Minimizing movement in the choir loft during Mass
  • Geremia
    Posts: 269
    Our fairly large choir loft has seating so men can sit on the epistle side and women on the gospel side, and we sing in the center. The schola forms a semicircle in the middle for singing the propers; men and women form a larger semicircle in the middle for singing polyphony; and responses (e.g., "Et cum spiritu tuo.") are sung from our chairs. The frequent remaking of these semicircles causes too much movement during Mass. Could this be fixed by using risers? Or could we rearrange the chairs into a few concentric semicircles and sing from them, without risers?
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Geremia,

    At the risk of making myself unpopular here, I think you should avoid risers, which belong in concert halls and similar auditoria.

    Strategic planning for the seating would make more sense: schola in front, polyphonic group behind, or something like that.

    Too much movement is NOT a good thing, since it frequently goes with traffic noise and chitchat.
  • Geremia
    Posts: 269
    What about platforms like these (but maybe made out of wood to blend into church architecture):
    image?
  • davido
    Posts: 942
    I’ve seen lots of churches in my area that have similar step arrangements in choir lofts, usually permanent construction
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