Choral Ethics

“The fox has many tricks. The hedgehog has but one. But that is the best of all.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have a bag of tricks—I am not ashamed to admit it—to get my choirs to do what they need to do. Some are appropriate for young singers, some are appropriate for older singers and some are more appropriate for trained singers. I am not reluctant to use any of my tricks for any group if it helps them learn music.

There are groan-inducing tricks (singing everything on the vowels ONLY–which my adult choirs hate–or on solfeggio) or tricks that can’t possible work (count singing—which is also groan-inducing) or singing everything on a doo or la; all of which DO WORK in the right circumstance. Yawning, rubber bands, balloons and drinking straws are also part of my arsenal. And after years of experience, I am able to tell which of my strategies will work, where.

In the early years of my career, I was insulted I wasn’t trusted when I wanted my singers to “sing outside the box.” Getting that initial trust to try something different was difficult. I used to tell my church choir I would tap dance if I had to for them to get something…and then break into a “shuffle-off-to-buffalo” or a “step-ball-change” which always made them laugh. Only then, would they try one of “Marie’s crazy ideas”…..I had to trot out my tap dancing chops to get ‘em to try ‘em! When I left the position, that choir would try anything I suggested, even the “inside out” technique most balked at trying in the beginning.

Occasionally, I have an adult “insulted” I’m suggesting a technique they deem “below” them. Clapping a tricky rhythm or singing everything forte instead of piano or piano instead of forte makes no sense to them, until they’ve tried it. I drag them, kicking and screaming, to try whatever technique they don’t understand and then they trust me. But it is often eye rolls and exasperated sighs as I explain what I want before they do. These days, I don’t care if they think something is silly as long as they are willing to try it.

My chamber choir is preparing an unaccompanied Felix Mendelssohn part song for our June concert. It is in two large sections; the first in e minor (in 3) and the second in E Major (in 2). It is one of loveliest German part songs we’ve ever sung but it is darn difficult. Each section, separately, is ready to rock n’ roll, but together—OY VEH! There is almost no preparation for the new key, other than one beat of rest, before we not only jump into Major but into a new time signature as well. This is the time for my “inside out” technique which means practicing the four measures before the key change, then the first four measures of the new key, then putting them together, then adding a phrase or two on each side of the minor/Major sections until the piece has been sung from the middle of the piece outward, from beginning to end. It should work, since it has in the past.

Why am I blogging about this? Recently, I mentioned having a “bag of tricks” to a colleague I don’t know very well. That colleague was horrified, horrified I tell you, that I would suggest something as offensive as having “tricks” to use in a choral rehearsal. Or something like that: I stopped listening after the first few horrifieds. He talked about being a good conductor and director, as well as an excellent musician, so why would he need to stoop to “tricks?” I started to ask him what he does if his choir is singing a wimpy piano (I would have them sing the passage forte a few times, then sing it again piano as written, usually a BIG DIFFERENCE) but then stopped. Because he was rhapsodizing about music being a pure art form and should not be sullied with “tricks;” generally stating he knew what he was doing and so did his choir. Sigh. I suppose he does. As for me, I do what works for me and my choirs. And that guy can get over it!

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Gandhi

 A few weeks ago, I wrote about Donald* who felt uncomfortable when a colleague, who usually snubbed and ignored him, began treating him normally. Of course, there was a reason for Donald’s sudden promotion to Lyndon’s* “Best Buddy.” You can read about it again if you’d like. Today we tell the story of Vicky*, a community chorus singer and member of the chorus board who tells a tale of a cycle of snubbing she is not sure how to handle.

Vicky lives in one of a group of small communities about two hours from a large metropolitan center. Her community, and others in the region, has created vibrant arts organizations which feed the cultural spirit of the area. There is a small professional orchestra with a youth symphony, there are art galleries and a museum, and a concert series in the largest town along with the community chorus Vicky sings in. It is not the city, nor claims to be, but a community which supports the arts and their own local artists.

Vicky moved to the area when she and her husband were first married. He had grown up in the community and had the opportunity to return. She agreed. One of the selling points for her was being near extended family as well as the fine chorus and other musical organizations. She has grown to love the galleries and small museum and has many friends involved with those fine organizations. She is generally happy with the community and content with raising their two young children there.

She wrote me in early March after she thought she would “lose it” during a reception for the professional symphony. Once again, she had been ignored and “looked through” by members of the symphony board and made to feel uncomfortable. This is a regular occurrence at symphony events such as concerts, fundraisers or receptions. But it doesn’t happen all the time, which is what confuses her. She wrote to me to help sort it out.

Vicky’s chorus sings regularly with the symphony. She, as a board member, encourages their collaboration when it comes time to decide if they will or won’t do it again. Some of her colleagues on the board are always against it for reasons that weren’t clear to her. She sees now what they have said before has some merit. They have spoken about a sort of hierarchy of arts organizations. The symphony board feels they are at the top and can treat any other performing group any way they want…except when they want something. Ah, I told her, now I see.

Vicky and her fellow board members should realize the symphony board will treat the chorus, chorus board members and chorus contributors any way they want because they always have. They’ve been allowed to “get away with it” with no further repercussions. If Vicky and her fellow board members want to “fix it,” they will have to do something.

There should be consequences, however mild. What do I mean? If it is not convenient or short notice or their director doesn’t want to, the chorus should not have to sing with the symphony when they snap their fingers. The chorus has always gone the extra mile for the symphony; that should stop. If chorus board members are symphony contributors, perhaps they should not donate as much or not at all. I would tell them why if asked. Money talks so it might be only way to get them to listen.

Many art organizations and other non-profits have similar problems, especially with their boards. The board is a clique and makes everyone else feel like intruders. They don’t quite grasp this fact; if you want a healthy organization, respected by all, then welcome all to your concerts and other events. If you want donors, or want to KEEP your donors, shake everyone’s hands and slap a smile on your face even if you can’t stand them. It seems simple enough, doesn’t it?

*Name Withheld

“The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another… and leaves us with the feeling that something is right in the world.” Leonard Bernstein

We all know Holy Week is the busiest week in our profession. Most of us have some sort of performing obligations, whether in church or getting ready for a performance before or after. Church choirs are crazy-busy with special Lenten music and Easter Cantatas, as well as all the extra rehearsals that go with it. Whew; I’m tired just typing this all out! Sometimes, like this year, I’m amazed by how much I’ve been able to accomplish despite the obstacles thrown in my way. I suppose I’m stubborn and tenacious. I think that is why I was able to do what I set out to do.

Many of you are equally stubborn and tenacious. That’s why beautiful music happens every year in your communities, no matter what. How many organists drove through ice storms or blizzards to practice at their churches during Lent? I would guess many of you. How many of you or your choirs sang through colds? Plenty, I am sure. You “powered through” anyway because that’s what we do, isn’t it? We bring the music, no matter what. No matter our hearts are breaking or we are stuck together with Vitamin C, hot tea and tissues or our snow chains are clanging as we “merrily roll along.” We bring the music.

In the event no one has told you recently: good job, you made your congregation’s Lenten and Easter plans happen. Never doubt yourself or imagine you didn’t do enough. You did plenty; there is someone out there who appreciates all you do, they just haven’t told you yet. They will tell you eventually, probably when you least expect it. But know even though they haven’t told you, your music was important to them and brought Hope to them when they felt without Hope. Never doubt. Please take some time for yourself after this week; you deserve it. And don’t forget the chocolate!

“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” Mark Twain

Donald* tells me most people would not think he has a problem. In fact, most people would believe he’s the problem. Not me; I think he has a point.

What’s all this about? Donald attended an arts event in mid-February. Ever since, he’s been watching his back; his colleague, Lyndon*, was nice to him. Lyndon began a spontaneous conversation with him, complimented what he was wearing, and asked after his family. He asked him if he had lost weight, told him he was looking “fine” then asked his opinion about a local political issue. All of this sounds like normal conversation between colleagues, doesn’t it? Except Donald and Lyndon do not have a normal collegial relationship, they are each other’s nemesis.

Donald is the newest faculty member in the music department and when he began, he felt vague animosity coming from Lyndon. He knew he hadn’t done anything to deserve that sort of treatment and blew it off to begin with. Lyndon did things to undermine him, talked over him in department meetings and did not acknowledge his presence. Little, petty things occurred on a regular basis so eventually; he could no longer ignore the fact he seemed to be the object of some sort of petty war with Lyndon. Donald swears he does not reciprocate and tries to pretend it doesn’t happen, but it happens over and over anyway.

Last year, one of his other colleagues noticed Lyndon’s treatment of Donald in a student recital. Lyndon ignored Donald most of the time, however, when one of his own students gave an especially fine performance; he turned his back on him when Donald attempted to congratulate him. Their colleague saw what happened and assured Donald it wasn’t his imagination. For some reason, Lyndon has it out for him. And the colleague told Donald, Lyndon’s always been a bit of a Diva.

So, back to the arts event in February; what really disturbs Donald about the whole thing is how he feels about Lyndon’s behavior. He doesn’t feel comfortable with Lyndon behaving like a normal person with him. To Donald’s knowledge, there is no reason for Lyndon to start treating him differently so he feels unsettled. He feels like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. He feels like he’s missing something and there is a reason (a selfish reason) for Lyndon to be nice to him. Donald’s wife told him to stop borrowing trouble and relax, but he can’t.

I told Donald I say my Spidey Sense is tingling when I feel the way he does. I usually can’t put my finger on it, but when something doesn’t feel or seem right to me, I go with my instincts. And I suggested he do the same.

UPDATE: I’ve been conversing with Donald and working on this Blog post since the beginning of March. During the weekend, Donald contacted me with the reason, the real reason, Lyndon was nice to him. Donald was just told Lyndon’s chamber music students will be giving a chamber recital in his choir room during his normally scheduled large chorus rehearsal. He wasn’t asked; he was told that is the way it’s going to be. The music department, with Lyndon’s persuasion, feels the chorus room with its raked seats for the audience (usually his singers) and the perfect spot for a string quartet (usually where his podium stands) is the best place for this special recital for their alumni. He will just have to find somewhere else for his one hundred-plus chorus to rehearse that day. Yeah, that will be easy.

Donald, as you can imagine, is livid. I reassured him about how he felt before and told him he should always trust himself. He will just have to get through this and it will be fine.  Donald is a bit relived he has until the end of April to figure something out for that rehearsal. They will probably end up using the concert hall several weeks early; it could be worse.

*Name Withheld

“Make yourself do unpleasant things so as to gain the upper hand of your soul.” W. E. B. Du Bois

Donna* and I have been corresponding since late last fall. After a move, due to her spouse’s job, she found a church position. She began last August, 12 months after their move, contacting me within six weeks of beginning. She is an organist as well as a choir director but was hired as “just” choir director. She was organist/choir master in her last position, which entailed not only directing the choir but playing for all services, weddings and funerals; it paid well but was stressful. She thought it would be pleasant to get her feet wet in her new community with a less demanding job. Hah!

On paper, her new position seemed idea; directing one adult choir, with one weeknight rehearsal, directing the choir for Sunday and Holy Day services, as well as regularly scheduled staff meetings. It is less time-consuming but perhaps much more stressful than she imagined. Where is her stress coming from? Guess.

The organist, Elsie*, is a lovely older woman who has been playing for this congregation for almost 40 years. While an adequate musician, her playing is ordinary. And Donna, who is a bit of an organ virtuoso, has had to bite her tongue more than once when told how lucky their congregation is to have her. Elsie has a cycle of music she uses over and over year round for preludes and postludes. She plays well enough but never veers from her comfort zone. Her hymn playing is fine but predictable and seems to be an “old lady mean girl” if you know what I mean.

Elsie insists her friend substitute for her when she is not able to play, even though she has been told Donna is perfectly capable. But Donna does need to be told when she will be needed. Her friend showed up to one Sunday morning service to play without Donna being told. Donna accompanied her choir, since the Sub hadn’t been to rehearsal during the week. Elsie yelled at her for doing so when she came back.

The choir is stuck by attitudes ingrained in them by their former choir director, Dave*, who had been in that position for about 25 years. They won’t warm up because they believe it to be a waste of their time when they could be “singing”…and I use quotation marks because Donna did. Dave was not a trained singer but a trumpet player–you know, a real musician—and believed he couldn’t get as much accomplished in rehearsal if they took time to warm up. At least, that’s what Elsie told Donna. Donna is a trained mezzo-soprano and tells me the choir’s voices sound tired half-way through rehearsal. She knows if they warmed up and allowed her to teach some sort of vocal technique, they would not tire as quickly.

There is a cycle of anthems Dave used. Donna refuses to use many of them since some are just not that great musically or are old and hackneyed. The choir is quite displeased because it’s what they are used to singing. When Donna does program one of their favorites and they rehearse it, it’s as if all the want to do is sing the anthem, they don’t want to rehearse the anthem. If she stops to correct a note or rhythm, they will either not stop and continue singing or claim Dave let them make that mistake because it sounds “better.” And so it goes.

Donna wants you to know, she didn’t accept this position meaning to shake things up. She accepted this position to get back to doing what she loves and what she believes to be her calling; to use her skills for the greater glory of God. She is the professional with her own experiences and opinions…..and yet…and yet she has been relegated to being a “Dave Clone” and that’s just not fair. I have written one or two other Choral Ethics Blogs about leaving a mess for those following you; here is another example of someone doing just that.

Donna wants to know if she should resign after Easter. I told her to think what would be best for her and then make her decision. Does she need the money? If she does, then she should sit tight until after Easter, and then begin looking around for another position. If she’s really miserable and doesn’t need the money, then resigning after Easter makes sense. She will need a reference from her current boss so it’s best to leave on good terms, even if that’s not how she feels. What would you tell her to do?

*Name Withheld