"A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be."
-Rosalynn Carter
One of the most difficult skills for a leader to perfect is the ability to keep pushing people forward when they want to quit. It takes tremendous discipline and strength of character for a leader to insist on moving forward when the going gets tough- especially when people start complaining vocally. As choral directors, we love our ensembles and want what's best for them; we want them to be happy. When they're complaining about having to stand for so long, or having to push through another 30 minutes of rehearsal, our instinct is often to let them off the hook. They're volunteers, after all, and we can't force them to do anything. Wouldn't your choristers like choir more if the conductor just let them do what they feel like doing?
The answer is usually no. No matter what you do, choristers will complain- it's one of the ways that they bond as a group. Usually, those complaints are just people blowing off steam, so it's important not to attribute too much meaning to them. (Occasionally, your choristers will have legitimate, overarching complaints that need to be sincerely addressed- but that's not what we're talking about today.) Gently bitching about our superiors is a time-honored pastime, and one that virtually all humans in groups occasionally indulge in. So let your choristers complain when they need to, but don't cave to those complaints.
A leader needs to be able to see and work toward the big picture; this sometimes means being unpopular in the moment. Of course, there are times when driving a group forward mercilessly does more harm than good, and we need to have enough empathy and social awareness to identify those times. But if the choir is making progress, it's often best to slog ahead, even if the rehearsal process is occasionally grueling.
**
KRISHAN: During my first semester of doctoral study at Boston University, I was asked to lead several rehearsals of Stravinsky's Perséphone with the B.U. Symphonic Chorus, in the absence of the ensemble's director, Dr. Scott Jarrett. I had the unenviable task of teaching this difficult piece (with its extremely unidiomatic application of sung French) to a large chorus made up of students, faculty, staff and B.U. alums. No one in the group had sung Perséphone before, and I had been given carte blance as to how I wanted to teach it. Since Dr. Jarrett had tasked me with covering large swaths of the piece in a relatively short time, I did what I do best: simply plowed through the choral sections, count-singing and drilling and slowing things down to a glacial pace when necessary. Toward the end of my first rehearsal with the chorus, I could tell that people were exhausted- they'd been singing almost non-stop, I was using every last minute of rehearsal time (which they weren't used to), and it had been a slog. But I could also tell that the choristers weren't giving up- many of them were on the edge of their chairs, tapping pencils and giving other visual cues that their brains were still engaged. So I elected to push forward. At the end of the rehearsal, there was an almost audible sigh of relief. But later that night, and during the next week, several choristers approached me and thanked me for pushing them through this difficult piece. After that night, the piece no longer seemed so daunting.
KIRSTEN: One can internalize this lesson best when working with middle or high school students. With these students, there is almost always too much homework for them to be focused on singing. They want to sit down and do nothing because they are too tired or too stressed. They are notoriously bad at "checking it at the door" and bring last period's failed science test with them to chorus. If every middle or high school chorus teacher gave their choristers the option to do what they felt like doing in the moment, rarely would these choruses ever sing!
Often, I have had students come up to me at the end of class, and explain that they were having a bad day, but they feel better after singing in chorus. Singing releases endorphins and helps to relieve stress and release emotions through a specific channel. For many students, even if they don't feel like singing in the moment, they feel better once they are "forced" to sing. As their teacher and conductor, I have to see the future and encourage them through their complacency. They may not even feel better that day, but could look back a week later and realize that they are glad that they decided to sing that day.
**
A conductor's character is revealed over time; it's not something that can be gauged in one rehearsal. Not every rehearsal will be spectacular, and your choristers won't always leave the rehearsal walking on air. But our goal should always be to give our choristers a sense of satisfaction at the end of rehearsal, and a feeling that they've accomplished something worthwhile. There will be times when the mood needs to be light, when you need to be self-deprecating and when you absolutely should let your singers leave early. But there will also be rehearsals when you simply have to buckle down and work hard, if you want to impart the kind of success that really changes lives.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Your Choir Should Always Sing Loud
"When in doubt, sing loud."
-Robert Merrill
This fall, both of us began new choral positions in Massachusetts- Krishan at Stonehill College, and Kirsten at Ahern Middle School. As we get to know our new ensembles, we've been reminded once again of the importance of having our choruses sing LOUD. We've also noticed that this is a revolutionary concept for many choral singers. With other directors, they've been chastised for ignoring dynamics (even during the first read-through), for not "blending", or for not listening. Many choristers experience a sense of liberation when a conductor invites them to consistently sing loud.
Singing is a full-body experience. Like any other physical activity, repetition precedes accuracy. Singing out fully and making loud mistakes is a necessary step in a chorister's growth, and an important one at every level: student, amateur, and professional. Just as a basketball player has to practice free throws, just as a weightlifter has to work up to a goal, so too do choristers need to engage with their entire body as they work toward accuracy in singing. Doing it half-heartedly may actually do more harm than good in the long run.
By singing loud, we're not advocating singing poorly. Quite the opposite: choristers should be fully connected to their breath and sing with their whole bodies at all times. But they shouldn't worry about dynamics, or even necessarily vowel shape during the initial stages of learning a piece. In fact, focusing on these things early on can inhibit your choristers, and may lead to them singing with poor technique.
Across the board, we believe that choruses should sing loud. Of course, there are times when the repertoire calls for dynamic nuance, and maybe even a dramatic pianissimo- but if your chorus habitually sings full out, those places will be all the more exceptional.
Here, then, are some applications for this concept in a variety of settings.
SCHOOL
We have both worked with children in various settings, and have found that being encouraged to sing loud is incredibly important for their development. When given a direction such as "please ensure to sing this the first time through with your fullest, most beautiful voice" students learn good singing habits, and feel comfortable to try new techniques. In a social world where we are consistently asking children to be calm and quiet, they feel liberated when given focused direction on using their full voice. If a conductor immediately instructs children to sing quietly, or to "blend" with the student next to them, that conductor risks losing the strong voices of confident students, and allowing shy students to fall into the piano dynamic without ever learning to sing supported and with a full breath. Students excel when they learn notes and rhythms first by singing loud, and then can be instructed as a whole to sign a particular dynamic when the time is right.
AMATEUR
We recently gave this direction to one of our volunteer church choirs: sing loud, all the time. They're a relatively small group (12-16 singers most Sundays), and their primary function is to reinforce the congregation's singing of hymns. One of our new choristers (a gentleman whose previous experience is limited to what he learned in school some four decades ago) was pleasantly shocked when told that he should always sing out. He had learned to sing under his breath until he was confident about how the notes go. His problems matching pitch went away once he began to consistently sing out.
PROFESSIONAL
When we worked regularly with SACRA/PROFANA in California (Krishan as conductor, Kirsten as an alto), we always got a kick out of the audience's reaction at the beginning of our concerts. Whenever we performed in an intimate venue (50-100 seats), we'd see all the folks in the front row turning down their hearing aids during the first number. They weren't expecting a chamber choir of 20 singers to blow the hair off their heads.
**
A word about "blend": we generally avoid using this word in choral rehearsals, because it's too vague in its application to be of any real use. When conductors instruct singers to "blend" with each other, they're not giving the choristers any useful information. What the conductor is usually looking for is a unified vowel- one that probably needs to be demonstrated, and then tweaked with each individual chorister. It can be a laborious process (although it gets easier over time as the ensemble begins to gel). Telling an ensemble to "blend" just doesn't cut it, and this instruction can send the wrong message to younger students; eventually it can result in individual voices not learning to support their instrument. Matching vowels and encouraging group dynamics (after notes and rhythms are learned) is an alternate way to achieve the sought-after "blended" sound without risking poor individual vocal technique.
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: singing is a full-body experience. A chorus singing a piano section loudly while they're learning the notes isn't "practicing wrong", any more than a basketball player missing a free-throw is "practicing wrong". Have your chorus sing out with their full instruments and get sound in the room- then you have something to work with. You can't begin to refine the nuances until you can hear your singers confidently singing the correct notes and rhythms.
-Robert Merrill
This fall, both of us began new choral positions in Massachusetts- Krishan at Stonehill College, and Kirsten at Ahern Middle School. As we get to know our new ensembles, we've been reminded once again of the importance of having our choruses sing LOUD. We've also noticed that this is a revolutionary concept for many choral singers. With other directors, they've been chastised for ignoring dynamics (even during the first read-through), for not "blending", or for not listening. Many choristers experience a sense of liberation when a conductor invites them to consistently sing loud.
Singing is a full-body experience. Like any other physical activity, repetition precedes accuracy. Singing out fully and making loud mistakes is a necessary step in a chorister's growth, and an important one at every level: student, amateur, and professional. Just as a basketball player has to practice free throws, just as a weightlifter has to work up to a goal, so too do choristers need to engage with their entire body as they work toward accuracy in singing. Doing it half-heartedly may actually do more harm than good in the long run.
By singing loud, we're not advocating singing poorly. Quite the opposite: choristers should be fully connected to their breath and sing with their whole bodies at all times. But they shouldn't worry about dynamics, or even necessarily vowel shape during the initial stages of learning a piece. In fact, focusing on these things early on can inhibit your choristers, and may lead to them singing with poor technique.
Across the board, we believe that choruses should sing loud. Of course, there are times when the repertoire calls for dynamic nuance, and maybe even a dramatic pianissimo- but if your chorus habitually sings full out, those places will be all the more exceptional.
Here, then, are some applications for this concept in a variety of settings.
SCHOOL
We have both worked with children in various settings, and have found that being encouraged to sing loud is incredibly important for their development. When given a direction such as "please ensure to sing this the first time through with your fullest, most beautiful voice" students learn good singing habits, and feel comfortable to try new techniques. In a social world where we are consistently asking children to be calm and quiet, they feel liberated when given focused direction on using their full voice. If a conductor immediately instructs children to sing quietly, or to "blend" with the student next to them, that conductor risks losing the strong voices of confident students, and allowing shy students to fall into the piano dynamic without ever learning to sing supported and with a full breath. Students excel when they learn notes and rhythms first by singing loud, and then can be instructed as a whole to sign a particular dynamic when the time is right.
AMATEUR
We recently gave this direction to one of our volunteer church choirs: sing loud, all the time. They're a relatively small group (12-16 singers most Sundays), and their primary function is to reinforce the congregation's singing of hymns. One of our new choristers (a gentleman whose previous experience is limited to what he learned in school some four decades ago) was pleasantly shocked when told that he should always sing out. He had learned to sing under his breath until he was confident about how the notes go. His problems matching pitch went away once he began to consistently sing out.
PROFESSIONAL
When we worked regularly with SACRA/PROFANA in California (Krishan as conductor, Kirsten as an alto), we always got a kick out of the audience's reaction at the beginning of our concerts. Whenever we performed in an intimate venue (50-100 seats), we'd see all the folks in the front row turning down their hearing aids during the first number. They weren't expecting a chamber choir of 20 singers to blow the hair off their heads.
**
A word about "blend": we generally avoid using this word in choral rehearsals, because it's too vague in its application to be of any real use. When conductors instruct singers to "blend" with each other, they're not giving the choristers any useful information. What the conductor is usually looking for is a unified vowel- one that probably needs to be demonstrated, and then tweaked with each individual chorister. It can be a laborious process (although it gets easier over time as the ensemble begins to gel). Telling an ensemble to "blend" just doesn't cut it, and this instruction can send the wrong message to younger students; eventually it can result in individual voices not learning to support their instrument. Matching vowels and encouraging group dynamics (after notes and rhythms are learned) is an alternate way to achieve the sought-after "blended" sound without risking poor individual vocal technique.
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: singing is a full-body experience. A chorus singing a piano section loudly while they're learning the notes isn't "practicing wrong", any more than a basketball player missing a free-throw is "practicing wrong". Have your chorus sing out with their full instruments and get sound in the room- then you have something to work with. You can't begin to refine the nuances until you can hear your singers confidently singing the correct notes and rhythms.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Do's & Don't Of Job Interviews
"It takes 500 small details to add up to one favorable impression."
-Cory Grant
In the past few years, we've had several opportunities to sit on both sides of the hiring table. We've both had to hire new employees for organizations that we've founded. And we've both interviewed for jobs ourselves, petitioning our more well-established colleagues for advanced positions. Through these experiences, we've gathered the following reflections on some seemingly small things that can make or break your job interview.
DO: Dress your absolute best. Ok, maybe not a tuxedo for you guys. But you should strive for the highest level of acceptable dress in the business world. For gentlemen, this probably means a suit and tie. For women, a nice suit or dress that might actually be too dressy for a regular rehearsal is not necessarily too much for an interview.
DON'T: Wear rehearsal or street clothes. Even if you're a snazzy dresser daily, make sure your interview outfit is a few steps up from your normal daytime clothes. Dress to impress!
DO: Arrive 30 minutes early to be 15 minutes early. Arrive at your interview location no later than a half hour before the interview takes place. Use 15 minutes (at least) to do some final work as you wait in your car; re-read e-mail conversations with your potential employer on your phone, touch up your makeup, and make sure every hair is in place. Scarf down a breath mint, then head into the building to ensure you are 15 minutes early to your interview.
DON'T: Not know where you're going / get lost on the way there / have issues with public transportation. Do a test run, leave obnoxiously early, borrow a car from a friend- do what you need to do in order to get yourself there with enough time to settle and be the best you can be. If you're late to the interview, no one really cares why- they just see a future unreliable employee.
DO: Your homework. The internet is an incredible thing. Dedicate a good amount of time to researching the organization and the people involved. Find out about them, take notes, and come up with questions about what you discover.
DON'T: Not know what you're interviewing for. This may seem far-fetched, but is applicable more than you'd think (which we've discovered first-hand.) Sometimes there are important pieces of information that can't be found in the job description. Read mission statements, staff bios, and know the previous repertoire and rehearsal/performance schedule.
DO: Optimize your online presence. When someone Googles you, it is likely that your Facebook or Twitter feed will show up on the first page of results. Like it or not, this is the first part of your interview. Employers are looking for how you present yourself online. There's nothing wrong with having some fun personal pictures online, or sharing a link to a funny cat video. However, it's best to refrain from positing anything inflammatory, dramatic, or negative.
DON'T: Use your e-mail address from a decade ago. Once upon a time, it was cute that your e-mail address was chubbybunny23@hotmail.com. However, no longer is that acceptable. Use your name, and use Gmail. Unless you are using an institutional e-mail address, Gmail is the professional standard. Insisting on sticking with hotmail, yahoo, or AOL suggests (whether accurately or not) that you're not technologically savvy. And in today's professional environment, that's a drawback.
DO: Rearrange your schedule to make the interview work. Your potential employer writes you an e-mail, requesting that you come in for an interview at a random time three weeks from now. There is no better answer than "Yes. I'll be there." Prioritize your interview, and it shows that you will prioritize your new position as well. Employers are looking for someone who wants the position, not someone who has other things to do.
DON'T: Reschedule. Did something else pop up? Oh well. Say no. The act of rescheduling demonstrates to employers that you have difficulty balancing commitments, and that you have other priorities.
The job market is a competitive one, and we want you to have every advantage when you go out there job-hunting (unless we're interviewing for the same position :-) Paying attention to these kinds of details will help you to put your best foot forward. Good luck!
-Cory Grant
In the past few years, we've had several opportunities to sit on both sides of the hiring table. We've both had to hire new employees for organizations that we've founded. And we've both interviewed for jobs ourselves, petitioning our more well-established colleagues for advanced positions. Through these experiences, we've gathered the following reflections on some seemingly small things that can make or break your job interview.
DO: Dress your absolute best. Ok, maybe not a tuxedo for you guys. But you should strive for the highest level of acceptable dress in the business world. For gentlemen, this probably means a suit and tie. For women, a nice suit or dress that might actually be too dressy for a regular rehearsal is not necessarily too much for an interview.
DON'T: Wear rehearsal or street clothes. Even if you're a snazzy dresser daily, make sure your interview outfit is a few steps up from your normal daytime clothes. Dress to impress!
DO: Arrive 30 minutes early to be 15 minutes early. Arrive at your interview location no later than a half hour before the interview takes place. Use 15 minutes (at least) to do some final work as you wait in your car; re-read e-mail conversations with your potential employer on your phone, touch up your makeup, and make sure every hair is in place. Scarf down a breath mint, then head into the building to ensure you are 15 minutes early to your interview.
DON'T: Not know where you're going / get lost on the way there / have issues with public transportation. Do a test run, leave obnoxiously early, borrow a car from a friend- do what you need to do in order to get yourself there with enough time to settle and be the best you can be. If you're late to the interview, no one really cares why- they just see a future unreliable employee.
DO: Your homework. The internet is an incredible thing. Dedicate a good amount of time to researching the organization and the people involved. Find out about them, take notes, and come up with questions about what you discover.
DON'T: Not know what you're interviewing for. This may seem far-fetched, but is applicable more than you'd think (which we've discovered first-hand.) Sometimes there are important pieces of information that can't be found in the job description. Read mission statements, staff bios, and know the previous repertoire and rehearsal/performance schedule.
DO: Optimize your online presence. When someone Googles you, it is likely that your Facebook or Twitter feed will show up on the first page of results. Like it or not, this is the first part of your interview. Employers are looking for how you present yourself online. There's nothing wrong with having some fun personal pictures online, or sharing a link to a funny cat video. However, it's best to refrain from positing anything inflammatory, dramatic, or negative.
DON'T: Use your e-mail address from a decade ago. Once upon a time, it was cute that your e-mail address was chubbybunny23@hotmail.com. However, no longer is that acceptable. Use your name, and use Gmail. Unless you are using an institutional e-mail address, Gmail is the professional standard. Insisting on sticking with hotmail, yahoo, or AOL suggests (whether accurately or not) that you're not technologically savvy. And in today's professional environment, that's a drawback.
DO: Rearrange your schedule to make the interview work. Your potential employer writes you an e-mail, requesting that you come in for an interview at a random time three weeks from now. There is no better answer than "Yes. I'll be there." Prioritize your interview, and it shows that you will prioritize your new position as well. Employers are looking for someone who wants the position, not someone who has other things to do.
DON'T: Reschedule. Did something else pop up? Oh well. Say no. The act of rescheduling demonstrates to employers that you have difficulty balancing commitments, and that you have other priorities.
The job market is a competitive one, and we want you to have every advantage when you go out there job-hunting (unless we're interviewing for the same position :-) Paying attention to these kinds of details will help you to put your best foot forward. Good luck!
Saturday, September 3, 2016
The Power Of No
"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."
- Warren Buffett
Choral Conductors are always looking for opportunities to increase their ensemble's visibility. Any chance to perform beyond the confines of the church or concert hall should cause an enterprising conductor to perk up and take notice. We're always interested in gaining access to those folks who would never otherwise know that we exist- so the opportunity to sing at a sporting event or a state fair, for example, should not go unexamined.
But when we evaluate these opportunities, we must consider the experience of our choristers as the deciding factor. Will the choristers enjoy the experience? Will they leave there feeling better about themselves and the ensemble? While we certainly want to avail ourselves of any chance to reach a broader audience, there are times when these performance experiences actually do more harm than good.
**
KRISHAN: I once worked for an organization serving youth choristers, where my responsibilities included leading an ensemble of high school-age singers. For the Spring Concert at the end of each season, there was a tradition of the high school ensemble performing a short "set" in the lobby of the concert hall, before the concert began. When I was made aware of this tradition during my first year, I balked; I couldn't picture an effective performance taking place in a lobby full of young parents, who were more concerned with getting to their seats than giving their attention to the performers in the lobby. However, I reluctantly acquiesced to this arrangement, all the while thinking, "I've got a bad feeling about this." When the performance day arrived, my fears were justified. My ensemble was situated in a corner of the lobby, with a small crowd (mostly my singers' families) assembled around us. Beyond our small audience was a sea of chattering parents, who (quite understandably) were unconcerned with our performance. If I'd had the courage to respond with an adamant "no" when first presented with this scenario, my ensemble would have had a more rewarding performance experience, and the full attention that they deserved.
KIRSTEN: The number of performances is a huge factor when deciding on the calendar for your ensemble. When working for a children's chorus organization, I found that there were far too many performances on the calendar to aptly prepare the children for each performance. On top of that, several of the choristers were involved in different performances personal mission and philosophy. It was clear to me that "no" was the correct answer for these several small group opportunities. I would have rather had my students performing one unbelievable choral concert at the end of the semester, working together and building friendships and a team-based mentality, than have the students involved in all of these different and exciting opportunities, followed by a less than stellar end-of-the-year concert.
**
We all want to say "yes" to as many opportunities as possible, but when evaluating potential performances scenarios for our choirs, there are several factors that must be kept in mind:
1. Will the ensemble have the undivided attention of all present while they're singing? Performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a football game, for example, gives the ensemble a decent chance of singing without interruption.
2. Will your choristers be recognized in front of the audience, and is there a way to market the ensemble further through this opportunity?
3. Will the ensemble sound good in the venue? If the natural acoustic isn't favorable, is sound enhancement technology an option?
4. Will the ensemble look their best? Will they be confused as to what they are supposed to be doing? Are there logistical issues that are going to prevent your singers from having a truly positive experience?
5. Is the rehearsal time needed to prepare the piece proportional to the value of the event? For example, could pieces being prepared for another event be used in order to save rehearsal time? If not, how much rehearsal time would need to be allotted for the new event, and would it take away from a more prominent performance?
6. Is the proposed repertoire something that your ensemble wants to do, and can they do it well? Weddings and funerals, for example, can be very tricky to navigate if your church choir is asked to perform something unpalatable.
Through experience, we've learned to ask a million questions any time we're invited to enter unchartered territory with one of our ensembles- whether it be a new venue, a new collaborating partner, or unusual performance logistics. Thinking through all possible scenarios (and keeping in mind Murphy's infamous Law), our ultimate goal is to make the wonderful people in our ensembles sound, look and feel their absolute best.
- Warren Buffett
Choral Conductors are always looking for opportunities to increase their ensemble's visibility. Any chance to perform beyond the confines of the church or concert hall should cause an enterprising conductor to perk up and take notice. We're always interested in gaining access to those folks who would never otherwise know that we exist- so the opportunity to sing at a sporting event or a state fair, for example, should not go unexamined.
But when we evaluate these opportunities, we must consider the experience of our choristers as the deciding factor. Will the choristers enjoy the experience? Will they leave there feeling better about themselves and the ensemble? While we certainly want to avail ourselves of any chance to reach a broader audience, there are times when these performance experiences actually do more harm than good.
**
KRISHAN: I once worked for an organization serving youth choristers, where my responsibilities included leading an ensemble of high school-age singers. For the Spring Concert at the end of each season, there was a tradition of the high school ensemble performing a short "set" in the lobby of the concert hall, before the concert began. When I was made aware of this tradition during my first year, I balked; I couldn't picture an effective performance taking place in a lobby full of young parents, who were more concerned with getting to their seats than giving their attention to the performers in the lobby. However, I reluctantly acquiesced to this arrangement, all the while thinking, "I've got a bad feeling about this." When the performance day arrived, my fears were justified. My ensemble was situated in a corner of the lobby, with a small crowd (mostly my singers' families) assembled around us. Beyond our small audience was a sea of chattering parents, who (quite understandably) were unconcerned with our performance. If I'd had the courage to respond with an adamant "no" when first presented with this scenario, my ensemble would have had a more rewarding performance experience, and the full attention that they deserved.
KIRSTEN: The number of performances is a huge factor when deciding on the calendar for your ensemble. When working for a children's chorus organization, I found that there were far too many performances on the calendar to aptly prepare the children for each performance. On top of that, several of the choristers were involved in different performances personal mission and philosophy. It was clear to me that "no" was the correct answer for these several small group opportunities. I would have rather had my students performing one unbelievable choral concert at the end of the semester, working together and building friendships and a team-based mentality, than have the students involved in all of these different and exciting opportunities, followed by a less than stellar end-of-the-year concert.
**
We all want to say "yes" to as many opportunities as possible, but when evaluating potential performances scenarios for our choirs, there are several factors that must be kept in mind:
1. Will the ensemble have the undivided attention of all present while they're singing? Performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a football game, for example, gives the ensemble a decent chance of singing without interruption.
2. Will your choristers be recognized in front of the audience, and is there a way to market the ensemble further through this opportunity?
3. Will the ensemble sound good in the venue? If the natural acoustic isn't favorable, is sound enhancement technology an option?
4. Will the ensemble look their best? Will they be confused as to what they are supposed to be doing? Are there logistical issues that are going to prevent your singers from having a truly positive experience?
5. Is the rehearsal time needed to prepare the piece proportional to the value of the event? For example, could pieces being prepared for another event be used in order to save rehearsal time? If not, how much rehearsal time would need to be allotted for the new event, and would it take away from a more prominent performance?
6. Is the proposed repertoire something that your ensemble wants to do, and can they do it well? Weddings and funerals, for example, can be very tricky to navigate if your church choir is asked to perform something unpalatable.
Through experience, we've learned to ask a million questions any time we're invited to enter unchartered territory with one of our ensembles- whether it be a new venue, a new collaborating partner, or unusual performance logistics. Thinking through all possible scenarios (and keeping in mind Murphy's infamous Law), our ultimate goal is to make the wonderful people in our ensembles sound, look and feel their absolute best.
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