ChoralNet

The professional networking site for the global online choral community.

You are here: Home / Others / Stick Time: A Conductor’s Nightmare

Stick Time: A Conductor’s Nightmare

by Leave a Comment


I suspect every profession has it's own particular set of nightmares, and certainly the choral profession is no different.  Imagine how this colleague must have felt as the risers collapsed and her entire ensemble hit the ground.  What would you do at that moment? How would you react?  Have you pondered what you as a leader must be prepared to do in an emergency? (We'll discuss movement on the risers at another time, I suspect)
 
THANKFULLY, no one was injured (though the school immediately bought a new set of risers).  You can watch the video below then read the entire news story.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I’m tempted to say, “Are you sure this isn’t just an ad for J. C. Penny?  ;).  First, I’m glad that no serious injuries occurred, and hope that nothing shows up later.  But seriously, I have never been an advocate of risers for groups of 40 or fewer.  If singers are placed in staggered positions they can still see the director.  There are situations where folks fall off the back, and I recall an Atlanta Boy Choir performance (years ago) where several boys fainted (all too warm in robes) and hit the risers with a distressing “whack” . ( It could have happened on a level floor, too, but is less accident-likely.)  The director continued the concert for a few minutes.  A few parents stood up and loudly voiced objections.  To my knowledge, there were no serious injuries there, either.  In a choir with adults – several of whom may have pre-existing conditions – it could be even more risky.
    Maybe malls need to consider building permanent riser steps.  Off-season they could function as customer resting places, dispaly areas..

Leave a Reply

© 2024 American Choral Directors Association. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy