Choral Caffeine: The Hired Gunslinger

Contrary to what one might think when leafing through the pages of the Choral Journal, there really are more than ten or twelve people who guest conduct choirs.  Stay in this profession long enough and you, too, will receive an invitation.  In Terry Barham’s article, “Working with Honor/Festival Choirs: One Conductor’s Perspective” (ChorTeach Volume 3, Issue 4), he outlines many of the concerns facing the “hired gunslinger” on the podium.

 

“Having conducted honor and festival choirs of elementary, middle school, and high school singers in many states, I have learned important lessons. It is no surprise that an unprepared 90-voice league choir is a completely different animal from a 250-voice select All-State choir. Had someone told me thirty years ago that I should exercise care with my choice of choral literature, have high expectations but be flexible during the rehearsal process, or send a seating chart prior to the festival, I would have saved myself a number of challenging situations, many of which occurred because I didn't know what questions to ask of the person inviting me.”

 

The article is also valuable for those who are planning to have a guest conductor in their midst, providing some insight into the guest’s role and what their concerns might be at the festival.

 

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