Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Choir Rules

 I believe in rules. Sure I do. If there weren’t any rules, how could you break them?” Leo Durocher

This is a Choral Ethics Blog post repeat from several years ago. I need to slow down and plotting out the rest of the summer now seems like a smart idea. I try to be here, one way or another, every week because I know many of you look forward to this blog and I don’t want to disappoint you. Hope you’ll enjoy one of our Oldies but Goodies!

In a few weeks, everything will start for our choirs. Getting back into the rehearsal swing with those first rehearsals, it’s time to pass out Choir Rules. Whether we call them “Choir Commandments” for a church choir or “Choir Expectations” (with a contract to sign) for academic choruses or “By-Laws” for a community group, they are still choir rules.  Most choral groups have pretty straight forward ones but a few are…..well, a few are *interesting*. Makes us wonder WHY that particular rule was included.

When my sons began piano lessons, they had no rules.  I allowed them to practice when and how they wanted.  Often, it was right before school and sometimes, right before bed.  As they studied, it turned out we had to have some rules. We had two basic ones, which to this day, apply to all children who come into our home and want to play our Steinway:

1. No banging
2. Wash your hands

The first rule was because of my son-the-physicist who studied percussion (and played through his undergrad years).  Eventually, he did find something other than my grand to bang on. The second rule developed because of my son-the-keyboardist (now with several degrees in piano).  His nine-year old self loved to practice so much, he often would eat (pancakes with syrup were a favorite) and run to the piano to play without washing his hands. I usually was the person to practice after he did and I did NOT appreciate a sticky keyboard! Our house piano rules developed over the first few years of their studying. I think they were good rules; and not so complicated for children to understand. And I think Choir Rules should do the same thing—be simple, easy to understand and have a reason for being.

Which leads me to the question, what kinds of rules do YOU have for your choir, how did they develop and why are they important to your organization? I’m sure all have rules about number of absences allowed, excused or not, in order to sing a concert.  I’m positive all have a tardiness rule in there somewhere. I bet there is a music folder turn-in rule or two. And I am also confident all have a concert dress code (and perhaps what condition choir uniforms are to be returned in) or some other guidelines as to what your singers should wear for a concert. Any of your other rules are probably unique to your situation.

I am interested in unique, “only in your choir,” kinds of choir rules. Do you have a “don’t come if you’re sick and we really mean it” rule because of an outbreak of flu several years ago? Is there mention of personal hygiene or cracking gum? What drove you to amend your approach with your church choir when *everyone* seemed to be taking the same Sunday off to go to a football game? Do rehearsals after football (or basketball) games have their own special rules, for those teaching at a high school or university?

When I was in the midst of forming my community chamber choir, I was given the opportunity to read the By-Laws of several other community choruses I knew. The large groups (my proposed choir would be a chamber choir) had many By-Laws I knew would not apply to me. By-Laws which could have been helpful were so wordy as to be difficult to understand. Some rules didn’t make sense to me at the time, but the longer I direct my own community chamber choir, the more I understand why those rules came into being.

I thought it might be fun to share your quirky and funny choir rules in a future Blog, perhaps in late November or early December, as the semester ends and concert and holiday season intensify. We’ll all need a laugh by then. But I need your help. Please contact me at  or you may respond here. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you!