Eat All The Fruitcakes

"The Master stays behind; that is why she is ahead. 
She is detached from all things; that is why she is one with them."
                                                              - Lao Tzu

At your next rehearsal, take a look around the room. Every single person there has invested in you and your vision; their presence is a vote of confidence in you. When you think about the people in that room, who is the person with whom you've spent the least amount of time? Nurturing your relationship with that individual should be one of your top priorities.

Much of the work of a choral director is done off the podium. The planning, preparation and, most importantly, the building of relationships, has to happen before the ensemble is ready to perform in public. And the more you've devoted to each area, the more effective your ensemble will be. We've all experienced choral groups who have sung with each other forever, where the level of personal trust is so high that it's literally palpable to the audience. This kind of ensemble has an effectiveness that a pick-up choir, no matter how stellar, can never match. And a chorus that has absolute trust in its conductor is a much different animal (and, we would argue, a more attractive one) than a professional group working with a guest conductor.

There are no shortcuts to building trust with our choristers. It has to be won through our consistent attention to professionalism, excellence and basic goodness. We also have to work at being impartial, which means treating all of our choristers equally.

That's why socializing as a conductor is work, not play. In a previous post, we discussed the perils of being overly friendly with your choristers. Although a friendship dynamic with choristers may seem innocuous, it invariably leads to the perception that the conductor is "playing favorites". For those of us who lead ensembles of our peers (church choirs, for example), it's important to try and socialize equally with every chorister (if we're going to socialize at all!).

This kind of socializing is "on the clock"- it's socializing in an official capacity. It's a much different game than going to a party and hanging out in the corner all night, talking to your one buddy who you totally vibe with. This is "working the room", "pressing the flesh"- whatever you want to call it. It's not unlike the job of a church pastor, who has to engage every soul in his community, and hopefully expand his flock in the process.

For some of us, this takes real work. Here, then, are some suggestions to help you get started:

1. EAT ALL THE FRUITCAKES - It should go without saying that your presence at the Choir Holiday Party is mandatory. And yes, you must try everyone's fruitcake, and act like it's the greatest thing you've ever tasted. You have to attend functions like these as the conductor - which means you have no opinions of your own, when it comes to food. You like everything! Seconds? Yes, please!

2. DON'T PLAY FAVORITES - While enjoying your twelfth piece of fruitcake with the altos at the kitchen table, don't forget about the sopranos in the dining room. Before too much time has passed, make sure you get up and pay them a visit. They want "face time" with you, too.

3. YOU ARE ALWAYS "ON" - Three days earlier when you're at the grocery store shopping for your fruitcake contribution, make sure you put on a happy face in case you run into someone from your school or congregation. Sure, you may be having a bad day, or perhaps you just came from the gym and are really hoping to avoid being seen- but guess what? Conductors are public figures, which means we have to be "on" whenever we're out in public.

There will always be singers in our ensembles for whom we seem to feel a natural affinity. By the same token, there are likely to be those choristers who present us with more challenges. But remember, every singer in the ensemble has given us a vote of confidence by their very presence. It's our job, then, to set an example by creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for all of our singers.

If You Build It, They Will NOT (Necessarily) Come

"'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies. Social media is 'build it, nurture it, engage them, and they may come and stay.'"
                                                                                 -Seth Godin

The 1989 Kevin Costner film Field of Dreams rests on a fantastical premise: Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer, begins hearing mysterious voices in his cornfield, instructing him to plow over his corn and build a baseball field on his land. Against all logic and sense, Kinsella proceeds, becoming the laughingstock of his neighbors. But the ghostly voice intoning "if you build it, they will come" is just too persuasive to resist. Ultimately, Kinsella's leap of faith is powerfully validated; his ball field becomes a kind of conduit of spirits, providing redemption for thousands of people, and even reuniting Kinsella with a young version of his long-dead father in the film's poignant final scene.

Field of Dreams received widespread acclaim, and its famous catch phrase- if you build it, they will come- has become a maxim for entrepreneurial endeavors of all kinds. Though the film is nearly 30 years old, that one line survives in pop culture as an encapsulation of the pure optimism needed for a true leap of faith. If you build it, they will come.

The problem, though, is that Field of Dreams is a fairy tale. A wonderfully uplifting, heartfelt and inspiring fairy tale- but a fairy tale all the same.

The reality is that it takes more- much, much more- to get people to show up. Just because you build it, doesn't mean that they will come. In fact, if you build it, they will probably ignore it. Only when you make it impossible for them to ignore it- when you bombard them with the sheer awesomeness of your endeavor, so that they can't possibly avoid it- when you circumnavigate every excuse that they can think of, and twist their arm to give it a shot- then, they just might come. And when they do, they'll find out that it's the greatest thing ever, and they'll wonder how they ever lived without it. And they'll thank you profusely for changing their lives, and post about you on Facebook and send you happy emoji texts.

But none of that will happen if you just set up shop and wait for the crowds to magically appear, like Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams. You have to go out there and pound the pavement (sometimes literally), pitching your idea- your product- to anyone and everyone who will give you the time of day.

Many will shut the door in your face. Many will not respond to your e-mails. But most people will simply be unaware that you exist- and that is the first thing you'll need to change. Your top priority, then, is to let people know that you're here, you're open for business, and you're offering an experience that is amazing and life-changing.

Your second priority is to make sure that the experience truly is amazing and life-changing. If you tell folks that your product is life-changing, and they walk away with an experience that was "fine", then they might not return. However, if you are able to give them the experience promised, it's almost guaranteed that they will shout from the mountaintops about what you were able to give them, and they will bring others with them for the ride the next time around.

The Ogunquit Playhouse production of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (for which we served as Chorus Managers) recently finished its four-week run. Although we worked on recruiting the 60-voice choir for this production - an experience that we documented in a previous post- because of our travel schedules, we didn't actually get to see the show until the night before it closed.

When we watched the performance with a totally full house last Friday evening, we were absolutely amazed at the end product. More surprising, though, was the overwhelming response from the choir that we received as the show closed. We began to see emotional and heartfelt Facebook posts about the life-changing experience of performing in the show's 32-voice onstage choir. Choristers began thanking us profusely, both in person and in writing, for allowing them through the audition process to sing on the journey.

After the show closed on Saturday night, the members of the choir got together to celebrate their closing. Their dynamic Music Director, B-A Huffman, led them through a very emotional "final sing" of the show's "Entr'acte". This challenging 8-part arrangement, which opens the show's second act, is a true choral showcase- and it was the first piece that the Hunchback choir began mastering during their initial rehearsals back in June. At the closing night party, the choir sang through the piece a cappella, and from the videos that circled via social media, it was an incredibly meaningful ritual for all involved.

With the help of B-A, Chorus Master Wendell Purrington, and the Ogunquit Playhouse staff, we were able to create a streamlined process for these choristers. We promised them a life-changing experience from start to finish - when they signed up to audition, the first choral rehearsal, the first tech rehearsal, the first show, and the last get-together. We are happy to say that we were able to provide these singers with such a memorable experience. But the big takeaway for us was how hard we had to work to sign people up for an experience that really did change their lives.

Diversity Must Embrace The Inexperienced

"Strength lies in differences, not in similarities."

              -Stephen Covey

“Diversity” is a bit of a buzzword in modern choral circles, and with good reason. As the demographics of our country continue to evolve, so too must the demographics

of our choruses. As choral leaders, we should strive for true inclusivity, reaching out to choristers of diverse backgrounds- ethnic, socioeconomic and experiential.

We can all agree on the benefits of promoting diversity in the choral field, whether we direct professional, community or school choirs. But many choral directors turn around and slam the door on large segments of the population by creating an audition process that reeks of exclusivity.

As conductors who work with many high school and college students, we have both been appalled at the number of “selective” choral programs for students. Discriminating on the basis of “experience” may be the last acceptable form of prejudice.

Conductors who offer auditioned choral programs where enrollment is “limited”, “selective” or “competitive” cannot expect to recruit a truly diverse group of choristers. While the choristers passing such auditions may be an ethnically diverse group, they will not be representative of the diverse backgrounds of experience that make up a truly inclusive chorus. And one of a conductor’s chief joys- one might even say responsibilities- is the ability to open the door of learning to those who might not otherwise have access to it. In doing so, we open our ensembles to the passionate engagement of choristers with diverse experiential backgrounds.

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KIRSTEN: The most important example for me of diversity being truly inclusive is through the Summer Choral Intensive program that I built first in tandem with SACRA/PROFANA in 2014, and then through the South Shore Children’s Chorus on Boston’s South Shore in 2016. Since the first conception of the program in late 2013, I knew that inclusivity would be a huge part of the program model, and no audition or choral experience would be required for students to participate.

Over the past 3 years (and 4 runs) of the program, I have come to believe that this is the main reason why the program is so successful. Mostly, this is due to the “Voice Placement” model that I implemented in year one. The Voice Placement is a required aspect of the program. When registering for the program, the students are sent a short excerpt (about 1 min) of a choral piece, along with a rehearsal track of a professional singer singing their part. (Note: the track isn’t just of a piano playing notes, but rather of a singer singing the words. This is an incredibly helpful tool for those students who have great natural vocal talent, but little training in music literacy.) Students attend the Voice Placements in groups of their voice part. They come in and sing together, and then sing the excerpt one by one for the Choral Intensive Staff (while the other students wait outside).

This model is successful because:

·      It does not rely on a student’s music reading or piano playing ability to learn how their part goes. But it does put the sole responsibility on the student to learn their part, since they are given all of the appropriate tools to learn the excerpt.

·      It does not alienate those students who may not be able to afford private instruction, or students who may have no choral experience. Much like listening to the radio, students can memorize the parts by ear if that is what suits their strengths.

·      It allows students to sing the piece together with other students with a diversity of experiences before having to sing the piece alone, which reduces nerves for most students.

Most importantly, the Voice Placement does not determine the student’s acceptance into the summer program. By the time the Voice Placement comes around, the student is already registered and accepted into the program. I have had several students attend who are nervous or underprepared for the Voice Placement experience. However, giving them an opportunity a month before the program to be nervous or underprepared also gives them an opportunity to have a second chance to do better. When we audition, often we give our musicians (regardless of the level) a one-time-shot – you’re in or you’re out, based on this moment. Countless times I had students who were completely underprepared for their Voice Placement, only to  later attend the Choral Intensive week totally prepared, knowing every note and rhythm in the collegiate-level music they were singing.

This model gives each student a blank slate. Depending on their experience and understanding of music, they may have to spend a lot of time in preparation, or just a few hours. However, every student has the ability to participate.

Several students who have participated in the Summer Choral Intensive program would have never “made it” into an auditioned program based on experience, vocal quality, music reading skills, or cost. (Oh, did I mention that this program costs only $200-$250 per student? Check back soon for a blog post about effective budgets for your arts organization.) Had these students auditioned for a program and been rejected in their early stages of singing (14-18 years old), they may never try to sing again. But the model that we implemented produced the opposite reaction: several students began to take singing more seriously, or decided to join, commit, and dedicate themselves to their school choral programs because they felt like they “could do it.”

The only way we are going to build choral music into the future is by avoiding the creation of elitist choristers. Teach musicians to see strengths in everyone around them – not just strengths in vocal quality or sight-reading skills. Dedication, leadership, commitment, and attitude are all qualities in choristers that add an incredible amount of worth to a choral team – both musically and non-musically. Most of the time, these singers who have strengths outside of the musical realm are the singers that will change the face of your choral group.

KRISHAN: SACRA/PROFANA, the California-based professional choir that I direct, has always made diversity a cornerstone of its mission. This focus on inclusivity encompasses programming and community outreach, but also the actual makeup of the choir. As Artistic Director, I have always endeavored to include singers whom other choral conductors may have passed over. In recruiting these singers, I have often sensed that what the individual might lack in experience, he or she would more than compensate for in passion, enthusiasm and commitment. Time after time, this practice of hiring those who may lack professional choral experience has been powerfully affirmed when the individual singer has risen to the challenge, bringing a unique perspective and unmatched loyalty to the ensemble.

In the summer of 2013, just before the start of SACRA/PROFANA’s 6^th Season (which was to be our most intense season yet), I found myself in need of a new tenor for our 20-voice professional Core Group, when one of our previous singers unexpectedly dropped out. Our Operations Manager recommended an acquaintance from her church, a young man who had limited choral experience, but a wonderful instrument, magnetic stage presence, impressive raw talent and a great work ethic. While I was slightly concerned about his lack of choral experience, particularly given the enormously challenging music that we were tackling that year (including an a cappella performance of Schoenberg’s Friede Auf Erden), I was convinced that this tenor would be a net positive for the ensemble. His performance over the next several months surpassed my expectations. In discussing this with him recently, he recounted:

“Prior to SACRA/PROFANA, my choral experience was limited to my church's choirs. I had no formal training. At first, the level of singing was a challenge for me at S/P, but I loved it, so I worked hard at it. Which is why I ended up memorizing a lot of the music. Because I drilled it when I got home. I’d practice a lot. I didn’t want to be the weak link, because I already felt that way about my skill in comparison to everyone else’s. However, to this day, I still feel like I could sing whole movements from memory and be 85% on key and correct.”

Indeed, this singer whose lack of choral experience would have made other professional choral ensembles inaccessible to him, became one of our most valued and musically reliable singers. Far from being a drawback, his lack of previous experience ended up being a huge plus for the ensemble, in that it motivated him to set a strong example of commitment and professionalism.

**

Our philosophy in this regard can be encapsulated by the maxim: Meet them where they’re at- then raise the bar. Get people in the door by creating a welcoming, inclusive environment. But once they are there, let them know that you have high standards- and give them the tools to meet (and exceed) your expectations.

This is not to say that auditions should never be a part of our process. Some choirs, like SACRA/PROFANA, will always be auditioned. However, no one should ever be turned away without receiving guidance, and a chance to improve themselves for the next time around. With SACRA/PROFANA, those who can’t be accepted into the Core Group are often invited to join the Auxiliary Chorus, a large volunteer contingent that supplements the professional Core for larger performances. Even those who aren’t ready for the volunteer group are given a recommendation to other local choruses, where they might gain some choral experience. It’s not uncommon for singers to audition for SACRA/PROFANA repeatedly, often coming back several years in a row as their skills improve. In some cases, those who come back to audition have eventually been accepted into the professional Core.

Rather than bemoan the lack of interest in our endeavors, lets get creative in our recruiting efforts and make sure that we're truly creating a place where people of all backgrounds can work together in mutual affirmation.