Preparation for regular choral rehearsals is very important. There are a number of issues to be addressed. These are mentioned below as related content and are addressed in detail in each of the modules that are a part of the overall regular rehearsal dimension. In addition, discussion questions, possible projects and several readings are listed. One of the most important preparations for rehearsal is the prerehearsal analysis of the music. A presentation of this analysis is in a separate module. Its importance cannot be overemphasized. The rehearsal can be well planned, but if the director does not know the music thoroughly, all will have been in vain; the rehearsal will not be a success. It is imperative that the director know the music thoroughly before introducing it to the ensemble in rehearsal. Once the analysis is made, the director will not need to analyze the music in the same detail again, but will want to review the music relative to the rehearsal most recently completed and the upcoming rehearsal with the goal of improving the ensemble's performance and understanding of the music.

Planning for daily rehearsals is different than planning for the first rehearsal of the year. Some of the same principles are involved but every rehearsal now has a place in a chain of rehearsals that ends in one or more performances.

Know exactly which pieces are to be rehearsed and why. Too many directors do not know the why often enough. Determine what must be accomplished with each piece and decide how that can best be done to save time and energy. Devise ways of teaching similar passages that occur in separate works. When possible write the two similar passages on the chalkboard before the rehearsal begins. Have the singers learn the similarities and the differences. Have them sing both passages and then continue to rehearse one of the works involved. This is only one example of the best utilization of rehearsal time. There are many and each director must examine the music carefully to find every possible way to reinforce learning and to use time wisely.

A rehearsal guide, such as shown in figure 1, can be used to establish balanced, consistent rehearsals. This kind of attention to planning will pay off for both the director and the choir. The director will find that the use of a rehearsal guide will discipline his approach to each rehearsal.

Sing the first four notes on an "oh" vowel, not fast. Add the last two notes and move the tempo up gradually.

Secondary purpose of warm-up

Strive for clarity of notes. (The theme [No. 2 of figure 1] is that used in Britten's Wolcum Yole!, Boosey and Hawkes.)

1st Selection

Wolcum Yole!—work to clean up the moving notes at both the text, "Wolcum Yole!" and "Be thou heavne King" passages. Apply the principle of diaphragmatic support, (used in warm-up) to the moving notes. Work to the soft section.

Figure 10.1. 

2nd Selection

"Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light," J. S. Bach, G. Schirmer.

Stress the amount of room needed to produce a free tone. Then use text, still striving for room in the mouth. Have students place index finger in front of the ear to detect jaw motion.

Continue to use text, emphasizing the growth principle, striving for the continued deepness of the tone, open throats, and growth in the tone.

3rd Selection

"Now Thank We All Our God," J. Pachelbel, Robert King Music Co.

Begin on the last section, sing on pum; stress the rhythmic activity and its relation to the cantus firmus. Use C. F. with text, other parts on "pum". Emphasize the relationship between the C. F. and the other parts, including dynamic levels needed to achieve clarity of both.

4th Selection

"Psallite," M. Praetorius, Bourne Music Co.

This is an easy piece that that the choir can perform rather well quite quickly. Work for balance, blend, and style. Must not be too forceful, although rhythmic. Work for correct word stress. Be careful of Latin and German pronunciation. Have choir speak text.

If Time

Repeat Wolcum Yole!, recapping work done at beginning of rehearsal. If possible, continue to end of work.

If there is a chalkboard available directly in front of the choir, list the pieces that will be rehearsed in their rehearsal order. As the singers are seated, they can begin to place the music in order, saving time later in the rehearsal. Rehearsal time will be conserved if the choir has permanently assigned music folders. Except in an emergency, rehearsal time should not be used to distribute music.

After the pieces have been selected for rehearsal, the following points will aid in determining the order in which they will be rehearsed.

1. Place the most difficult task of the rehearsal toward the beginning of the rehearsal. Either begin with it or precede it by a short work or only a small portion of a work, so the singers will be fresh for the most difficult work of the hour.

2. Do not rehearse passages in extreme ranges before the voices are properly warmed up.

3. Try to put different styles into the rehearsal, but do not mix the styles so much that there is no continuity and no carry over of ideas.

4. When possible, use two or more works that have similar problems.

5. Do not rehearse several pieces in a row that have a high tessitura or whose total vocal requirements are quite demanding. If this is done, the rehearsal will really be finished long before the director dismisses the students. If the singers have to sing too long in extreme tessituras they will quickly tire and be unable to respond to normal rehearsal demands. The tone quality will also suffer and the singers will begin to force to try to regain the lost quality. There is only one result; a poor rehearsal.

6. Separate the most difficult pieces with easier ones. Do not devote an entire rehearsal to just difficult repertoire. The singers' mental and vocal abilities will be overtaxed and much less will be accomplished than desired.

7. Build variety into the rehearsal even if it is variety within only several works (choosing contrasting sections, etc.).

8. Do not always start at the beginning of every piece. Beginnings of pieces are often over-rehearsed to the detriment of the rest of the work. Do not waste rehearsal time singing through sections that the singers know. Go immediately to the place in question. It is often worthwhile to begin rehearsals in the middle of a work.

9. It is also desirable to have the choir sing one piece in its entirety or a section of a longer work during the rehearsal. It should be remembered that they will not always share your enthusiasm for part learning.

10. Place a short break in the middle of a one-hour rehearsal. Confine the members' talking to a few moments during the break before the necessary announcements (place announcements at the break rather than at the beginning of the rehearsal).

At the beginning of each rehearsal the director must reestablish a rapport with the singers. The singers come from a variety of situations just previous to choir. Some of them may have had a strenuous physical education class, or some a stimulating social studies discussion in which they are still engaged as they enter the choral room. Someone else may have just flunked a test or had an argument with a boyfriend or girlfriend. In a non-school situation such as a church choir or community choir the singers have come from diverse situations. It is the task of the choral director to reorient these many different kinds of attitudes and personalities with a variety of things on their minds, to choral music—--to the rehearsal. Some prefer to start every rehearsal with some physical movements together on the premise that it not only loosens muscles and releases tension, but that it also brings the group into a psychological unity--—doing the same thing together, often interacting with one another. These can be worthwhile but perhaps would not have to be done every day. Anything that is done every day can easily become commonplace and then lose some of its value. The director, through his personal magnetism and ability to motivate students, can bring the group together to the mutual concern, choral music.

Whatever the problems of the day, for both the singers and director, the director must give an appearance of vitality and enthusiasm. Greet some of the students as they enter and look at their faces. From their replies and facial expressions one can usually determine their level of enthusiasm and, in general, the mood of the ensemble. A smile and a pleasant greeting from the director can often turn a sour disposition into a pleasant one, and certainly is a signal to all students of the buoyant, active, psychological environment of the rehearsal.

When the rehearsal begins, the director must maintain a pace in the rehearsal that is active and demands interest, a pace that moves along nicely but is not frenetic. Directors are often admonished to keep rehearsals moving rapidly. Rehearsals can acquire a flustered, hurried atmosphere that is not conducive to good singing. The rehearsal should move fast enough to keep the singers alert without being tense.

Determine which seating arrangement you will want to use for the rehearsal. This will depend upon the place of this rehearsal in the overall rehearsal plan, and the type of music being rehearsed. If you have several standard seating plans, place the number or name of the one for that rehearsal on the chalkboard. Unless they are otherwise informed, students should plan to be seated in the number one arrangement.

The director must be aware of fatigue in a rehearsal. He must be ready to change the pace of the rehearsal or move to the next piece if he senses that the attention of the singers is beginning to slip away from him. Signs that the singers are tiring of a particular work are talking, less enthusiasm, inattention, and musically, a poorer tone, and lack of attention to pitch. There is a point with every ensemble when learning has stopped and the material has been belabored.

Do not be afraid to move around during the rehearsal. There is a difference between concert conducting gestures and those that may be used in a rehearsal. Step to the section in question if they are being rehearsed on a single part. Avoid getting into the habit of singing with the choir during rehearsal. The task of the director is to listen.

When it is necessary to rehearse a section alone, the other singers are not participating. Some directors tell the others to look at their parts and learn them while the other part rehearses. This is only partially successful. This may or may not keep them quiet, which is usually the intent. Often it helps to have the other singers hum their parts while the part in question sings with text. This will still allow the director to hear the part that needs help, and will also keep the others actively participating in the music, and provide a harmonic foundation for the section being rehearsed. This also keeps the other singers musically involved. Sectional rehearsing during general rehearsals is often necessary, but it should be kept at a minimum.

It will be necessary to repeat sections, rehearsing the same thing a number of times. This can be tiresome to both the choir and to the director. Tiresome as it is, do not allow sloppy work. Insist from the start that the music be sung correctly. One cannot wait until the time to "polish" to correct all the "little" errors. These errors are not really little, they just seem easier to pass over during the earlier rehearsals. The longer that one rehearses the error, the more difficult it will finally be to correct it.

Constant repetitions in choral rehearsals that do not have a purpose will result in little advance of the work musically. It is repetition with meaning that will foster real learning. When it is necessary to repeat, call attention to the reason for the repetition, do not just sing it again. Incorporate the reason for the repetition with the direction to repeat. For instance, "Let's start again at letter B, and this time be more conscious of the gradually rising dynamics," tells the ensemble where to start and why the repeat is being made and what should be done with the music this time through. The statement, "OK, take it again from B," brings a mental, if not vocal, groan. If the director cannot give an immediate reason for repeating, there is not a reason.

Sometimes the reason for repetition may be apparent to everyone. When possible, be encouraging as the part is being repeated. Saying, "Whoops! We almost got it. This time for certain," is sometimes enough. Or, "Altos, if the F sharp is in tune, your chances for an accurate C sharp are better. Anticipate it as you approach the F sharp. OK, let's show them this time." If the problem still exists after several repetitions either stop or have a different technique ready to help the singers correct the problem. Remember, they have been trying to correct it by doing what you asked. If what you have asked is not working, you must have another method of correcting it. If you do not have a different suggestion let them know you will stop working on it today and rehearse it again at another rehearsal. By that time you will need to have a different technique ready to attempt to solve the problem. Using the problem above (the alto F sharp to C sharp interval descending), we shall further say, and occurring at the same time as a bass D, you might start the next rehearsal with all singers singing the alto part in question, strengthening the altos' confidence in pitch accuracy. Then you could have the basses hum their part while the sopranos and altos sing the alto part. Then have the altos sing their part with text and have all other sections hum their parts. Finally, have all parts sing with text.

Some most important points to remember are:

1. Do not continue to rehearse a part when no progress is being made.

2. Have another technique ready to help the singers solve the problem.

3. If you do not have another technique to help them, mark the spot and develop a different approach to the problem for the next rehearsal.

4. There is more than one way to deal with most rehearsal problems. You must find the one that works with each group.

5. Approach rehearsals with more than one rehearsal method.

6. Be flexible in your rehearsal plan. Have a plan and follow it, but be ready to deviate from it when needed.

7. Do not be the conductor who works on the problem, even when the problem doesn't exist, because he had put it in his rehearsal plan.

Keep your own talking in the rehearsal to a minimum. The people came to sing. There will be specific times when you will want to tell them something about the style of a given work or tell them about the composer. Make these talks brief and to the point. Do not ramble. Prepare your statements just as you would prepare a lecture for a class studying the work.

Tape record, audio or video, occasional rehearsals just to check your rehearsal procedures and pacing. Time the amount of talking done by the director and the number of minutes spent in sectional rehearsals (while much of the choir sat idle).

One of the real difficulties in a rehearsal is that of recognizing the real problems. Much rehearsal time is wasted by directors working on the wrong thing, trying to cure the wrong problem. Do not jump to conclusions. Listen critically and analyze the problem carefully, then determine what to do about it. In actual rehearsals this must be done very quickly. The choral director must anticipate as many problems as possible and make projected solutions in his rehearsal guide. These will come about as a result of his score study and his knowledge of his own singers. This is a facet of choral conducting that can and must be developed over many rehearsal experiences. It can be learned from a good teacher as well, and the combination of study and actual experiences will allow most conductors to be able to know the problem and have more than one technique to solve it.

During rehearsals there are times when directors lose their patience and are tempted to show a group just how bad they really are. This negative attitude is an act of immaturity and will stifle any desire to improve. Instead, try to show the students how much more they can learn. It is better to teach by giving good examples rather than bad ones.

There are certain days of the year that need special consideration. These are days of schoolwide activities that have the students' emotions aroused. For instance, homecoming, football games, most ball game days (particularly important tournament games), school elections, the day of or immediately preceding the Junior-Senior Prom, and other such days. The amount of attention that the director needs to give these kinds of days depends entirely on the participation and interest of the choir members. It is unfair to expect the usual concentration, for example, from a senior girl who is a nominee for Homecoming Queen on the day that the results are to be announced. Nothing will remove that event from her mind that day. The same can be applied to other choir members who are deeply involved in other school activities. This is also true of church and community choirs. As events in the community occur these affect the singers and often detract from their attention. Recognize this and adapt the rehearsal accordingly. Do not be afraid to comment on it at the beginning of the rehearsal, demonstrating your understanding and using that as a means of directing their attention to the music. The director must be flexible enough to accept this and be less demanding in terms of extended concentration. Keep the rehearsal moving faster than usual, sing more pieces, and do very little part rehearsing. Sing through entire works as much as possible. This does not mean that one should not rehearse diligently. The students should always know that choral rehearsals will continue through all other student activities. One cannot eliminate rehearsals for every school event that involves choir members. However, a director can be considerate of this involvement and shape a rehearsal accordingly. This rehearsal will not likely be the same kind of rehearsal that one would expect of the same students two days before a choral clinic or concert.

Utilize all available rehearsal time. Start rehearsals on time. Use the break as an opportunity to take care of announcements. Have a student take the attendance so the director can be rehearsing. If three minutes are wasted while the director takes attendance of a choir of sixty, he has wasted three minutes of all sixty persons, or 180 minutes (three hours) of time. Take a hard look at rehearsal time and use every minute that is available as economically as possible. It has been this author's observation that directors whose groups do not meet every day often make better use of rehearsal time than directors who are able to have their ensemble once a day. The former are more aware of the value of their rehearsal time. There is usually not as much rehearsal time as one would want; do not waste any of it.

There are several opinions regarding the presentation of a work for the first time (a sight-reading). The reference to a first presentation was carefully made because this author feels that more choral music would be better received by choirs if the director adopted an attitude of presenting a new piece for singing and understanding, rather than simply sight-reading a new work.

One's attitude toward introducing a new work depends heavily on the reading ability of the choir. If a choir reads very well, many works can be read through and the choir will be able to get a fairly accurate idea of the music. If, however, the choir reads at the level of many amateur choirs, the sight-reading of a piece, unless it is quite easy, rarely represents an accurate view of the work.

When a new piece is presented for the first time, a director should have spent a good deal of time studying the score, and should have determined an approach that will provide the best reception of the piece. Remember, the choir should be sight-reading, but the director should not be! It is assumed that the director would desire that all the singers like every piece that is sung. This is not likely, but every effort should be made to provide each piece with a receptive atmosphere. If the work is worth the attention of the choir, it is worth the best possible reception. Often, when a work, in a style or harmonic idiom new to the singers, is presented to an unprepared choir, the director may find that the singers do not like the piece. It is either quickly withdrawn and the director vows never to try that again or the director fights the piece through, battling resentment all the way.

If a new style of music is to be presented, the director should lay some groundwork before the work is introduced. Otherwise, the chances for its success are poor. Discuss the composer (if possible), mention other works by the composer the singers may know about, and discuss the type of music that it represents. Try to give the students an idea of the harmonic style of the work. If, for example, a piece with electronic tape is to be introduced, it should be thoroughly discussed in advance.

It is also important, in the presentation of an idiom new to the students, to choose a work that expresses the more conservative aspects of the idiom, and one to which the singers will most quickly relate. An example of this would be to present a contemporary work whose "dissonance" is conservative, rather than to introduce a twelve-tone work as the firs contemporary piece to be done.

Favorable impressions of a work are nice but equally important is an attitude of simple receptivity on the part of the students. The students will hardly be able to sight-read a score and be able