Time Management in the Choral Rehearsal

• Posted by Frank Eychaner December 26, 2017 - Filed in Other - 2,208 views

  Time Management in the Choral Rehearsal

   

  Before Rehearsal

  1. Organize your space before the rehearsal begins. Make sure the physical organization of the space is taken care of in advance and that all materials that will be used during the rehearsal are at hand. Place items on individual seats if possible before the rehearsal.
  2. Put the rehearsal order on the board.
  3. Make announcements via Remind or other online communication tool.
  4. Study your scores and mark them diligently.
  5. Someone besides the director should take attendance and record tardies.
  6. Anticipate and work out any musical issues that will require specific conducting gestures in advance and practice them! Pay special attention to all tempos issues including accelerado, ritards and especially how fermatas will be executed!
  7. Choose only the highest quality repertoire. Quality music increases focus and is intrinsically more motivating to lead and sing.

   

  During Rehearsal

  
  

  8. .Have a Starting Routine- Be it warm-ups, sight-singing, theory sheets, or other skill building exercise, have a consistent plan for starting rehearsal on time and efficiently

  9 . Talk less and sing more

  10. Give instruction for finding a place in the score by: 1) page number, 2) score on the paper, 3) measure of the score, 4) Beat in the measure

  11. Insist each singer has a pencil and marks the score.

  12. Anticipate challenges in each score and develop multiple ways to address those challenges.

  13. Have everyone sing a challenging passage in a single part

  14. Never have a large portion of the choir inactive for more than a few moments. This invites discipline issues and off task behavior.

  15. Have a procedure to get quickly from one selection or activity to another. Without a well executed plan, much time is lost in transitions

  16. Change the formation of the choir

  17. Don’t spend too long on any one thing. Work on a variety of new, old and emerging works in each rehearsal.

  18. Beware of unvaried rehearsal procedures!

  19. Get other adults to help with non-musical tasks like administrating fundraisers and fitting uniforms so rehearsal time can be dedicated to rehearsing!

  20. Faithfully teach sight-singing in each rehearsal using the same method each day and ideally the same method your feeders use! Teach a singer to fish…

  21. Decide carefully what to work on…working on pitch accuracy is less effective when rhythms are not secure. Working on intonation isn’t effective if singers have deficient vocal technique.

  22. Begin and end each rehearsal on time!!!