Two Rehearsals/Week
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    So two prayers have been answered:
    1) Parish Council voted in favour of new hymnals (instead of Breaking Bad or an AV system).
    2) We have not one, but two new musicians.
    These two wonderful people are taking all the Sundays up to Advent. Problem is they can only rehearse on a very last-minute erratic schedule, and they do their own music selection, directing, etc. I get to be a choir plebe when they play, which is actually quite nice. Their rehearsals though are only for the upcoming Sunday, nothing more. Now, I was holding rehearsals every Thursday evening to work on material that I would be directing anywhere from 2-5 weeks ahead of time. It's kind of like a schola I guess, in that we learn stuff like chanting, Latin pronunciation, liturgical music history, etc. I also like to be prepared with more than one rehearsal under our belt for any given Sunday. The two of them would get together on their own time for the immediate upcoming Sundays. Well today, they announced after mass to the choir that "choir practice will be on Tuesday this week". (Our little choir is not divided into groups. They all show up faithfully every Sunday, no matter who's directing or playing, and whether or not there's been any kind of rehearsal. It is Tradition, and it Shall Be No Other Way.) So half the choir says "Sure, Tuesday works for me." and the other half say "huh?" Anyway, there go my plans to rehearse for the second Sunday of Advent.
    So, what do I do? Do I continue every Thursday anyway? Is that fair to ask the choir to attend two rehearsals in a week? Do I go with the flow, cancel Thursday, and go on Tuesday to be a (very happy) choir member? Then when these guys are done, should I go back to Thursdays and just practice music for the immediate, upcoming Sundays, because that seems to be the pattern here? Is this a good swift kick in the pants from God? Perhaps a piece of Humble Pie is being served to me on a plate. Maybe I do have to lower my expectations of these people. The choir does not seem to take well to being challenged.

    What would you do?
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 685
    I sing in our Church schola, choir and cantor as well. It's not unusual for me to be at practice for schola on Monday and back on Wednesday for Choir. I say, ask who is willing to come but to stick to your schedule and those that come will and those that don't wont. As for your musicians, it's difficult at best to practice when there is a schedule let alone an erratic one. Who's in charge? There should be only one music director who sets the direction, music selections and practice times. Seems to me your new musicians have been given too much "power" and you need to reign them in.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    If they can only rehearse on a last-minute schedule, it would probably be best to set the rehearsal on Sunday in the hour before Mass.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    Don - I do scheduling now, but no one is officially in charge. I select music and direct, when we have an organist or acapella. These two are on guitar, and their work schedules are such that rehearsals are whenever they can scramble up some time to get together. They want to do their own music selection as their knowledge is limited. (He is new to town, and she is just learning how to play guitar.)
    Thanked by 1Don9of11
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