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Choral Ethics

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: A Busy Holy Week

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“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.” Victor Hugo

NOTE: I wrote this piece a few years ago and it hasn’t been appropriate to run it again until now. Most of us are almost back to “normal” so this is for all of you who are able to do what you do and also for those who will be able to do what you do SOON! MLGA

I am sure you are busy. In fact, I know you are busy this week. This week, Holy Week is the distillation of all we as choral professionals do, packed into seven days. A friend of mine in grad school, who used to sing with the professional choir at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, told me she and her fellow choristers called this “H**L Week.” At the end of it on Easter Sunday, they came out of it bleary eyed, craving chocolate and wanting to sleep for 24 hours. Most church musicians can relate to this and even if you are not a church musician, you can relate.

Whether you are singing, playing or conducting this week, you are busy. But this is just the showy part of the worship services, lined up one after another during Holy Week, the real work took place months ago. I explain to my civilian friends and family, being a choral conductor means steady planning for months, then intense busyness, then nothing. And repeat. It may seem to my mother-in-law I don’t work during the summer but it’s my most productive time. And my planning is probably more important than my actual doing.

This week, all your plans are coming to fruition. Everything you’ve been working on for months is finally coming together. There is a light at the end tunnel, along with the Easter Lilies. You are almost there with only a couple of rehearsals left.

Remember to jot down, when you have a minute, what works and what doesn’t this week, so you’ll be a bit ahead for next year. Remember to eat properly and get enough sleep (if you can) so you can get through the whole week and not crash at the end. Remember to participate in, as well as observe your beautifully planned Tenebrae service and feel the wonder of it all. Remember to guide your choirs and the other musicians through the last part of their Lenten journey. Remember to remember what this feels like; a wonderfully planned and perfectly executed Holy Week and even if you don’t think it is, someone will, so take the compliment!

We are almost there, almost. Take a break, take a nap and then buckle down for these last few days. The brass players are ready, the organ and piano are tuned, your choirs seem prepared, and everything is in place. I can smell the Easter Lilies……what you are waiting for…let’s do this!

 

 

 

 

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Autism Awareness Month

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“Sunflowers for Ukraine,” Russell Amenta, artist with autism

(April is National Autism Awareness Month)

“Autism is part of who I am.” Temple Grandin

“Mrs. Amenta, we have to be kind to those poor parents. They have children with autism and have no hope.” For some reason, Dr. Marguerite’s* comment just ticked me off. This was over twenty years ago, and I was the president of a local chapter of the Autism Society of America. Dr. Marguerite was a speaker at one of our monthly meetings and I was trying to get things organized before everyone got there. She spoke patronizingly about our members as we got her materials set up. She never realized that I too was one of “those poor parents” and she was offending me.

My eldest son has autism and if you think I’m sensitive about it, you would be wrong. I accept it and him for who he is. I love him because he is my son and because, despite his disability, his sweet, loving personality comes through. I am realistic but I also am able to see his potential. It is so much better to focus on what he can do rather than what he can’t. Russell is a person, not a disability, and is worthy of respect.

Our family has tried to put a face on autism by being advocates in our autism journey. My husband, a physician, wrote the first children’s book about autism, which was updated with a new look and title in 2011. I have worked with parents groups, siblings groups and have been a music inclusion consultant. And have been a mentor for choirs of adults with developmental disabilities of all sorts. We are active in advocacy. No one should feel sorry for us; this is our life, and we live it as well as we can.

Of course, I fought for him when he was in school. I fought for him to be a music inclusion student when he began high school. At our first IEP meeting, I suggested he be in orchestra as an inclusion student. Our Staffing Team was dumbfounded that I had the nerve to suggest it! What they didn’t realize was the orchestra director was the spouse of my other sons’ piano teacher and I had already spoken with him. He agreed and was excited since he knew Russ came from a family of musicians. The Team finally agreed (I wouldn’t sign the IEP unless they at least tried it) to only the first ten minutes of class. I figured getting his foot in the door was better than nothing.

A week or so later, I got a message from the school, asking me to sign off on an amendment to his IEP. When I returned the call, I was flabbergasted to learn they wanted to extend the time he was in orchestra. The professionals thought since he was doing so well, it would be in his best interest to stay for the whole class. Who was I to argue with the professionals???!!!??? If they wanted to think it was their idea in the first place, far be it from me to rock the boat when I was getting what I wanted. He did extremely well and ended up conducting the orchestra for their Alma Mater at a concert toward the end of high school years. He made many, many friends and enriched his classmates’ lives as well; a win/win as far as I’m concerned.

Dr. Marguerite’s presentation itself was okay all those years ago. The one thing that I remember from her speech was she was talking down to us. She seemed to think she had all the answers and if we were more intelligent or educated or…something…we wouldn’t have a child with autism. What she didn’t acknowledge was EVERYONE will be affected by disability, through no fault of their own, at some point in their lives. You might have a cousin with Downs Syndrome or a grandparent with dementia. Your mother might have macular degeneration and go blind, or your neighbor might have a child with autism. Someone you love will be disabled.

When you are asked to have a music inclusion student in your choir, think how you would feel if it were your child. Don’t feel sympathy for them, feel compassion for them. Instead of focusing on how good it feels for you; focus on how good you are making them feel. It will make you feel good. But whatever opportunities you will be creating for them will far outlast your thrill. And that’s a good thing.

*Name Withheld

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: A Silent Wood

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“Ash Wednesday”, Russell Amenta, artist with autism

(March is National Disabilities Awareness Month)

“Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no
birds sang there except those that sang best.” — Henry Van Dyke

We all assume certain things about others.  Those assumptions are usually based on something we know about them–whether they’re up bringing or professions or conversations you may have had.  I try to be nondescript in many situations because people do make assumptions.  And having a child with a disability automatically puts you in a certain “box” of perceptions, mostly wrong.  In my professional life, most don’t know my situation and when it does come out, it is a shock.  My views about those with disabilities and the fine arts are not so revolutionary but are different from what many would expect.

I have seen folks with disabilities give performances in several performing art disciplines that are nuanced and passionate and have moved me beyond what I expected to feel.  These were far from perfect but watching people who are not supposed to understand subtext give surprisingly complicated performances inspires me to look deeper at this population.

If we want our children to become full members of our communities, all avenues have to be open to them, even the artistic ones. There are things that must be in place first, of course.  Meaningful employment, housing and transportation plus any health issues have to be addressed.  And, just like everyone else, people with disabilities have their own tastes.  My son Russell’s love for his CD of Luciano Pavarotti singing with Sting and Zucchero (an Italian pop star) may not be your son’s or daughter’s cup of tea but Russ loves it!  Sometimes, in our frustration with our children and disability, we forget they are people with likes and dislikes and talents and an inner life we may not understand.  We get caught up with other things, which may or may not be more important, but we forget.  Art and music touch our inner self; reach us on levels deeper and richer than everyday life.  Why can’t the arts reach our children at those same levels?

How many times, in your own life, have you turned up the radio on your way home from a stressful day, letting the music wash away the stress?  Or have you sung along with it? Loud.  Have you doodled or drawn when you were bored or upset?  Do you pick up your knitting or crochet to release stress or be creative?  Do you sing in your church or temple choir or attend performing arts events in your community, and do you feel connected to others through your singing or listening?  What about dancing?  Do you take a ballroom class with your partner (or do you WANT to) or line dance at your favorite country western place?  I am proposing our loved ones deserve the same outlets, the same way of handling stress or feeling connected, what ever their level of functioning.  Artistic expression is a basic, human thing and our kids are people.

My autistic son is artistic.  It sounds funny, I know, but he is.  At 12 months of age, he could match pitches, something that is difficult for most children under the age of 6 or 7 years to do.  He has a sense of style and color and something we call “Russell Feng Shui”, his version of how his surroundings should be.  He loves music, of all sorts, and has quite a collection of CDs.  He enjoys movies, mostly Disney, but has a sense of what he likes and plays those over and over again.  He has long been interested in coloring, painting and collage work and can be occupied by his artwork for hours some days.  We don’t consider art “busy work” or something he is doing just to “do” something because it gives him such joy.  It is truly an outlet for him to communicate who he is, to us and to the world.

Russ has perfect pitch, as does one of his brothers.  Years ago, at a youth symphony concert, Russell was sitting with us as the high school group tuned and tuned–and tuned.  He started to hum–his brother, Ben, looked me dead in the eye and said, “he’s humming the pitch they’re trying to tune to, Mom!”  He loves to listen to our piano tuner tune our grand–and will hum pitches that should be before they’re tuned.  One tuner told me he hates people with perfect pitch–I told him not to hate Russ, it’s the only thing he can do.  You see, Russell is not able to speak, and his humming of those pitches is the only way he has ever communicated with any sense of purpose.

My question to you is why shouldn’t he be artistic and musical?  His mother and brothers are musicians, as well as a grandmother, a great-grandmother and an uncle.  He has two aunts who are artists and designers, as well as cousin who was a landscape designer.  A grandfather was a nationally known dancer and ballet master. His father is a music lover and played music in our home from the time he was in the womb and beyond.  Just because he is disabled doesn’t cancel out his heritage of an artistic lineage.  He is a person, not a disability, and his artistic bent is separate from his autism.

Someone asked me a few years ago, as I was preparing to direct a new, elite chamber choir, if I could tolerate those not really musically gifted singing in my choirs.  It was an odd question, and this person did not know my background, especially since I think I am a better person, teacher and yes, conductor, because of Russell.  I have had to look past certain things and be creative in my solutions and hope I come across as tolerant and supportive rather than too quick to judge those with less abilities.  And, I have had to love unconditionally.  It was then I remembered the quote of Henry van Dyke.  Everyone should be able to participate in the arts, whatever their level, whatever their interests.  Our world is enriched because of their participation.  It would indeed be a very silent wood if they weren’t encouraged.

 

 

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Divas I Have Known

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“Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.” Aretha Franklin

 Just as things are getting back to “normal-ish,” things REALLY are getting back to “NORMAL-ISH!” Two ChoralNetters share current stories with me about Divas.

I was raised by the Queen of the Night so nothing gets to me, diva-wise. My late Mom was a coloratura soprano and could be a real Diva when she wanted to be, usually with a very good reason for her behavior. My voice teacher, again, can be a Diva but I always understand why she does what she does. These ladies used their Diva-ness judicially, when and where it could do the most good for their cause. I respect Divas and try not to be one myself. It’s not that hard to not be demanding about silly things and save it for things that are actually important. Then there are Divas who use their talent, looks and charm to demand what they want, no matter what or who’s rights it impinges upon. The rest of us can either acquiesce or ignore. My advice is, IF POSSIBLE, to ignore.

Dante* told me about a concert he conducted in late winter in combination with another performing arts group. The day before the concert, the dress rehearsal was at the venue for both groups. Each of the ensembles had a certain amount of time with a gap of 30 minutes between each separate rehearsal to reset the stage. Everything was going very well with his chorus until about 20 minutes before their portion of the rehearsal was to end. At that point, a woman came stamping into the auditorium, yelling. She stomped up to the stage, poked her finger repeatedly at Dante, and DEMANDED to know who he was and who THOSE PEOPLE (his chorus) were and what they were still doing on stage.

He told her who they all were and calmly (he told me he TRIED to be calm because he didn’t know who she was) explained they had 20 more minutes left of their scheduled rehearsal. She explained she was the HARPIST for the next group and demanded they leave immediately so she could tune her harp in peace before her rehearsal. He told her “No.” She really started to get riled up, but Dante remained calm as he could be while she swore and promised vengeance. They completed their rehearsal while she was yapping. The director of the next group came in while she was still yelling and observed what was happening.

As Dante was gathering his things, the other director came up to apologize for the harpist’s behavior but explained that “she is so good, he always puts up with her nonsense.” Dante can’t imagine putting up with someone yelling as they walked into someone else’s rehearsal. In fact, he’s having second thoughts about working with that group again. A good number of his chorus members came up to him at their rehearsal after that performance and said how proud they were of him and how he handled it.

Beatrice has had enough of the two big Divas in her church choir. One wants a solo, the other demands she NOT give that person a solo because they’re not good enough to have a solo, but SHE is. All of these requests are done in the privacy of the choir room and made with “the best interests of the choir” at the heart of them. Back and forth and back and forth, they go ‘round and ‘round with how good THEY are and how AWFUL the other person is. Things were bad before COVID restrictions and are twice as bad now that many have been lifted.

It changed and got a bit worse just as this Lent began, with an actual sort of threat made by both ladies. One told her she would be stepping down from the choir after Easter unless she got a solo of some sort during Holy Week and the other made a similar threat of taking a “choir sabbatical” until September because she doesn’t seem to be appreciated. What to do?

Beatrice asked me for some advice, and I gave her some ideas. I told her if she gives into their threats, they will feel they can continue to do so but if somehow, she lets them know she’s in control, it will be better. I suggested she pick two solos which could be appropriate for either Diva, one for Palm Sunday and one for Easter Sunday, and let them pick which one they each want TOGETHER with the understanding each will get ONE SOLO and ONE SOLO ONLY. Before Pentecost, set up a solo schedule for the coming summer and let EVERYONE in the whole choir choose their date. If the Divas want a solo, they each get one and one only for the whole summer. If there are any dates left, announce to the congregation the dates that are open for anyone in the congregation who would like to sing or play an instrument. And I told Beatrice to make sure the Divas know she will no longer be listening to their smack talking–there’s no reason for it!

*Name withheld

 

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Ignore the Dependable at Your Peril

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“Professionalism in art has this difficulty: To be professional is to be dependable, to be dependable is to be predictable, and predictability is esthetically boring – an anti-virtue in a field where we hope to be astonished and startled and at some deep level refreshed.” John Updike

Maude* began last fall’s concert cycle the way she did in “Before Pandemic Times.” That means she had to beg for her music, beginning in July, until just before the first rehearsal in late August. She is an accompanist for a community chorus, likes to be prepared, and cultivates the reputation of being dependable. She has begged and cajoled and demanded music in years past, so she has adequate time to practice before rehearsals begin, but somehow the chorus’s director thinks she does it all by magic. But no more.

The only thing that seems to have changed because of COVID with the director and chorus is everyone wears masks in rehearsals, but nothing else. The problem is, during all the lockdowns and stay-at-homes and supply-chain problems, Maude has changed. She is no longer willing to beg and cajole and demand her music, so she has adequate time to practice. She did the usual begging last fall but this spring NOPE! And when she still hadn’t received her music three days before rehearsals began in January, instead of stressing about it, she took a nap and relaxed. As you can imagine, she was not prepared for the first rehearsal and her director made snarky comments in front of the chorus about her lack of preparation throughout their two-and-a-half-hour rehearsal. But Maude WAS prepared for the snarky comments she knew were coming. And she made a few of her own right back.

Is Maude proud to have sunk to snark level? No, but she does feel better. The director and singers look at her differently and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. She was always dependable, always, and the one time she wasn’t she was chastised in front of the chorus. That’s another reason she’ll be leaving after the last concert in June.

Debra* is a choral assistant in a well-to-do public high school district in the Midwest. Unlike other choral assistants, she doesn’t accompany for the choral program but does all the busy work; she would have been called the department secretary in years past. The two choral teachers are nice enough people but far from organized. It’s lucky for them Debra is VERY organized. She files music, copies handouts, handles the computer and other equipment and is in charge of making the choral department run smoothly. She configures concert programs, taking them to the in-school printshop in plenty of time for each concert. She is the one to take the choir robes and uniforms to the dry cleaner, after the students check them in with her. She organizes the Choral Parents, setting up the meetings, and makes sure the choral teachers know in plenty of time so they may attend. She takes notes when there is a departmental meeting, even just between the two teachers. There are probably a few tasks I am missing but you get the idea.

While school was remote for almost a year, Debra manned her computer at home and helped the choral teachers with their own home set ups. It was not ideal—it wasn’t for anyone—but they managed. She was able to get to school for supplies a few times, but it was difficult. Once, she and the custodian scanned 30 different pieces of music to email to students so they would have music for remote rehearsals. Because of a few technical glitches, it took them three full days. She made the remote Winter 2020 concert happen through sheer chutzpa and it was considered a success, too.

Spring 2021 was a hybrid concert; the students sang from the school’s auditorium, and it was streamed live, then available on the school’s YouTube channel after it was edited. Debra heard about a similar concert, suggested it to the choral teachers, and made it happen.

Debra, like Maude, is leaving after this choral year. Like many in education, she is exhausted by the sheer stress of making it up as she goes along, under impossible circumstances. But what really pushed her was not being acknowledged by ANYONE for all she did during remote and hybrid learning.

The Choral Parents made a Big Deal out of both choral teachers at the in-person winter 2021 concert. The choral teachers made a Big Deal out of the Choral Parents. Everyone got flowers, the students got the choral teachers gifts and Debra, manning the camera during the concert, got Zilch. No words of thanks before or after the concert from anyone or a mention from the stage. She has had enough.

Debra had always enjoyed her job before the Pandemic because she loves choral music. She sings in her church choir and occasionally the local community chorus. She knows what she does is important to the choral program but doubts the Choral Parents or the choral teachers do. Debra will continue to give her all until the end of the school year but is looking for a new job. She thinks her community chorus would be delighted to welcome her and her skill set as would other school districts. She doubts her current school district will be able to find anyone to replace her adequately.

As I mentioned last week, during the Pandemic many people have changed their priorities.  We as a profession need to think about that fact and change our priorities too. It can’t be “business as usual,” overlooking those who help make our programs run.

 

*Name Withheld

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Wasting Time

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“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Theophrastus

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a problem ChoralNetter Trudy* was having at her church job. Everyone in this congregation was tardy, from the clergy to the choir to some members of the congregation for services. She was thinking about resigning but had some doubts. She asked for help sorting them out. We had an email dialogue in which I gave her some advice and we brainstormed a few other ideas. Trudy’s issues are fairly typical for choral directors; singers are late, what do you do to get them to be on time? But what if the problem was reversed, what if it was the director who was late or who wasted THE SINGERS time?

Jonathon* is a tenor who recently resigned from a very nice community chorus, with a very nice director. It is his opinion as a long-time choral singer, this chorus could be even BETTER if the director wasn’t consistently disrespectful of their time. She is late about once a month, and when she is, never apologizes or acts contrite for keeping them waiting. There is never a “sorry, traffic was brutal,” or “my son’s dental appointment ran late, I apologize for keeping you all waiting.” She does not tolerate lateness in her singers but ignores her own tardiness.

But it was more than the director’s occasional tardiness which caused Jonathon to leave the chorus. What pushed him over the edge was the way she handles sectionals. He tells me this director is “old fashioned” in many aspects of rehearsals and sectionals are no different. She rarely announces sectionals beforehand because everyone dreads them. Why? Because she requires everyone—all the vocal sections—to sit through everyone else’s sectional. She begins those rehearsals with the usual warm-ups, then announces she has scheduled sectionals for that evening.

Instead of allowing section leaders to take their own section members to another room to work on their own parts while she works with another section, or letting folks take a break, they are expected to sit quietly in their seats while she works with another group. And expects those not singing to follow along with their scores.  This isn’t trouble shooting during a rehearsal but an out and out SECTIONAL. Usually, it is just one voice part for the first hour, then she does a tutti rehearsal. But Jonathon has wondered, why can’t she ask the other sections to come an hour later? Is following your part while others sing really that beneficial?

After they came back from their COVID break, Jonathon hoped things would be different. The first time there was sectional last fall, he found himself resentful, feeling his time was being wasted. The basses were put through their paces for an hour—AN HOUR. He thought back to “Before COVID” and didn’t remember feeling this ticked off. The next time there was a sectional, it was his section, so he couldn’t feel his time was being wasted. But while he was singing, he looked over at the altos and they all looked ticked. He realized he wasn’t alone feeling the way he does.

Jonathon sang the December concert and really enjoyed singing together with his choirmates again. But he did NOT enjoy the rehearsal process after coming back from COVID. He informed the Chorus Board right after Christmas he wasn’t coming back. He wants to know if he should tell the Board why he left. I told him YES. It would actually be helpful for them to know the reason they are losing a tenor and perhaps other singers as well.

During the Pandemic, many people have changed their priorities.  We as a profession need to think about that fact and change our priorities too. It can’t be “business as usual” or we might lose a tenor!

*Name Withheld

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