great position to be in, and you at least want to keep those "extra" singers engaged in your organization, either as patrons, or as potential performers in the future. The process of recruitment is a "getting to know you" process, and even those who don't end up singing in your chorus may prove to be important connections down the line.

The Importance of Being Personal

"The key to this business is personal relationships."
                                                         -from the movie Jerry Maguire

Success in the choral field depends to a great extent on our ability to harness and direct the passion and enthusiasm of large numbers of people. In order to accomplish this, we must be careful to avoid one of the most common pitfalls of efficiency-minded leaders: treating people as things. As we look at projections of choral rosters, it's easy to think, "I need 4 more tenors", "I just need one more Bass 2", etc. But this kind of thinking can often get in the way of our ability to see people as unique individuals.

As Stephen Covey points out, efficiency is not the same as effectiveness. It may be efficient to paint in broad strokes when dealing with individuals, but our long-term effectiveness is vastly improved when we invest the time in personalizing our communication, and pay attention to the unique traits of the people with whom we work.

Here are three areas where personal attention is key:

1. PERSONALIZED E-MAILS. A mass e-mail may suffice when you need to quickly send out hard data to a large number of people. But in the beginning stages, and especially when recruiting, personal e-mails are absolutely key. We're constantly amazed at the number of choral directors who rely on mass e-mails to generate interest in their ensembles and projects. In situations like this, blanket communication simply doesn't work; the recipient doesn't feel any obligation to respond when you haven't taken the time to stoke their personal interest. At the very least, you should be cutting and pasting the same basic message, and personalizing it to the individual or organization whom you're  addressing.

During the recruitment stage, keep track of whom you've contacted, and follow up if they haven't responded. Even when people tell you "no", it never hurts to respond with a personal e-mail. That connection may end up bearing fruit later on down the road.

2. SEATING CHARTS. A good seating chart is one of the most powerful tools of the successful choral conductor. Most choir directors can at least recognize the theoretical importance of a planned seating chart (although some directors, absurdly, never even grasp the concept). Even those who do, however, often fail to utilize this tool to their advantage. How many times have you walked into a choral rehearsal and heard, "sopranos are over there, altos are over there"? Lumping people together without any rhyme or reason is tantamount to telling them that you really don't care where they go.

We've had several experiences where choristers walk into our rehearsal, and are pleasantly surprised to discover that we've actually had the foresight to assign them a specific seat. Choristers sometimes even have the reaction of "whoah" - suddenly they take the situation more seriously than if they were just sitting as one of an unspecified number of voices. It's almost like planning a wedding reception; you really have to consider people's unique characteristics, and anticipate how they're going to interact with the individuals around them. You're putting in the extra time on the front end, so that your people can have a positive experience later on. This kind of planning demonstrates great personal care, and lets each chorister know that you've carefully considered their individual needs.

3. INDIVIDUALIZED MUSIC.  While laying a stack of music on the piano or nearby table and having choristers grab one on their way into rehearsal may make things easier to manage at the onset, this method doesn't communicate the individual importance of each chorister. Giving singers a specific number and a folder labeled with their name on the inside communicates your expectation for the participation of that particular individual. The chorister then has personal responsibility for that music; losing an unnumbered piece of music may not be a big deal to you as a chorister- but losing your assigned music carries the consequence of direct accountability.

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Personal attention is time-consuming, but it yields tremendous benefits. Your choristers know that this approach requires a considerable effort- which is one of the reasons why the approach is so effective in the long run. Your commitment to each individual singer speaks to your integrity and personal investment in them, not only as an ensemble, but as people. More often than not, they will return the favor by investing in your organization, your musical vision, and in you.

As It Is Written, So It Shall Be

"Clear agreements often prevent small disagreements from becoming big ones."
                                                                                -Harvey Mackay

As choral directors, it's important for our choristers to know what our expectations are. Within a rehearsal environment, we communicate artistic expectations as eloquently as we can, and hope that our musical vision is adequately relayed to the choristers. But beyond the parameters of artistic discourse, we have many other expectations that often go unspoken- that is, until they're violated. At those times, relationships can really become strained simply because expectations were not clearly stated at the outset. Although it requires a substantial amount of foresight and administrative work on the front end, creating written agreements ensures mutual understanding as we work toward a common goal.

Many choral directors shy away from this kind of procedure, fearing that it will make them look overly controlling or dictatorial. But a written agreement outlining mutual expectations serves both parties; in a very real sense, it empowers individual choristers because it encourages and enables them to meet a designated standard- ideally, one that they themselves helped create. A written agreement also serves the ensemble, as it ensures the integrity of the whole by holding all parties to the same criteria.

Here, then, are a few steps to consider when creating written agreements with your choristers.

1. START WITH THE SCHEDULE. 

The schedule represents the most basic level of participation. No one can participate without being present. At the professional or semi-professional level, agreements need to be personalized to take into consideration the projected scheduling conflicts of individual choristers. This shows the individual singer that you're paying attention to the reality of his or her situation; it also shows that that singer's absence is noticed.

For amateur choirs, a written notice of individual chorister's projected absences on a per-semester basis can be extremely helpful for both the chorister and the director. If the semester culminates in a major performance, the director (and the ensemble) may wish to limit the number of allowed absences, and require attendance at dress rehearsals, etc.

2. INCLUDE REHEARSAL ETIQUETTE.

Some new choristers may be sincerely unaware of the importance of starting on time, or may not know who to contact if they're running late. They may think nothing of having their smartphones out during rehearsal (or even performance!). They may not be aware that you expect them to use the restroom during scheduled breaks. All of these considerations, which can be disruptive to the productive flow of your rehearsal, cam be addressed in written chorister agreements.

3. PLAN PERFORMANCE DRESS.

It's never a good idea to surprise your choristers with their required performance dress code right before a concert. Providing them with the information about the necessary dress at the top of the semester gives them time to acquire the items needed, rather than having to scramblie to find the items at the last minute. This is especially important if your choristers need to order something specific. Clarity is key when it comes to performance dress; no longer does saying "black dress top" mean the same to everyone. We suggest using verbiage that is extremely specific, and giving your choristers plenty of time to find something that fits the bill. Approximately a month out from performance time, have a "Performance Dress Check" to ensure that every article of clothing is in accordance with your written agreement. Choristers will match on stage, and it will add to the professionalism of your group.

4. OBTAIN A MEDIA RELEASE.

Sound files, video clips, and social media posts can be shared at light speed. In our blog post Strategic and Shameless Self-Promotion we discuss the importance of your choir/organization's use of social media outlets to promote your group and gain popularity. However, you must have the permission of everyone that you post in a picture on your site or on social media. Also, if your choir sells recordings, you want to be sure that every chorister releases their right to the recording or video, and understands that they will not be personally gaining profit from the media. Written permission from your chorister to use a picture, video, or audio recording of their likeness for the benefit of your choir ensures that they understand this vital part of your vision.

Written agreements vary in degrees of complexity. More experienced choral directors, and those working with professional ensembles, will likely want to incorporate more concerns and provide more explicit language in their agreements. However, the benefits of communicating clear expectations are inarguable, regardless of your choir's size or level of expertise.