Whether it’s dressing for the job interview, meeting the future in-laws, or the first hit in a football game, the initial moments of any new experience create a long-lasting ripple effect (perhaps far longer than we want it to).
For the choral conductor, the ‘rule of first impressions’ is particularly important at the beginning of a new choral season. Start off right, and the year can flow smoothly. Start off wrong and, well, let’s just say you’ll lose a lot of sleep.
Jason Sickel, in his article “First Things First in Early Choir Rehearsals: Classroom Procedures That Get Results,” discusses several factors that can have a profound effect on the rehearsal environment. How, for instance, students enter and depart from the choir space says a great deal about both the focus they bring and their respect for the choir. Once in the rehearsal, the manner in which singers sit or (preferably) stand will not only affect the sound but will also determine their overall focus.
“What is accomplished by rehearsing and reviewing classroom management procedures sets the tone for a productive and meaningful rehearsal environment,” Jason says. “Bypassing this fundamental step will create discipline problems as the semester or year progresses.”
Get it done or get no sleep. I know which one I’ll choose.
(To access the full article, simply click the highlighted title. For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
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