[HANASHIR:2287] Rachelle's adult volunteer choir

[Mitch Bassman <mbassman...>]

Hi. I've just joined this mailing list, and this is my first post. A few
days ago, a friend of mine (a member of my choir -- the heart of my choir,
in fact) forwarded me the following message. He knew I'd have something to
say to Rachelle Shubert.

----- Begin Rachelle's message -----
From:   Rachelle and Howard Shubert[SMTP:shubert (at) internauts(dot)ca]
Sent:   Wednesday, January 27, 1999 11:04 PM
To:     hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject:        [HANASHIR:2230] adult volunteer choir

The first rehearsal of my adult choir went pretty well.      Oh my, it takes
much longer than I might have expected to teach a song to a group of 15-20
adults, half of whom are  strong and half of whom are weak singers.
Although I try to run my rehearsals efficiently and focus on the work at
hand,  one of my goals is to build a cohesive sense of community within the
choir.  Any words of wisdom from experienced volunteer choir choral
directors?

Rachelle
----- End Rachelle's message -----

Oh yes, Rachelle. The first word of wisdom that comes to mind is
"patience." Before I subscribed to the list, you may have already received
dozens of wise words; I don't know. So I'll just offer a few words of
*encouragement*.

In 1983, I became the volunteer music director of a newly-forming volunteer
adult choir in a then very young congregation. Sparing you the details,
I'll cut right to the first rehearsal. I showed up with my own
expectations, and the singers (half strong and half weak just as you had)
showed up with their own abilities and lack of experience.

That first rehearsal lasted two hours. Following some introductions and
initial excitement, I settled in to teach them some music. We quickly sang
through a familiar song in unison, and then I decided to work on a very
simple SATB version of the Sh'ma. After two hours, Rachelle, we had finally
managed to produce a fairly decent rendition. Six measures. Two hours.
You're absolutely right: it does take "much longer than [you or I] might
have expected" to get the result that we want.

Many of those original members are still singing in the choir, and these
days, we can learn more complicated music in less time. The nucleus of our
choir is more experienced and more capable. I still have weak singers, but
most of the weakest have un-volunteered through attrition. Now when I
accept new members, I look for some instrumental or vocal music experience
and at least a minimal ability to read music.

Your goal of building "a cohesive sense of community within the choir" is a
very important one for a volunteer group. The members of such a small group
have to like each other and they have to have fun, or they'll stop coming.
And you really want your most capable singers to continue to want to
participate. I also agree with your efforts "to run [your] rehearsals
efficiently and focus on the work at hand." But try to keep it fun and
interesting for all of the singers. You also have to keep it challenging
enough for the strong singers in the group or they'll get bored and
threated to quit.

You are at the beginning of a potentially long and enjoyable journey. The
life of a volunteer choir will have its ups and downs. I've seen many of
the same changes occur in my current choir as those that occurred in the
congregational choir of my youth. You will make mistakes; I know I did. But
you, and the choir, will learn and grow from those mistakes. (The mistakes
will be political, not musical.)

Be patient -- and (for now) lower your expectations.

Mitch Bassman
Congregation Adat Reyim
Burke/Springfield, Virginia, USA

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