Yesterday’s column featured a “CJ Replay” in which a colleague opined, “It is only logical that the choral director who memorizes his music like his/her singers shows respect for the singers by being equally prepared. After all, music is the director’s business.”
Of course, memorizing an entire program can be challenging. However, if one has put in the necessary hours (and hours, and hours) of study, the score should almost memorize itself.
The benefits of a memorized score mirror those of the singer, such as better facial communication, better posture, and attention that is not divided between the page and the performance. For the conductor, the latter equates into an opportunity to keep your eyes on the choir at all times, monitoring their posture, vowel color, and performance behavior.
In this performance from a recent ACDA divisional conference, note that our colleague has taken pains to memorize his score. Note the level of uninterrupted communication he is able to maintain with the choir.
Jeremy McLeod says