Madame,

Do you "run through" in the choir loft, or in another room nearby?

Don't know if it helps...

1. It can be useful to take moments here and there. We know when we have time during the Mass where we can take a quick moment of prayer (even a matter of 10-15 seconds). It could be at the Gospel or before the sermon; a moment or two at the end of the Offertory, etc.. Some quick focus of why we do what we do. This can be particularly helpful if the choir (or the director, or the organist!) has just botched something. A quick mental prayer to ask forgiveness, to overcome anger, to put the error in the past so that I can focus on what I need to do next in His service. It can go the other way as well - if the group has done something quite well, with interpretation and evocatively, perhaps a quick moment to thank Him.
2. There are longer moments as well... I typically kneel during the sermon, for example. Sometimes in mental prayer, sometimes I may be actively considering what I might need to do momently and ensuring everything is prepared - but it is an opportunity to gather oneself in prayer. It also depends on how well I can hear the sermon - if not very well (fault of the sound-system or of the celebrant), prayer rather than struggling with every third thought. Or perhaps reflecting a particular point raised in the sermon and turning it into prayer.
3. Although not directed to your specific question of mental prayer, I think it important to recognize that the actions we perform are - in and of themselves - a form of prayer. Eons ago... back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth... I was in seminary. I remember a class on Liturgy where the professor explained that the priest doesn't have the luxury of losing himself in prayer during the various parts of the Mass - he must focus on the actions and prayers that are part of the ritual, because the Mass is the worship of the Church, not of the individual. There are, indeed, the Joseph of Cupertinos, the Padre Pios who may legitimately fall into ecstasy during the celebration of the Mass - but for most priests it is a form of presumption to "lose" oneself in private prayer during the Mass.

In a similar vein, we, as choir members, sacrifice a degree of autonomy of prayer when we participate in the Liturgy. St. Therese preached the "little way"... where small things in our day-to-day life, consecrated to God, become in themselves a form of prayer. Our first duty is to the music that provides the setting for the Liturgy - a sacrifice of self and the way we might choose to pray for the benefit of others; a setting aside (on some level at least) of personal prayer and the consolations derived therefrom for the sake of embellishing the worship of God to our fullest extent.

>> Although not directed to your specific question of mental prayer, I think it important to recognize that the actions we perform are - in and of themselves - a form of prayer.

I agree very much (and would extend this to study, research, planning, practice, even hanging out at the copy store).

I once had a singer who quit the choir precisely because he could not see all the necessary choir activity during Mass as prayer.

I’m reminded of the story where Sir Laurence Olivier told a very grungy-looking method actor by the name of Dustin Hoffman, “My dear boy, why not try acting?” The idea being that Hoffman was trying to get in the “moment” by living his character in the scene as it was occurring, whereas Olivier had studied enough beforehand that he could produce the desired effect without having to force all of the needed aspects ‘in the moment’.

So, for those who are inclined to the enthusiastically ‘Method’ approach to Mass (to take a page from Msgr Knox), I would say - my dear boy, why not try preparation?

I always try to read through the texts of what I’m going to be singing in the next week, so I understand the importance of what’s being chanted. If I feel something moving or important at the Offertory or during the Canon of the mass, great. But I remember that part of being music minister is imparting the fruits of my devotion in the music I sing so the rest of the congregation can benefit - an overflowing of my ‘cup’, be it Sippy Cup or Big Gulp. I’m sure this makes me a thorough-going Martha. So be it. But even Martha slaid dragons.

Stimson,

Did you mean Martha SLEW dragons?

I believe that I do my best singing in church from a technical aspect. The music comes from a place of belief within me and I am not SELF-conscious when I am singing which makes me sing better. If I concentrate on the meaning of what I am singing then it is authentic.

Some Sundays when I am occupied putting out fires, looking for music our elderly can't find, counting and recording congregational attendance, adjusting sound equipment, playing, directing, on and on, I wonder what good anyone could possibly get out of it. Then someone will tell me they were really touched by the music and their spirit was enriched by it. My thought is always, you mean I did that? Somehow, it does turn out better than I had hoped.

I try to quietly leave church after Mass. Turn off organ. Remove vestments. Gather my belongings. Dodge conversations. Meet my dear wife at car. Just leave! As I am only staff person living within close proximity of church, it is often the case that I am given a laundry list of concerns, complaints, or repairs. Catch me when you can! I like to leave quietly and reflect upon what I have experienced and how God spoke to me. Now, when my good 98 year old friend ambles towards organ, I do stop to visit with him and any of his family. I do not shun others. My experience has been that simply leaving with a prayerful, hopeful, and confident mind and soul keep me in a spirit of prayer. Not really a private mass, but a way to remain focused and faithful.

Our regular EF Mass is preceded by a time of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. I used to try squeeze in some choir practice in that time, but ended up preferring to stay in for whatever Adoration was possible - taking into account random acts of young offspring.

The other choristers are of a pious bent and like to stay in for adoration. I would like to get some sort of choir practice happening, but quiet adoration time outside of Mass is pretty wonderful for filling the cup.

Being alert and singing at Mass isn't incompatible with prayer - just not that quiet sort of prayer, that you also need, but that doesn't have to be at Mass exclusively.

I used to attend our early morning low Mass just for myself, which I would leave feeling full of energy and eager to come back to sing later. After we got a new priest I had to stop because going to Mass early in the morning made me want to take a nap and not come back for choir.

Now I make sure that I make some sort of intention for the Mass and my communion, offer up my singing (people seem to forget that what you’re singing is indeed prayer, even hymns), follow along with the collect and readings, do my preparation for communion during the Canon of the Mass, and meditate on whatever our organist is playing when not preoccupied.

Let’s not forget the merit in being faithful to the duties of our state in life (ie: choir).