Choral Potpourri: Choral Ethics; Rolling With the Punches

“When I wished to sing of love, it turned to sorrow. And when I wished to sing of sorrow, it was transformed for me into love.” Franz Schubert

 Shawna* emailed me about a week ago. She originally emailed me earlier this summer. We were “back and forthing” about a situation she found herself in and, suddenly, she found she was no longer in that situation. Things had resolved themselves without having to use any of my suggestions. And found herself in exactly the situation she wanted to be.

She is the director of a volunteer symphony chorus (as well as director of choruses at a university) connected with a professional symphony orchestra in the middle of nowhere (her words). This “nowhere” is in a western state, with the university town the largest for miles and as such, the cultural center for the area. The symphony chorus performs once a year with the symphony and has two or three stand-alone concerts, much like a typical community chorus. And is run like one as well, with their own board separate from the orchestra’s.

Shawna has been the symphony chorus director for almost fifteen years, beginning right around the time she was hired at the university. Her first ten years were delightful, with the past music director consulting her when choosing their yearly choral/symphony collaboration. They made some lovely music together until the orchestra’s board felt the organization had “out grown” that MD and did a nationwide search for a new director. Their new MD was young and talented and their board was incredible pleased to have snagged such an “up and comer.”

That new guy was, to quote Shawna, a real “piece of work.” For the past five years (the term length of the recently “resigned” music director) she had felt like little more than a score carrier during her work with the symphony. She was never consulted on choral works to be performed. As a result, there had been times the symphony chorus abilities have been misjudged. Always a trooper to get things done, Shawna brought in portions of her university choral ensembles to help out in those instances. Bringing in her students to help supplement (both personnel-wise and musicianship-wise) did not sit well with the chorus or their board.

Shawna was between the proverbial “rock and a hard place” because she could not approach Maestro Unapproachable with his attitude. Nor could she ask (she tried once) the orchestra board who wanted to please their Wunderkind conductor at any price, even sacrificing their symphony chorus. Her chorus board was irritated because she brought in the kids so they would look (and sound) good. Shawna could not win, no matter what. And then, about 18 months ago, Maestro Wonderful decided he was moving on.

She thought, surely, the orchestra’s board would consult her during the interview/audition process but no, they did not. In fact, no MD candidates asked to speak with her nor did any one of them program a choral work for their audition. The symphony chorus had three stand-alone concerts last year, which also ticked off her chorus. As part of the due diligence she promised her board, she attended each concert the MD candidates conducted. Members of the orchestra’s board did introduce her to each MD candidate but she was not encouraged to have any sort of private conversation with them.

After auditions were completed last May, the new Music Director’s name was announced. Shawna was happy because the person hired was her favorite of all the candidates and seems like a good fit for their orchestra and community. Her original emails to me began about that time, asking how best to approach the new MD with her programming concerns or even how best to broach the subject.

Turns out, Shawna was worried for nothing. The new MD just moved to the community because his wife grew up in the area and is thrilled to be “home.” She tells me as soon as the moving van pulled away he, literally, called her. He told her he attended one of the symphony chorus’s stand-alone concerts incognito to see what was what, and was quite pleased with what he heard. They’ve had coffee three times and have programmed choral works together for the next two years. She is so happy things have worked out but is also glad she planned for all eventualities.

*Name withheld