Should choir leaders socialise with their choir members?

• Posted by Chris Rowbury June 14, 2023 - Filed in Choir Post - 1,398 views

  [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]

   

  Many choirs hold social events throughout the year. It helps build a choir community and encourages team spirit. That can only be a good thing.

   

  

  photo by Split the Kipper

   

  But should your choir leader be invited along, or should they maintain a professional distance?
  
  I took over a choir from somebody who’d been leading it for about five years. Very quickly I got into the habit of going to the bar after rehearsals and getting to know the choir members.
  
  One day they told me that their previous leader had never come for a drink afterwards. In his opinion it was important to maintain a professional distance. If you fraternise with the singers, you lose your mystique and authority.
  
  I thought that was bonkers, but I guess other choral directors share that view.
  
  I would have thought that anybody who’s any good at their job – whether it’s an office manager, choir leader, shift supervisor or university lecturer – could happily hang out with the people they lead or teach without losing any authority whatsoever. In fact, I believe that socialising with your team makes you more human and approachable.
  
  It’s only those leaders who are insecure in their abilities that would worry about maintaining a “professional distance”.
  
  What do you think? What’s your experience?

   

   

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  Chris Rowbury

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