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.

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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.

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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.