When to combine/split choirs
  • Bombarde16
    Posts: 116
    I am at a point where I have a sizable schola cantorum (18 when everyone is there) as well as a rather small "choir" (of about 8 people).

    Short of the long: I began the schola in October last year when I arrived at the parish. The choir (think Notre Dame Folk Choir in style and substance) was directed by another individual who just recently resigned before the beginning of this year.

    (Side note: the choirs trade off singing every week at the 9am Mass. This is odd to me and I don't like the idea of not having 1 choir sing at the same Mass every week....)

    The "Schola" is as regular as a a volunteer group can be. The "Choir" is regularly missing people, but doesn't have the strength to be confident if more than 2 people are gone.

    I know the answer is to combine choirs. The question I have is as follows:

    How long should I wait to combine the choirs?- to recruit for both, begin outreach for both, and invest in both choirs in that manner before I should decide to combine the two? 2 months? 6 months? Next choral season?

    Question 2: if I combine the choirs, I would have. 25 voiced schola (though not equally balanced... ~5 basses, 4 tenors, 7 Altos, 9 sopranos). My cap is (ideally) 24 with 6 on a part.

    If we get much bigger, it's hard to continue to do chant in an effective manner with SO many voices- its just to hard to teach them to listen when they get that many people. (I already have my schola split into a men's schila and women's schola regarding propers..) when would it become pertinent to split the choirs into 2 again?

    Any thoughts? Any ideas?
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 944
    I would have. 25 voiced schola (though not equally balanced... ~5 basses, 4 tenors, 7 Altos, 9 sopranos). My cap is (ideally) 24 with 6 on a part.


    Unless you have all pros, a 2:1 ratio of women to men is exactly the mix you want. I don't know how well your groups would respond to the merger, but the numbers check out, IMO.
    Thanked by 1Bombarde16
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,296
    I agree with @Andrew Motyka -- I don't think that's particularly unbalanced.
  • emac3183
    Posts: 31
    Definitely agree with the 2:1 idea, although absences for the men can quickly become crippling with their smaller numbers.
    What is the prevailing sentiment among the choirs to this new plan? You may have some members continue their 2 week rotation if they aren't on board (old habits can die hard), even with recruitment.
    Depending on their thoughts/commitment level, I would begin about two months before any major feast (Christmas/Easter especially) so that they can acclimate to the larger group and create a unified, comfortable sound.
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 539
    I would say join them as soon as is feasible, tomorrow if possible. More voices a Take into account whether the two groups have very disparate skills; if the “choir” can’t read music, then you’ll need more time to integrate them and program easier rep for a few months – think about when that would make sense. If they can all read and are usable singers, it could be nice and an easy sell to shoot Christmas (“we’ll sing together for Baby Jesus and it’ll be wonderful with the twinkly lights and sleigh bells….”). If it’s disparate, Easter might not be a bad target to be at full steam, combining as soon as ‘24 arrives and taking OT and Lent a bit slower.

    I would not be concerned about a choir of that size being unable to perform the chant well. We sing the introit and communion weekly with a choir of 75 split SA/TB. I don’t think anyone would accuse the 30-odd Westminster Cathedral Choir of doing injustice to the chant…they manage to sing the introit while walking up stairs and still make it stunning. It’s a matter of discipline, attention to the conductor, and listening, which can be done in small or large groups. The graduals and alleluia verses are of course traditionally delegated to “cantors”, but for the ordinary, introit, offertory, and communion, I see only opportunity, not pitfalls. Larger groups also allow for longer phrases (i.e. not gasping for breath at the quarter-bar) to be produced with ease, and many voices mp is a richer sound than a few f trying to fill the church.

    And just as an aside….I would call the new combined group a choir, not a schola. A choir exists to sing the liturgy; it sings the chant and some extra stuff. No reason to give it a different name now that the SLJ group is gone: it’s just a choir doing what choirs [should naturally] do.
    Thanked by 2OMagnumMysterium CHGiffen
  • Bri
    Posts: 103
    Maybe talk to a few people from each group.

    Would they be up for singing each week?

    Any thoughts about having a combined group (which may include a change in musical styles for at least one group)?

    Any preferred timing for the change (e.g., now, after Christmas, next choir season)?

    Also, how would this impact rehearsal days and times? Would any rehearsal time changes work for them?

    My gut says take it slow and don't make changes until next choir season -- but your groups may be ready for a change.
  • PaxMelodious
    Posts: 426
    The time to combine choirs was when the previous person left.

    Because you didn't do it then, you will have to trigger a crisis which causes the merge to be inevitable. (Unless of course your fok-choir people WANT to join the schola but haven't felt confident to - have you talked to them about it.)
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