The Brain loves and makes connections through variety and novelty. Synapses fire and connections are made through new experiences and focused awareness. The creative choral director must do everything in his/her power to constantly involve the singers in ever-new experiences within the choral rehearsal. Same old—same old doesn’t cut it. Use different warm-ups and create new physical movements to go with them. Movement internalizes deeper learning and involves more areas of the brain. When the choir needs to change a vowel, a tone color, a dynamic, an accent, instead of telling them, use a gesture that heightens the change and will provide a cue you can use in future rehearsals and in concert as a reminder. Clever rehearsalists know to move the singers around often during a rehearsal. Never let a choir sit or stand for long periods of time, but constantly alternate sitting and standing. The brain works better in standing position and the body uses the pelvic tilt when standing so reserve sitting for instructions or silent work. The brain is strengthened by any kinesthetic connection. Have sections rehearse in circles, circles within circles; walk in rhythm and sing, bend knees on accents, step forward and back, sway in rhythm, tap on thighs; use hands and arms to shape phrases, raise pitch, spin tone, etc.
Work in short time intervals: change songs every seven to 10 minutes, work on short portions of a song, then return to difficult section later in rehearsal; work in musicianship training in small segments; give silent time to process learning, memorize, correct mistakes and audiate. Emotional hooks are essential for deeper learning. Talk about beauty, textual meanings, life experiences, personal connections to each other and to the music. Let them know the value of what they are doing! Musical experiences increase the workings of the brain, especially the challenging ones.
Above all, keep conductor’s comments short, make sure everyone is totally engaged throughout the rehearsal whether singing, humming, moving, marking. Do not let one section sit doing nothing while working with another section. Without MEMORY, THERE IS NO LEARNING: design rehearsals to create deep procedural and long-term memories.
(Make plans now to attend your 2016 ACDA Divisional Conference!)
Karen Schuessler says