Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: The Month of March

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” Charles Dickens

It is difficult to believe it is already March. Today the weather here in the Midwest is lovely, warm, sunny, and fun with the daffodils poking shoots up from the ground. But tomorrow it will change. Snow is predicted; many, many inches of it too. We Midwesterners will roll with it, as we always do, because it’s March and we know anything can happen.

March is a transition month and not only weather-wise. It is also the time of year many of you think about moving on from your present position. Or maybe you’ve already decided and have begun the process. If you are confident in your decision, good for you. If you are not, read further to learn about two ChoralNetters who made some decisions during March of last year.

Jacob* retired the spring of 2022 after twenty years as artistic director of a community chorus. He retired from his school position just before COVID but decided to keep his community chorus job to keep his hand in since he and his wife wanted to stay in the community. It had not been easy to continue with the chorus during COVID, especially with restrictions in his area. His community chorus was not happy and wanted him to break the restrictions. He did not want to. For the 13 months they were restricted gathering for in-person rehearsals, it was a constant battle with them and Jacob was exhausted. They finally were able to have more normal rehearsals and concerts in the Fall of 2021, but he was questioning if he should continue after the 2021-2022 concert year. Last March, it finally hit him; why should he work with a group of people who fought him every step of the way during a Pandemic? Were they Pandemic experts? And why were they taking things out on HIM? A period of time that should have been fun for him—for the first time he could direct all his time and energy to the community chorus—was anything BUT fun. COVID was part of the reason, but dealing with the Chorus Board was a HUGE part.

Jacob shared that his “gut” had told him to move on ‘way before he actually did. He only hesitated because he felt he owed those folks something. Now he wonders WHY he felt that way when they were so difficult during a difficult time for everyone. It was only after their holiday concerts and preparing for their March and May concerts, he realized how miserable he was. He does not regret leaving AT ALL. He and his spouse had the freedom to move to a warmer climate last fall and they are loving it.

Alice* was offered a new church position right after Christmas 2021. It was a better job, on paper, but paid the same as her current job, which had her wondering. The new position wouldn’t start until June of 2022, and she was given the deadline of March 29, 2022, to make a decision. Since they had other people who were also interested in the position, she was encouraged to make her decision sooner rather than later.

She started her due diligence and asked around. She asked about the church and congregation, the choir, the organ and the other instruments she would be expected to play, and the Pastor, especially the Pastor. What she heard did not impress her. The Pastor had “no opinions” about music for services, except when he did and then expected his preferences to be adapted immediately. The congregation bounced between “happy/clappy” and more traditional music for services, depending on who was in leadership on the Church Council. The choir and church musicians were supposed to jump right away to make it happen. The choir was a good church choir, the reason she had applied for the position to begin with and knew from her auditions the organ and pianos were fine instruments. But hearing about the Pastor and congregation cinched it for her; she decided to stay put.

Alice told me if the salary had been MORE than what she presently earns, she might have been swayed to change jobs. She’s truly happy where she is so why change? And she is so HAPPY she stayed because just after Christmas, that Pastor was charged with embezzling funds so who knows how that would have affected her job?

*Name Withheld