[HANASHIR:10065] RE: Youth Choir Advice/Suggestions Needed

[Adrian Durlester <adurlester...>]

Nell:

At the risk of being a party pooper, the first thing I would do in your
situation is ask your Director why they would expect someone with no
formal training in youth choir direction to begin a youth choir program?
No disrespect to you, but the Jewish world (and secular world alike)
suffer from an overabundance of the "Peter principle." We are constantly
promoting people into supervisory or other tasks for which they were
never trained. This is not a recipe for success.

So ask your Director to help you find someone who is trained to help get
the program started, ask your Director to help pay to get you trained,
and ask your Director to help you find a mentor, and then begin to think
seriously about a Youth choir.

I am sure there are many who will disagree with me on this. We have all,
myself included, been thrust into new positions without proper
preparation, and tried to rise to the occasion.  While that is a quality
to be admired, as a student of management, I have to question why
managers continue to put people in these often untenable positions?

Always the gadfly,

Adrian A. Durlester
Adrian A. Durlester, MTS
E-mail: adrian (at) durlester(dot)com  URL:www.durlester.com
Director of Education, Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Alexandria, VA
Chair, CAJE 27, August 4-8, 2002, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
List Owner, hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Jewish Songleaders/Performers List
Co-Owner, l-torah (at) shamash(dot)org; Liberal Torah Discuccion List


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [SMTP:owner-hanashir (at) 
> shamash(dot)org] on 
> behalf of Don & Nell Hirsch [SMTP:dnhirsch (at) erols(dot)com]
> Reply To:     hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [SMTP:hanashir (at) 
> shamash(dot)org]
> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001, 17:39:04
> To:   hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject:      [HANASHIR:10056] Youth Choir Advice/Suggestions Needed
> 
> I'm the new songleader for our Religious School - no formal music
> background, just an enthusiastic choir member who enjoys playing
guitar and
> singing with the kids.  Music in the school is going so well that our
> Religious School director has suggested we start a youth choir.  He
> suggested grades 3-7, with just 2-3 "performances" of a few songs at 
> holiday
> assemblies and services (at least as a start).  We would definitely
keep it
> simple to begin with, just so the kids have fun singing together.
> 
> Since I've never done youth choral directing, I'm looking for all the
> wisdom, practical tips, advice, and resources that you can share.
Please
> send your input directly to me at DNHirsch (at) erols(dot)com(dot)
> 
> Many thanks.
> 
> Nell Hirsch
> 
> ----- End Of Original Message -----


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