Practices: when and for how long?

mmeladirectress

All,

in 2013, people on this forum stated on what day(s) they schedule choir practice, at what time(s), and for how long.

I'd like to ask the same questions of the current members.

Our singers are widely spread over a large metro area, so we can practice only on Sundays. We start 12:15 or 12:30pm, and go for about an hour. (I wish it could be more... sometimes we do run longer.)

many thanks for your reply!

M. Jackson Osborn

Most choirs rehearse on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Thursday is more prevalent amongst Episcopalians. It is better because it is closer to Sunday. Times are normally from 7.30 to 9.30, though some are from 7 to 9. I once had a choir that literally would not stop until a challenging anthem was tackled - even if it took to 10.30 or later. Such esprit de corps is rare.

Also, extra 2 hour Christmas and Easter rehearsals are a given. These may take place on Saturday mornings or afternoons, or the previous Sunday afternoon, or any other time that is workable for one's given choir.

The typical duration of a rehearsal is two hours, with, normally, a 'coffee break'.

(Edited comment, shorn of unsolicited observations.)

CharlesW

It has been 7:30 p.m. Wednesday since 1955, long before I was there. I don't think I could change it even if I wanted. We get out by 9:00 p.m.

TCJ

6:15 - 8:00 on Wednesdays (English)
6:30 - 8:30 on Fridays (Spanish)

mmeladirectress

>> the failure to 'be able to' come for a week night rehearsal is something I would chalk up to lack of commitment, lack of interest, and lack of desire to be a real choir.

MJO, you can put your chalk away. :-) I'd be asking one of us to come >100 miles - one way - and two more, appx 50 miles - one way. I have NO issues with their commitment, level of interest or desire to be 'a real choir'.

I was only asking what day(s) the people on this forum have practice, at what time, and for what duration, and you've answered that - thank you.

dad29

Had one choir which rehearsed thursdays, 8-10 PM. Another which rehearsed thursdays 7:30-9:30 PM. Each had a 15 minute break. Another which rehearsed wednesdays 7:00-8:30 PM (no break).

canadash

We rehearse on Wednesdays. We begin at 8:00 and end at 9:30 with no break, or later depending if we are working towards something that requires extra time. I drive the furthest distance, about 25 km; everyone else lives a short drive or walk away.

StimsonInRehab

Currently:

Regular choir: Tuesday 7-830
College Choir: Wednesday (vocal) 6-7, Thursday (theory) 6-7 [plus sung rosary Monday and Friday]
Latin Mass Choir: Weekly (day varies), 6-730

And now I'm practicing for the upcoming Historical Society Event.

I used to remember what a social life was like.

tomjaw

Thursday 7.30-9.00pm followed by dinner and wine!
Sunday 1 hour before Mass

MarkS

Wednesday 7:30—9:15
Sunday 45 minutes before service

(Plus Fall and Winter 'retreats' and an extra rehearsal before Advent L&C/Christmas Eve and Holy Week, all Saturday mornings, involving brunch/lunch.)

Liam

Thursdays and Wednesdays nights for church choirs, Mondays and Tuesdays for secular choruses, seems to be the usual division in the US Northeast - because singers often participate in both, there's usually a common practice in this regard. In my personal experience in choirs in the Boston area, it was 90 minutes on Thursday evenings, expanded to 2 hours in advance of major efforts, as it were.

Viola

Thursdays 7-9pm
Sunday an hour before Mass

Jeffrey Quick

Tuesdays, 8-9:30, after Adoration. Wish I could go earlier. And a warm-up/touch up 45 minutes before the Mass.

CharlesW

I have given up on any kind of Sunday practice. When 15% of your choir shows up as the Gloria ends, it isn't "workable."

matthewj

Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm
Sundays 8:00-8:45am
Sundays 10:30-10:45am

Salieri

CharlesW: I assume, given previous observations about your people, that they get to the church before Mass, but that it takes until the Gloria to get up the stairs. (I have folk like that in my choir, too.)
---
Because of distances people travel (since we are what the Diocese disparagingly calls a "destination parish"), we have a warm-up/run-through practice 30 minutes before the Mass in the undercroft (the people recite the Rosary before Mass), which is where we generally learn or re-learn that day's Propers.

We also have our weekly rehearsal after the Mass (which is at 10:30) from 11:30 to 1:00. This is what a priest I know calls "one-stop shopping". There is a short break after the Mass -- usually the length of the postlude, which, if I'm playing a Buxtehude praeludium, can be lengthy. Sometimes we will have a potluck luncheon at a singer's house after rehearsal.

We also have big "dress rehearsals" before big events: our annual Choral Mass, Christmas, Holy Week, etc., which usually last two to three hours, depending on repertoire, with a break in the middle. Sectional rehearsals are held as needed and as convenient.

chonak

When 15% of your choir shows up as the Gloria ends, it isn't "workable."

One priest at my job parish, speaking of the faithful who arrive a little late, said, "In this church the Gloria is the real entrance hymn."

Aristotle Esguerra

Wed 6:30-8:00pm
Thu
- 6:00-7:30pm
- 7:45-9:15pm
Sun
- 7:00–7:25am
- 8:45–9:05am

mmeladirectress

Tomjaw I like yer style! :-)

FidemInFidebus

Wednesdays. Special groups (kids choir, men's quartet, ladies ensemble) meet once a month from 6:30-7. This will change for kids choir as we get closer to Christmas. I will probably need them 6:30-7:30. Chancel choir 7-8:30/9, again depending on what we are doing. Sunday morning warmup is 10-10:30, but it's been starting late...Sunday school and bible groups don't finish until 10 and people are taking too much time getting to the choir room lol

janetgorbitz

Thursdays. 6:30 - 7:00 pm, Motet rehearsal (subset of the entire group)
7:00 - 8:30 pm, entire group rehearsal
Before Mass, 1/2 hour, for basic run-through and refresher of the propers.

Caleferink

Wednesdays 7:30-9:00 p.m. (9:30 just before Christmas/Holy Week/Easter)
Sundays (warm-up/review) 9:15 a.m. for 10:00 a.m. Mass

bhcordova

When 15% of your choir shows up as the Gloria ends

Maybe the priest should do what one of my biology professors used to do. When someone came in late, he would stop his lecture, look at the person, and say "Welcome aboard."

tomjaw

I think one thing that is important when choosing practice time, venue and duration is who will be expected to attend the practice...

Are they parents with small children?
Are they single adults?
Are they children?
Are they teenagers?
Do they have transport?
Do they live close by?
If the practice is in the evening, when would they be able to eat?

Our choir consists of parents with young children, and single adults, we have our practice at the my house so we don't have child care issues (I have 7 children and my wife is the main Soprano). Also the single adults work, so end up travelling direct from work, to have a practice without dinner afterwards is unfair to them... Our practice finishes at 9pm and some of our members live over an hours journey away. They also need to be up for work in the morning!

Liam

Alternatively, that could be the interval for solo sight reading exercises (though that would incentivize folks with absolute pitch to be laggard).

I stopped singing in choir five years ago when I had to rise around 4AM in the morning on work days. I need to get to bed before or no later than 9PM, and bad sleep has profound impacts on my health. I am in the Y pool by 5AM, at work by 6:30AM, and don't typically get home until 12 hours later....

canadash

You are right Tom.... So many issues. The two gentlemen I would love to have in my choir have many very young children. One travels all over North America, the second works shifts! We also live in a bedroom community. No one would make it to a 6:00 rehearsal.

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