[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across the globe. Your experiences may differ from mine, so do feel free to leave a comment and let's begin a conversation! A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]
When things aren’t going well, it’s noticeable. That’s when you give constructive criticism.
But when everything is going smoothly, it’s easy to take it for granted. That’s when a word or two of praise can work wonders.
Much of the time in rehearsal you are learning and polishing and working with something that’s incomplete. The aim is to get better each time. There will inevitably be mistakes along the way and times when everything goes wrong.
Even after a great performance there is usually a post mortem to see how things can be made even better next time.
You’re always looking to fix things.
Unfortunately, with much of our focus on improvement, you can overlook the need for praise when things are going well.
Praise doesn’t need to be gushing, nor should it be dealt out too liberally (rather like praising little Joanna for every single thing she does at playschool).
The important thing for any choir leader is to stand back and realise when real improvement has been made or when the choir has finally nailed something. Your feedback to the choir should be positive and encouraging.
Tell them when something has been done well, but also remind them of how far they’ve come since they first started – whether it be a particular song, or the general improvement of the choir over time.
It’s also worth remembering that choir leaders are human too and also welcome the occasional pat on the back.
For choir members it can be easy to take weekly rehearsals for granted, especially if your choir leader is good. They will create fun and challenging sessions which bring great rewards and send you home on a high.
Don’t forget: it might look effortless, but great choir leading takes a lot of work, energy and preparation.
Let your choir leader know from time to time how much you appreciate the work they put in. Remind them of how much they’ve helped you as an individual and how much you enjoy the achievements of the choir as a whole.
You might find these other posts interesting too:
Why feedback is important when teaching and learning songs
What kind of feedback do you want?
Do everything you can to support your choir leader – they’re the only one you’ve got!
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Chris Rowbury
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