Summertime ideas for music directors
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    I think many choirs take a break in summer. I saw today in the church bulletin that our new music director is giving voice lessons to anyone who is interested in. She asks them to sign up once a week for half an hour time period. She does it instead of the choir practice during summer. It says that you don't have to be in music misnistry. I thought it was a good idea. (free voice lessons!) Improve singing in general in our parish and one way to recruit and help people get interested in singing. So I thought I'll share this with you here. And you might have some other ideas that you do, or hope to do during summer.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I would recommend to those who wish to get rid of the closing hymn that summer is a fine time to use this omission. People want to get out of Mass quickly, and the Ordinary Time lectionary can be... well, boring! Same goes with the gradual - much shorter than the psalm, so people would be most willing to embrace it in the summer.
  • marajoymarajoy
    Posts: 781
    Mia, that is pretty interesting.
    I know of a few strong singers in my area who are around more this season, either cuz they are college students home for the summer, or have other commitments which take a break for a few months or just have a bit more time. I am considering getting a few select singers who can sightread and hold their own together to sing for a particular Mass and learn some more "hard" music, which my normal choir would take months to learn. (I did that for one of the Christmas Masses and it was BEAUTIFUL, and required just one rehearsal all together!)
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    Mara,

    I did that when I was an undergrad at U of Illinois. It was awesome - we did a bunch of cool stuff. :)

    *sigh*....I miss those summers. It was hotter than a steam engine in the choir loft, but such fun.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Sounds like a mini Colloquium :-)
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