Ideas about improving rehearsals.

noel jones, aago

1. Record every rehearsal. Then listen to the recording and write down how much time is spent singing and talking. Especially how much time you spend talking. I've done this and it can be a sobering experience.

2. Use a lesson plan. Not just for you, but email it out to choir/schola/cantor members so they know what the plan is, then email them after you evaluate the rehearsal, praise them for the progress made, note things that came up and were covered and were not in the lesson plan and explain them. Attendance may increase as a result of this.

3. Include the pastor in your lesson plan emails. And the associate. And the deacons. This puts a face on your program to the most influential people in the parish.

rogue63

Good idea, Noel.

PMulholland

Recording rehearsals is a great idea. I am a recordist/engineer, but I've actually only used this practice once for a before and after example for our schola.
To use recording for analysis of rehearsal and effectiveness of your direction is excellent and I had never thought of this. But, I know I can easily wax eloquent (or not so eloquent) at practice. Sometimes I even say "shut up Peter" out loud so the choir knows that I know what they are thinking... :)

Jen

I've recorded rehearsals a number of times and found it to be very helpful. As I listen to the recordings I often end up with a different perception of how well some pieces were sung during rehearsal (either better or worse). Perhaps when I am in the midst of conducting, I'm so focused on certain details, that I don't hear the whole sound of the group. In listening to recordings I am better able to determine the overall 'feel' of how the piece was presented, and start thinking... oh, that was too fast or we need to make that more legato, it sounds too detached. Then at the next rehearsal I can make those corrections.

CharlesW

A condition resembling Alzheimer's sets in between Wednesday night rehearsal and Sunday morning. On Sunday, pages are out of order and are being madly shuffled, and half the choir doesn't seem to know where it is. Go figure. I don't understand it. It is demonic. The fact that they actually sing and sound rather well is nothing short of an act of the Holy Spirit.

noel jones, aago

I have found that legally copying all the music and building a choirbook is essential (of course, this is how the Catholic Choirbook Anthology came about) along with a printed list of the music for Wednesday and the Sunday.

I type it out in order for a period of weeks, making changes as needed, just deleting each day that has passed and moving the next one up to the top of the page.

So the music for that day is at the top. It helps, does not eliminate all problems, but helps.

melofluent

FNJ- we're using the second "O Sacrum convivium" (not the D'Evry, but the Romantic era one, forget composer's name) this Sunday. Again, CCA, another great resource in the Brick x2.

noel jones, aago

For those unfamiliar with the Catholic Choirbook Anthology 1, it contains multiple settings of the same texts - Ave Verum, Ave Maria, Tantum Ergo and others. the reason is that you can use it to get over the "we'll never be able to learn to sing Latin" hump by teaching them the Latin, then sing different settings, permitting you to move them from the Gregorian Chant in unison to 2, 3 or 4 parts...all in Latin.

And in the back are old and new English hymns, to be used as a stepping stone to get them singing and using the book before you make the step to Latin. They are available as The Pew Hymnal on their own. It's not designed to be THE hymnal - there are fine ones out there from this group already, but can serve as a supplement if you are saddled with cheap, throwaway missalletes....the spell checker will not accept that word - for getting a choir singing or for smaller group Masses.

www.thecatholicchoirbook.com Tell a friend about The Catholic Choirbook Anthology today, please!

noel jones, aago

Sectional rehearsals have great value - it used to be a difficulty doing them because of the expense of 4 pianos. Today, a note in the bulletin will get you 4 keyboards that are stacked away in closets. They do not need to be fine instruments, you are using them mainly for pitch.

Here's the benefit: Take the first half hour and do sectionals, with choir members playing and leading them.

You will find that the section leaders, often people who get frustrated because they are held back by others, become leaders of the section, will be more apt to show up for rehearsals and they will take more pride in their section.

Singers will develop respect for them and be supportive. This can work with paid section leaders, yes, if you are careful with the choice of the singers you hire, but also with volunteers who may and will be more loyal.

So, you normally rehearse an hour and a half? And now you are down to an hour....one that is going really well since the singers have 2 hours rehearsal time under their belts.

During the joint group rehearsal if you are planning ahead and working over a few weeks time do not stop and work on notes, instead just ask the section leader to go over that section the next time they meet so it will go better when you all meet together.

It's possible to develop an excellent program this way, fast. If a section leader has to miss, you are available to fill in, but you will find your time is better spent when all the section leaders are there by dropping in on the sectionals, encouraging the singers.

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