Choral Caffeine: Formations, Part 1

Why do I own bunch of Hawaiian prints?  Isn’t one loud, obnoxious frat-boy shirt enough?  Why do some ladies own dozens of pairs of shoes?  One or two orthopedic torture devices ought to do, right?  Why do others among us rearrange the furniture, re-do the landscaping, change hairstyles, upgrade their desktops?

 

Simple . . . we humans tend to like a little change of pace, a wee bit of variety amid the routine of our lives. (However, having relocated halfway across the continent a couple weeks ago, I’m personally up to my eyelids in “variety,” thanks).

 

So, why not, as you’re pondering the next year, consider changing the formation in which your choir sings?

 

“Blasphemy,” you scream!  I think not.  In his article, “Mix It Up – You Won’t Believe What Will Happen” (Texas Sings!, Vol. 24, No.2), Danny Detrick suggests several ways to form the choral ensemble.  He starts by examining four general problems associated with standard formations:

 

     [1] Tuning problems are magnified

     [2] Problems with tone become greater

     [3] Balance and dynamic issues can get out of control

     [4] Singers with vocal problems are difficult to identify

 

After placing singers in a mixed formation, Mr. Detrick notes several improvements in the choir’s sound:

 

     [1] Students tuned better

     [2] Tone production improved greatly

     [3] Challenged singers were much easier to identify, and thus easier to help

     [4] Discipline problems “evaporated”

     [5] Musicality improved

 

There are many ways to place a choir in a mixed formation.  In next week’s slug of Choral Caffeine we’ll look at another article that discusses how to place singers based on tone color and vocal considerations.

 

(To access the full article, simply click the highlighted title. For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)