I have been privileged to participate in numerous choirs throughout my life, and my most memorable choir experiences were enjoyable choir experiences. I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed great fellowship, and I even walked away thinking, Wow! I actually learned something, too! How is it that my most enjoyable choir rehearsals involved lots of fun and musical growth?
I’m sure I don’t have all the answers, but I think it has a lot to do with the approach the choir director takes. On one hand, the director has clear objectives in mind that he would like his choir to achieve. On the other hand (and this is particularly true in church settings), the director must remember that the choir is made up of volunteers, many of whom—at the end of the day—just want to feel like they enjoyed the process.
As I’ve had opportunity to observe choir directors, and to be a choir director myself, I’ve discovered a few things that have helped to keep choir rehearsals running smoothly and enjoyably:
Plan ahead and set realistic goals.
The level of confidence your musicians exhibit is directly related to your level of preparation. Know what you need to accomplish, and come up with a long-term plan of implementation.
Our choir’s music is planned months in advance. We rehearse the songs 4-6 weeks ahead of time, depending on the difficulty of the song. Having this advanced planning helps you set realistic goals. It also sets you and your musicians at ease.
Even with all that planning, sometimes you just got to be flexible.
As your rehearsal unfolds, you might need to make adjustments. Maybe you need to rehearse a section longer than you thought. Or (and this rarely happens), maybe you scheduled too much time to focus on a part. Perhaps a choir member is burdened with a prayer request they just have to share.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been meticulously focused on our rehearsal agenda, only to be interrupted by something seemingly trivial. The temptation is to respond or react negatively, even if only internally. But remember, God could be using your “interruptions” for His purposes (in your life, and the lives of your choir members).
It’s okay to laugh… you’re human!
You want to kill the spirit of a rehearsal? Just maintain a serious demeanor for the entire rehearsal.
Humor is a great tool for reaching people’s hearts (Prov. 15:13), and the best humor comes from laughing at your own mistakes. (My choir knows I’m terrible at telling a joke, but we laugh a lot because I’m human, and I’m apt to prove it often!)
I’ve observed that the end-product in our Sunday services is often a by-product of our rehearsals. I’m not saying it’s always the case, but if people walk away loving the rehearsal, chances are that spirit will transfer to Sunday services.
It’s not about personality. It’s about planning, staying flexible, and being willing to laugh at yourself. That’s the kind of choir director I’d like to have.
I hear this sentiment expressed often: “Our rehearsals are so enjoyable! We have a lot of fun, and yet you get so much out of us.” That makes me feel like I’m doing my job. We’re accomplishing our goals, and we’re enjoying the process.
Written by James Koerts. Used with permission.