Fundamentals of Choir Leading Rehearsal Technique. Workbook

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2 Workbook This workbook comprises the worksheets and checklists from all the lessons in the Rehearsal Technique course. You can access all the lesson documents individually on the lesson pages. This book is intended simply to be a convenient way to download the materials if you wish to view them offline, for example on a tablet or smartphone, or printed out.

3 Lesson 2 What are rehearsals for? The fundamental point of performing as a choir is to communicate the meaning of music to an audience. By extension, the fundamental point of rehearsals is to facilitate that communication. What is our intention when rehearsing our choirs? 1. To speed up the learning process compared with simple repetition; If we asked our choir to simply sing a piece over and over again, it would undoubtedly improve. We can speed up that process by focusing our singers attention selectively. 2. To improve selective aspects of the choir s performance; We can help our singers to improve aspects of their performance that they wouldn t be able to improve on their own. 3. To impart the meaning of the music to the choir; Only when the singers understands the music can they truly take ownership of their performance and impart the emotional meaning of the music to the audience. 4. To give the choir a fulfilling musical experience. People sing in choirs because its fun, enjoyable and musically fulfilling. Our rehearsals should always be rewarding experiences in their own right. The vast majority of people who sing in choirs do it as a hobby. If they don t enjoy it, ultimately, they won t do it!

4 Lesson 3 What does the choir leader do in rehearsal? Perhaps the most important skill of a choir leader is to LISTEN. Part of our score preparation is to create an ideal performance of a piece in our minds. We can use that as a mental template against which to compare the choir s performance. That doesn t mean we expect perfection from our choir. The mental template is intended to give our rehearsals direction, not create a prescription that our choir can never hope to live up to. The main roles of the choir leader in rehearsal: 1. To be the final arbiter of how the music should sound and to move the choir towards that vision; We want to collaborate with our singers, of course, but someone has to be in charge and be the decision-maker, and that s the choir leader. 2. To select what to focus on in the rehearsal, both in advance and in the moment; Our score preparation and rehearsal planning inform how we conduct a rehearsal, added to which we react to the choir s needs during the rehearsal session. 3. To give the rehearsal structure and pace. A big part of our work in rehearsal is keeping the choir engaged and motivated so that we can work towards the best possible performance. As well as achieving the things we set out in our rehearsal plan, we should always aim to make a rehearsal a rewarding experience for the choir.

5 Lesson 4 Zooming in and out The process of zooming in and out within the choir s repertoire is the main building block of the rehearsal. We listen selectively, home in on aspects that need attention, make changes, then put those changes in context. listen zoom in make changes zoom out put in context Things to remember when using this method of rehearsal: 1. Don t forget to zoom out and put changes and improvements into context; 2. Don t try to zoom in on more than on thing at one. By zooming in on one aspect of the choir s performance at a time, and securing that learning by zooming out and putting it into context, it s more likely to stick.

6 Lesson 5 Directing the choir s attention Sometimes, just telling your singers what they need to listen to is enough for them to realise what needs changing. At other times, depending on your choir s ability and experience, they may need more help from you. We don t want to spoon-feed our choirs. The more they re able to think for themselves, the more likely their learning is to stick, and the more likely they are to truly invest in their performance. In the video lesson, we set out a process that you can use to give the choir the amount of assistance they need to solve a problem or make an improvement. Ask them to listen at a particular point in the music Tell them what to listen to Tell them what the problem is Tell them what to change When you give instructions to the choir in rehearsal, give them time to get to the place in the piece to which you re referring. Use a consistent structure of citing:- PEOPLE - PLACE - POINT You don t need to go through this entire process every time you want to make an change, but it s helpful for your choir s development and engagement if you give them the chance to work out for themselves what needs improving.

7 Lesson 6 Starting and stopping The video lesson includes many tips and suggestions for starting and stopping the choir during rehearsal. Here s a quick reference guide to the issues covered. You may need to give extra preparatory beats compared to your usual conducting entry. Audible counting can also be helpful. Don t get into the habit of always adding preparatory beats. When the choir performs something in rehearsal, give the usual succinct preparation. Mark your score with appropriate starting and stopping places. If you re teaching by ear and not working with a score, you can mark up a lyric sheet. If you re using backing tracks, it can be helpful to note the times of particular points in the song. Give the choir a decent run-up to a point that needs improvement. Start too close to that point and your singers won t be concentrating when they get there. Have the confidence to wait for silence before you start conducting. Keep calm, make eye contact, smile and wait. Don t use aggressive gestures or commands to stop the choir. Try to use normal conducting gestures to bring the choir off. To avoid frustration if you have to stop the choir several times, specify in advance where you will stop the choir. Let specific vocal parts know if you don t need them for a particular passage. Give everyone a chance to re-group before you give instructions. Giving instructions before inviting the choir to sit can help to minimise chatter. Don t be afraid to insist on what you want, calmly and authoritatively. that the choir is there to sing.

8 Lesson 7 Communicating with the choir How we communicate with our choirs is vitally important. It sets the tone for our rehearsals. Here are some points to consider. Never shout, scream or swear at your choir (obviously!). Use inclusive language that focuses on the collaboration between you and the choir, and between the singers. Try to use we' and let s' instead of I' and I want. Never single anyone out for criticism. Try not to use unduly negative language. Always focus on what you want to improve. Don t praise unless it s warranted. Constant praise loses its impact very quickly. Don t keep repeating instructions if you're not getting the result you expect. Change your language, or model what you mean instead. Don t be afraid to use musical terminology, even with singers who don't understand it. Just make sure you define any unfamiliar terms. that inexperienced singers often don t know what to change physically in response to an instruction. Focus on the practical changes you want them to make, rather than the musical ones. Focus on one thing at a time. Don t give the choir a shopping list. Your singers don t want to hear a lecture from you - they re there to sing! Try to strike a balance between giving information and keeping up a good pace in rehearsal.

9 Lesson 8 Keeping everyone engaged However committed your singers are to the choir, they ll struggle to stay engaged and motivated if they get bored in rehearsal. Boredom leads to inattention and chattering, which is exhausting for you. Here are some strategies for keeping everyone in the game. 1. Start with singing, not talking. Avoid the chatter arising in the first place by re-directing your singers to warm-ups at the start of the rehearsal. Leave admin and announcements for later. 2. Make sure no one spends too long with nothing to do. Keep everyone involved by asking other parts of the choir to hum their part while you work on another, or by having everyone sing everything. 3. Have easy exercises and games at the ready. When attention starts to wane, re-charge the rehearsal with a fun teambuilding exercise or silly game. 4. Let everyone have a good sing. Sometimes, a restless atmosphere is an indication that the choir needs to have a good, uninterrupted sing. If your current repertoire doesn t lend itself to a good sing, have something familiar from past repertoire, or an easy round, available to turn to.

10 Lesson 9 Helping the choir to take ownership Your choir can only hope to achieve its potential in performance when every single singer invests in the choir s purpose: to communicate the meaning of the music to the audience. Here s a reminder of the issues we covered in the video lesson. 1. You re not playing a human instrument. Your choir is made up of individuals, each of whom needs to understand the meaning and emotion of the music in order to perform at their best. 2. Talking about the why as well as the what. You don t want to lecture your choir in rehearsal, but you can combine instructing the choir, the what, with helping them to find the emotional core of the music, the why. 3. Ask questions. Your choir s learning will stick much more readily if they come to their own conclusions about the meaning of a piece. Including the choir in the process of creating an interpretation of a piece will increase the likelihood that they will give their best performance.

11 Lesson 10 Implementing or departing from you rehearsal plan It s an important skill for a choir leader to be able to structure and pace a rehearsal to implement a rehearsal plan. Just as important is the ability to react in the moment to the choir s needs and, when necessary, depart from a plan. 1. Acknowledge that a plan only gets you so far. If you accept that your plan will have to be departed from, and you are willing to do that, you can have the confidence to react in the moment to your choir. 2. Use your sacrificial section. In our rehearsal planning course, we teach the use of a section that can be added in or left out of your plan as necessary. When the choir takes less time than expected to accomplish part of your plan, it s time to bring out that sacrificial section. 3. Beware the law of diminishing returns. Learn to notice the tipping point when repeated rehearsal will no longer bring improvement but will actually set the choir back. 4. Finish on time. Respect your choir and yourself by sticking to your allotted rehearsal time and making sure you have time for a good sing at the end of it. Your rehearsal plan is your route map. It's your central point of reference, even when you take some detours.

12 Lesson 11 Dealing with questions & interruptions Questions and interruptions can be welcome or unwelcome, constructive or not. Learning to deal with them calmly and with good humour is an important part of your rehearsal technique. Here s a quick précis of ways you can handle the unexpected in rehearsal. 1. Recognise that interaction is a good thing. Part of the joy of rehearsing a choir is the interaction between the choir and the leader. Embrace it as part of building a collaborative environment. 2. Lots of questions are a warning sign. If you re getting lots of questions about something, it s an indication that you might need to re-think your approach to teaching a piece. Don t be afraid to move on in the rehearsal, then review the situation afterwards. 3. Learn when to deal with a question immediately, or later. If a question ties in precisely with what you re working on, deal with it then and there. Otherwise, deal with it later. Don t let your rehearsal be derailed by constant hopping about between issues. 4. Always stay calm in the face of interruptions. that people almost never intend to be hostile, even if their manner comes across as aggressive. It s probably not about you! Don t take it personally! Questions and interruptions are inevitable, no matter how good a choir leader you are. You can t anticipate everything.

13 Lesson 12 Looking after your voice in rehearsal You can t expect your voice to function at its best if you strain or overuse it. Here s a reminder of the things you can do to keep you voice in good working order, so that you can give your best to your choir. 1. Exercise your voice. As with all muscular systems, exercising your voice will build strength and stamina. A daily vocal workout, even if it s very brief, will help you to perform at your best in rehearsals. 2. Drink plenty of water. Your voice will function better if it s well-hydrated. Make sure you drink water about half an hour before rehearsal, and top up regularly. 3. Resist the temptation to shout. Wait for the choir to come to order, rather than raising your voice to be heard over any background noise. 4. Don t sing along with the choir. You probably demonstrate in rehearsals, and you may help out particular vocal parts during the learning process, but don t get into the habit of always singing with the choir, and don t let the choir become reliant on you doing it. Your voice is an essential tool of your trade. Look after it!

14 Lesson 13 Rehearsal logistics Here s a quick reminder of some of the non-musical considerations you might want to think about when running your choir rehearsals. 1. What happens when the choir arrives? Where will people check-in? Do they need to pay? If so, who will take payment? What records do you need to keep of attendance? Will everyone know where to go? What if you want to change the usual routine? 2. How will you order the rehearsal? Admin and announcements are best avoided at the beginning of a rehearsal. When will you deal with those? Will you give all information there and then, or send it later? 3. Will you have a break? Is the rehearsal of a length that requires a break? Do you want to give the choir the opportunity to mingle and socialise? Don t forget to re-start promptly after the break. 4. Finish on time. It s a sign of your professionalism as a leader to finish on time. the law of diminishing returns. Give the choir time for a good sing at the end of the session. Getting the logistics right gives you more time to work on the music with your choir.