Beginning again: Choir Camp

Greetings, ChoralNet!

 

It is good to be blogging here again.  I thought I would start with something practical to begin the year.

 

At Samford, we start our choir year with something called “Choir Camp.”  It is a time when the students gather early on campus for an intense time of singing and rehearsal in preparation for the new year.  We are now entering our third year of this and it is one of the best ideas I ever had.  I thought I’d tell you a little about it in case you are interested:

 

Inspiration:  bands do this all the time – so why not choir?

 

Who:  the Samford A Cappella Choir – our fifty member choir

What:  Choir Camp

When:  this year, it is an 8-day camp that happens a week before the freshmen move in on campus.

Where:  on campus

Why:  this should be obvious – we get tons of focused rehearsal done.  We also take care of many of the traditions that happen in the choir – initiation, comedy night, etc.

 

How we do it:

 

1.  The administration allows the students to stay in the dorms for free.  This is a big deal, and I am very thankful for it.

2.  Local churches provide meals for us – they find it a great way to meet the students they will want to hire for their paid positions or involve in their student ministries.

3.  Everything else is normal:  music, rehearsal spaces, etc. 

 

Do any of you do something similar?