According to the Big Choral Census, there are more than 2 million people in Britain that sing in a choir. However, over the past year, face-to-face choir rehearsals haven’t always been possible. Many choirs have rehearsed together using video conferencing like Zoom or Skype. Although this may not always be as satisfying as a large group rehearsal in a big hall, one thing that the past year has shown us is that nothing can stop the singing. The way that choir rehearsals have adapted has meant that choirs have evolved and this is likely to continue over the next few years.
Adapting rehearsals
For larger three or four-part choirs, having sectional rehearsals is extremely effective. However, if your choir is rehearsing in a large hall, then it may not always be possible during your main weekly rehearsal to effectively spend time on individual parts, mostly due to the noise levels. Video conferencing and online forums however, means that choir members can organise their own mini sectional rehearsals in their own time between the main choir rehearsal. You may also find choirs organising sectionals in outdoor spaces, such as back gardens and parks. This cuts down on the cost of hiring premises and means that choir members can meet up face-to-face. For full choir rehearsals, there will be an emphasis on hygiene still. Washing your hands can stop diseases from spreading, so it will be important for this to happen before and during rehearsals, especially if sheet music is being passed around. Hand sanitiser should also be readily available for choir members to prevent the spread of viruses and germs.
Online resources
The online resources for learning songs has become invaluable to choirs over the past year. It means that singers can do the bulk of the learning independently before getting together for a main rehearsal. For larger choirs, the best way to organise this is to have a “members only” section on their website with all the information that choir members need. This may include licensed digital copies of the score and lyric sheets. Videos with the separate SATB parts are also a good idea, especially when it comes to large community or amateur choirs. This enables choir directors to use the same hand gestures throughout the music as they would use in rehearsal. For instance, they might indicate the rise and fall of notes, or make different hand gestures for staccato and legato.
Choir concerts
Many choirs have had to put concerts on hold over the past year. They have however adapted brilliantly and share music with the world via social media and online streaming services. This is likely to continue over the next few years, as online events can be a vital way of fundraising, particularly for community choirs. Ordinary concerts will begin again too, although many venues may be operating social distancing policies for a little while longer.
Where there is singing there is joy, which is why choirs are so important during uncertain times. The way we rehearse has evolved, but that will only improve the process of learning music to achieve the end result.
