Choir room essentials?
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    We have just been given the use of a large room, formerly a library, to convert for use as a choir rehearsal room.
    It will have to be completely refurbished, and we may manage to get some funding towards it.
    I'd be very grateful for your thoughts on what an ideal choir room would look like/contain/not contain.
    It will be used at different times by three adult choirs and at least one children's choir.
    Thanks!
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Remove all sound absorptive materials - carpet, drapes and, if the walls are covered with thin, fake wood paneling or are brick/concrete block, consider hard surface wall material and sealing and sound reflective paint on brick or concrete. Good luck with this neat project and for asking advice!
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen Viola
  • Kevin814
    Posts: 42
    Beg them to install a water fountain.
    Thanked by 5Liam CharlesW Viola madorganist CCooze
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    While you can't expect the interior of a practice room to have identical acoustics to the church in which you will sing, needless and avoidable differences should be avoided. I would additionally recommend that some of your practice time involves time in the Church proper.

    A shortage of electrical outlets is probably a good thing.
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    A bar.
    Thanked by 7CharlesW music123 Viola madorganist StimsonInRehab tomjaw PaxMelodious
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    I hadn't thought of a water fountain, though this is the north of Scotland, so tea-making equipment to keep out the cold would be good too.
    And a bar, to supply malt whisky, or even gin, to the harassed musical director...
    Thanked by 4CharlesW canadash tomjaw janetgorbitz
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    A wet bar behind the podium.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    or even gin,

    Heck, go deep. I say give 'em Absinthe! It's herbal.
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    a choir room !!! how wonderful ... happy for you.

    What kind of storage will you need for choral music - shelves? File cabinets? My four-high file cabinets are on caster bases which have proved to come in very handy. So does a white board.

    for your own files, a pair of two drawer file cabinets would support a desk top large enough to hold a modest printer.
    Apart from practices, will you do yr research & planning in there? - if so will you need access to CPDL, CMAA, etc?

    There could be a whole separate thread on choir room art - everything from oversize neum charts, to posters about posture, breathing, or practice, to a handpainted script around the top of the room reading, "He who sings well prays twice"
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    "He who sings well prays twice" Good slogan, as long as you don't attribute it to St Augustine unless you find the quote yourself, nobody I know of can find a text where Augustine says that. I had an essay marked down for this!
    Thanked by 2MarkS Viola
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    Like the Prayer of Someone Who Was Not St Francis of Assisi.
    Thanked by 3CharlesW CHGiffen Viola
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    St Augustine?
    Well, he did love music and its effects on the spiritual faculties.
    But, I'd like to see chapter and verse where he actually said it.
    I've run into quite a few Lutherans who think that Luther said it.
    He said a lot of things, but not that.
    Um, (tee-hee) maybe it was Cranmer....?

    Whoever said it was spot on.
    Thanked by 1a_f_hawkins
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    St. Augustine said far too much - that's from an eastern perspective. ;-)
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    ...far too much...

    Now that's rich, coming from the eastern corner - home of theological and ritual prolixity.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    Although we disagree with him on his views of original sin, I think our biggest issue with him is his over-emphasis on the individual. That led to future errors.
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    Yes, finally! The long-awaited showdown between the "Anglican" and the "Eastern Orthodox"!

    Get some popcorn, Honey! I'm watching When Branches Collide tonight!
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    .
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    Many thanks for the very helpful suggestions.
    I hadn't thought about art work. There seem to be plenty of illustrations about of mediaeval choirs, and I have a soft spot for illustrations of St Gregory dictating chant with the Holy Spirit perched on his shoulder. Can anyone recommend a good picture of St Cecilia? or anyone/anything else relevant.
    (and there will be a space for 'He who sings well prays twice', but unattributed). Or maybe in these days of political correctness it should be He or She who sings at all prays several times
  • PaxMelodious
    Posts: 443
    at least one children's choir.


    Windows from accessible places, where there are people who can observe proceedings.

    I know these aren't great acoustically or in terms of choir-distractions.

    But essential for protecting yourself from unfounded accusations.

    I've several times found myself alone with a youngster who did not understand that arriving for practise 15+ minutes early was a problem, and who thought it was strange when I insisted that I needed to go outside to wait for others to arrive. (Unfortunately asking him to wait out in the cold could be seen as victimising him.)
    Thanked by 2canadash Viola
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    somewhere I saw a photo of a boychoir practice room - it has built in tiers for the choristers! :-) depending on how large your new room is, it could be placed in a corner? cool
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    Another good quote for you wall, from Thomas Aquinas's Introduction on his Commentary on the Psalms: "A hymn is the praise of God with song; a song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice. "
    Thanked by 4M. Jackson Osborn mmeladirectress CHGiffen Viola
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    >> Can anyone recommend a good picture of St Cecilia?

    for St Cecilia you might contact CMAA's Noel Jones about the art which has been appearing in the issues of Organist's Quarterly - each one more beautiful than the last. :-)
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    cool poster if they will part with one :-)
    https://cdn.evbuc.com/eventlogos/138723825/pdtp18poster-1.jpg
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100

    or, inexpensively - have someone create a poster for you.

    "Musica, dei donum optimi ."
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    cool poster if they will part with one :-)


    Cool idea, while we're at it! I am inspired!
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    Stimson let us know if you organize it. Some college campus maybe? hey some future Colloquium event?! :-D
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    It is best when parents accompany children to rehearsal and Mass. In the absence of parents, another parent in attendance can be responsible for the child.

    Parents should be seated in the room. Homeschooling parents are in strong support of this, as it gives them "time off" from teaching and a chance to share knitting, a very quiet Rosary or just silent prayer...or napping!
    Thanked by 2Viola canadash
  • janetgorbitzjanetgorbitz
    Posts: 968
    Shelving for music book/notebook storage? (don't know if this has already been recommended), definitely a white board (or chalk board) for use in theory/Ward training... the little copier idea is essential. I would also say you need at least one decent-sized table for music organization, etc.

    You'll also need someplace for storage of basic supplies (tissues, cough drops, pencils, etc.)
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    Perhaps it goes without saying, but a keyboard. Ideally a small practice organ would be wonderful, but a good piano or dare I say even a good quality digital instrument will be necessary for accompaniment, giving pitches, etc.

    You may want to consider a stereo with decent speakers if you plan to play any recordings. Also, recording equipment if you want to archive rehearsals.

    Consider the type of seating that will be available to the choir. Maybe even risers. Ideally you want to replicate the standing/seating arrangement of the church so that things aren't too drastically different.

    In my choir room I can only accommodate a row of 5 chairs, as the room is very narrow. Not at all like the church balcony, but one needs to be thankful for even having a choir rehearsal room.
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Nice acoustics
    and the stuff that makes them
    and not the stuff that doesn't make them
    Thanked by 1Viola
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