Questions for the Music Director
Q: (From a choir director in Ohio)
I am a music director, and I have about a month under my belt. From the start I've noticed that practice time can be easily wasted. Sometimes I feel like we get songs ready just in time, and we don't sing them our very best. What tips do you have for making choir practice time more effective?
A: Your question is one that plagues all of us. It seems that there is never enough practice time. Many things can be done to make practice more effective, and some methods may even seem to contradict each other. We have to find what is working for our group at the moment. Here are a few thoughts that may help.
1. Begin on time. In order to do this, someone has to be there to make the necessary preparations like getting the music ready. In most cases, this is the director, but you may have someone who would be willing to help you with this faithfully.
2. Begin with a few vocal warm-ups. This creates a more disciplined atmosphere as well as making it easier on the singers' voices. We learn faster when we are ready to learn.
3. Begin with an energetic song. (If you are really pressed for time, or for variety, you may skip the warm-ups and start here.)
4. If you practice on Sunday evening before the service, begin with the song or the opener for that evening.
5. Focus on the problem spots. Go over them ahead of time, and have a plan for how to help them learn the music. Then, in practice, when there is a problem at the end of the chorus, go right to that place and work through it. When they have it, then give them just enough context to allow them to feel confident, then move on. It is easy to waste time singing the parts they know well over and over again.
6. When you are working with one section (soprano, alto, etc.) of the choir on a part, only cover a phrase or two and then go back and work with another section. If you go too far, those who are not singing will start talking; and talking wastes everyone's time.
7. Work ahead a little each week. Spend time on next week's music and even the following week’s. Sometimes this seems impossible, but if you have the courage to try it, you will find that you will get more done in the long run. When we only practice something one time, it is like cramming for a test. We can only do so well. When we have worked a little on a song each week for a month, it makes it much easier for the average choir member to feel confident on the day the song is presented.
I hope these simple ideas are helpful. May God bless your efforts as you work with the choir.
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