“No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring.” Samuel Johnson
For the month of September, Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics will be reviewing what Choral Ethics is and how relevant it is to our profession, now more than ever. During the tough times we are going through with the COVID-19 Pandemic, self-reflection seems like a good idea. I will get you started by sharing my own personal code of Choral Ethics.
My personal Choral Ethics code is a work in progress but has three basic parts. I try to treat my singers and accompanists as I would want to be treated. I try to always say something good about my colleagues if at all possible and if I am not able, to keep my mouth shut. And I try to keep my own skills as good as in my capability. This does not mean I expect less from my singers, accompanist, or myself; I just try to be nice about it. What does all this mean in practice?
I am boring because I hate drama. If you sing for me, you receive a rehearsal schedule before rehearsals ever start and an absence sign-up sheet and most, if not all, of your music. You will know five days before every rehearsal what we will be working on so you can work on only that and nothing else because I respect your time. I won’t call extra rehearsals if I can help it and if I do, it will be known to all as soon as possible. If you audition for me, I will calmly tell you if you did, or did not, make it when I told you I will tell you. Oh, and no matter what happens, “save the drama for your mama”, because I won’t tolerate it. And that’s it exactly–many people, even those who are the supposed “professionals”, think it is the drama and the last minute changes and the lack of schedules because their ensemble should be the only important thing in your life makes you a “professional musician”. I believe it to be the opposite.
I had my doubts when I first started writing this blog that there would be an interest. Now I see not only is there an interest, but a real need. Since I began regularly writing Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics, I have been contacted almost weekly by ChoralNetters who want to share their stories about choral ethics, or the lack there of, with me. There have been MANY accompanists with horror stories of conductors-behaving-badly. There have been singers in community choruses with stories that will curl your hair. And newly hired music directors who have cleaned up after their predecessor’s “scorched earth” leave taking. All I can say is WOW!
Choral Ethics is something I believe important to every one of us in some way and has the potential to have an impact—positively or negatively–on our profession for years to come. It is my hope, conductors, music students and music teachers will see a way of behaving and performing—on stage and off—to better our profession, our students, and our music.
One of my friends is a retired Music Ed professor and her views are quite firm as to what those of you teaching music at universities should be doing to foster professionalism early. My friend believes having clear expectations and expressing them concisely and in a timely fashion is a start for teaching professionalism. She expected her students to attend class and be on time, be prepared with classwork and materials and NO ONE was excused from those expectations. If someone was late or missed class, she marked a percentage of their grade down. She made no allowances for anyone who didn’t inform her before class of a conflicting rehearsal or a death in the family but was understanding and kind if they did. If someone wasn’t prepared for a presentation or didn’t have materials which were requested they bring, they were also marked down. If she was contacted and told before class they would NOT be prepared for their presentation or not able to bring materials, she was again understanding and kind. She did not make any allowances for the gifted, talented, or favored students at her college; they were expected to come through just as every other student in her classes. Many remarked of the “professionalism” of her students; my friend believes it was because she expected the same behavior from ALL her students.
Choral Ethics will talk about professionalism next week. Until then, be well and be safe!
I am taking my Choral Ethics Blogs to my chamber choir’s Facebook page for the foreseeable future. Please join me there this morning!
Jerome Hoberman says
This topic does not seem to me to be “choral ethics” at all; it is simply “ethics.” “Choral ethics” should include, instead, issues such as how a score should be read, how voices should be balanced to reflect that reading, how texts should be pronounced, etc. As my teacher said, making music is “practical ethics.”
Jerome Hoberman
Music Director/Conductor, The Hong Kong Bach Choir & Orchestra
Marie Grass Amenta says
Hi Jerome,
You could say this is not Choral Ethics but ethics, pure and simply. But many of the people who have contacted me in the last five years about conductors-behaving-badly or asking how to kindly (you could say *ethically*) treat their chorus’s Diva when she’s going on and on and ON about a solo that should have been hers or an accompanist who wants to know if being bullied in rehearsal in front of the chorus is right believe this is specifically CHORAL ETHICS.
I am interested in the BEHAVIOR of choral folks, good and bad, and how their behavior influences their choruses, on stage and off. Many directors have never been told they shouldn’t regularly have temper tantrums in rehearsal or throwing things at the accompanist (I’ve gotten AT LEAST ten emails about that)isn’t good. You would be surprised at what people who have contacted me tell me–it’s not for the faint hearted!
I believe your examples might come under more of a musicianship or, as your teacher said, practical ethics. Not to say these are not important but on a different level of what I’m writing about.
Thank you for your comments, Jerome. I hope you are well and safe!
Marie