Choir Members Resisting Rehearsal Time Change
  • Wade
    Posts: 15
    I’ve moved one of my choirs an hour and a half earlier than they used to rehearse, and they are resistant to the change. The primary complaint I’ve heard is that they’ve never rehearsed at that time before. One reason for the change is partly to get people home earlier, since I know some don’t like to be out late and I would like to see my family before they go to bed, and I myself can hardly sleep later than 4:30am or 5:00am and don’t want to be fried for rehearsals the next day. Have you ever tried something similar? How did you handle it?
  • TCJ
    Posts: 966
    I've tried to be flexible with my schedule because many of my choir members do not work normal hours. I have one who is makes his own schedule, one who is on call most of the time, one who works nights, several who cannot make it home from work until six or later. Trying to find a time that works for everyone is nearly impossible.

    I have shifted practice schedule multiple times. We tried earlier, but then several people had job/position changes and I would have lost a number of members if I hadn't switched it back. In general, there has been no pushback on schedule changes because I have always made it clear that I will try my best to accommodate people's schedules so they can make it. My own schedule isn't that important as long as I do the work. If it's late, fine. If it's early, fine. They all know that I have never tried to change a schedule based on my own convenience.
  • Maureen
    Posts: 674
    People schedule life around choir practice; and in a lot of places, choir is scheduled in parallel to other activities. Like choir is the same time as Boy Scouts, or Bible study, so that people can all go to their activities at the same time. And a lot of time it's the same night that Protestant churches are doing Wednesday services, so that those activities are coordinated with school activities. And so on.

    So yeah, changing schedules is like a Jenga game. More pieces may be involved than you know.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,365
    .

  • Elmar
    Posts: 500
    People schedule life around choir practice
    You are very lucky, a lot of our singers are either simply not able to do so even if they wanted, or retired (mostly the latter, rectuiting age is mid-60 typically).
  • argentarius
    Posts: 68
    Here's another scenario to ponder....
    The former (three directors back) choir director has a "community ministerial choir" in an adjoining town. She recruited three of the ten members of the church choir. Of course the rehearsal is the same night as the church's rehearsal. One of the three stated that "we prefer to go there rather than come here so you need to change the night of the church's choir rehearsal", then proceeded to badmouth the director around town when this was not done, telling people to quit the choir. A second of the three continued to come on the weekends stating "this is her church and she will sing if she wants to". Would be very interested in the comments and thoughts of the group on this.
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    Completely inappropriate behaviour by any standard.
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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    About the original question: if OP isn't able to sleep in the morning past 4:30 or 5 am, then he probably needs to get home around 8 pm and run rehearsals at the church starting at 6 pm. That would be a really unconventional hour that conflicts with typical commuting and family dinner times.
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  • Liam
    Posts: 4,939
    Beggars have more limited choices.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Wade,

    There is more than one possible solution.

    1) Set the time yourself, and cope with whoever can come.
    2) Canvass the current choir members to find out which of (several) options works best for them and also for you.
    3) Take out stock in a doormat company.
    4) Find out if staying out late is an issue. It may be a theoretical one, but not an actual one.
    5) Explain yourself to the choir: you need to move the time, but want to find a good time to move it to.
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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Does the Sunday schedule have enough time between Masses to run the rehearsal then?
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  • Wade
    Posts: 15
    As it turns out, it was only an issue for one member that was somewhat blown out of proportion through the grapevine. Go figure. The start time has been slightly adjusted and all is well. Thanks for your feedback, everyone.
  • Wade
    Posts: 15
    So yeah, changing schedules is like a Jenga game. More pieces may be involved than you know.

    Isn't that the truth? It's a complex issue on all sides.

    The former (three directors back) choir director has a "community ministerial choir" in an adjoining town. She recruited three of the ten members of the church choir. Of course the rehearsal is the same night as the church's rehearsal. One of the three stated that "we prefer to go there rather than come here so you need to change the night of the church's choir rehearsal", then proceeded to badmouth the director around town when this was not done, telling people to quit the choir. A second of the three continued to come on the weekends stating "this is her church and she will sing if she wants to". Would be very interested in the comments and thoughts of the group on this.

    That's frankly terrible. Personally, if they can't attend weekly rehearsal (or at least warm-up and rehearse beforehand on Sunday), they really ought to just enjoy singing with the rest of the congregation rather than the choir.

    Completely inappropriate behaviour by any standard.

    I'm curious why you'd say so.

    if OP isn't able to sleep in the morning past 4:30 or 5 am, then he probably needs to get home around 8 pm and run rehearsals at the church starting at 6 pm. That would be a really unconventional hour that conflicts with typical commuting and family dinner times.

    Finding a good time is definitely difficult. I'm trying to make adjustments to ensure it works for everyone, and thankfully all is going well so far. We aren't meeting quite that early, but close enough.

    There is more than one possible solution.

    1) Set the time yourself, and cope with whoever can come.
    2) Canvass the current choir members to find out which of (several) options works best for them and also for you.
    3) Take out stock in a doormat company.
    4) Find out if staying out late is an issue. It may be a theoretical one, but not an actual one.
    5) Explain yourself to the choir: you need to move the time, but want to find a good time to move it to.

    haha We've made a few small adjustments to timing, and it looks like all will be going well. Thanks!

    Does the Sunday schedule have enough time between Masses to run the rehearsal then?

    Only a brief one. Really, it's enough time to warm-up and review, but not much more.
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,939
    The Grapevine Award is an annual award - a bottle of Blue Nun - for greatest gossip.

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    Thanked by 3Carol CHGiffen Wade
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    I'm curious why you'd say so.

    To demand that they be allowed to sing on Sunday after choosing to attend another event in place of rehearsal, and being open about such, should never be tolerated. It diminishes the value of the commitment shared by every other member of the choir.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen ServiamScores GregoryWeber
  • Wade
    Posts: 15
    @Schönbergian
    To demand that they be allowed to sing on Sunday after choosing to attend another event in place of rehearsal, and being open about such, should never be tolerated. It diminishes the value of the commitment shared by every other member of the choir.


    Oh, I misunderstood your response. I totally agree!

    @Liam That's fantastic, I love it.
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