“Music is the easy part, it’s everything else that’s difficult.” Rose Marie Ditto Grass (1927-2014)
My Mom, a coloratura soprano, used to tell us music was the easy part, everything else was hard. She told us in various ways, in various situations, or used some such variant when it seemed applicable. Several of us became professional musicians or artists, using music and art in our everyday and professional lives but it wasn’t UNTIL we became professional musicians or artists, we knew what she was talking about. But what did she mean? If you know, you know but for those who do not, let me explain.
As a musician, you’ve probably been studying for many years. You’ve practiced, you’ve studied, and you’ve performed in recitals and concerts, you’ve read and listened, you’ve gone to master classes, but you’ve had guidance and support. You feel confident in your musicianship and know you can play and sing and conduct with the best of them. Music, while not exactly easy, is something you feel comfortable doing because you’ve been doing it for a long time with great teachers and it’s predictable.
Your teachers and directors and conductors led you in classes and in rehearsals and you never had to worry about anything leading up to a concert or recital because they were in charge. Every little detail was attended to, from getting the piano tuned for a performance to the delivery and setting up of risers, you didn’t have to think about one little thing. Program notes—and other program material—magically appeared when needed and programs were collated in enough time to make it into the hands of ushers, who also magically appeared where and when they were needed. It seemed easy, and your teachers and directors and conductors seemed to have everything, always, under control. And then YOU got a music teaching or directing or conducting job, and it doesn’t seem so easy any longer.
The first time you directed a performance, I bet you were flustered. As the sign on the desk of our late President Harry S Truman said, “The Buck Stops Here.” Having all the responsibility for rehearsals and then the final concert can be daunting. There’s PR for auditions and for the concert once rehearsals begin. Then there is the hiring of an accompanist, if the organization doesn’t already have one, or you are practicing the material if you will accompany rehearsals. Of course, the concert repertoire will need to be decided BEFORE rehearsals begin as well as the music ordered, numbered, and folders put together or iPad information gathered, and music scanned or downloaded. YIKES!
Rehearsals haven’t begun and there’s already a ton of work that needs to be accomplished. Once rehearsals begin, there is a seating chart and chairs and risers and pianos and rehearsal plans and much, much, MUCH more to be decided. Interpersonal things are also of importance and handling of the personalities of your chorus, the accompanist and YOU can be challenging. We here at Choral Ethics KNOW this is important from the number of emails we get!
You might have been lucky to have someone to help with all the busy work for your first concert, but if this was your first music job, you probably didn’t. You had to tell the accompanist what you were working on for each rehearsal, so you had to plan rehearsals in ample time. You had to make sure everyone knew what the concert dress was and how the concert tickets would be distributed. You probably took care of most of these details and very few slipped through the cracks, but some did. You got through it, that first time, and made mental notes where you could improve, and you did. But something ALWAYS popped up during each concert cycle you weren’t expecting, and you handled it. As time goes on, we all become more adapt at handling the unexpected. We must EXPECT the UNEXPECTED and live with it because it would be boring to always have an easy time of it.
Being a choral professional is often difficult, but the music is worth it. That I can guarantee.
dbutler says
I totally agree! Beginning with my early music making in the 80’s performing in punk/new wave clubs, to my current day composing of modern choral and orchestral music, it is the human interactions that are the most difficult. Yes, the music part of it is easy. Take all that to another level: compose sacred concert music for chorus and orchestra and you have a new level of difficulty. It seems as if people cannot actually perceive new music unless someone they respect points it out and recommends it. It’s like sitting in an interview and the person says “well, we are looking for someone with experience. What are your credentials?”