Rehearsal
Archived Posts from this Category
We don’t need no stinkin’ director!
Posted by editor on Mar 12 2007 | Category: Motivation, Performance, Rehearsal
That statement is a crazy thing for me as a director to hear. But as our annual show approaches, I am reminded of some advice that I received from Dr. Paul Drummond, one of the faculty at Harmony University last year. [Harmony University is an annual music school presented by the Barbershop Harmony Society.] Dr. Drummond told the directors to get out of the way.
Singing with soul
Posted by editor on Oct 29 2006 | Category: Performance, Rehearsal
Something happened over the weekend that led me to a realization. We were performing in a show and by most counts, we did quite well. There were a few minor glitches as is normal with a live performance. When it was over, however, there seemed to be something missing. It’s been eating at me for days now, and I finally realized what it was.
Learning music
Posted by editor on Oct 23 2006 | Category: Music, Rehearsal, Technique
As a musical director, one of the most challenging things that I have to deal with is getting the singer off the music. Unlike a community choir, barbershoppers need to commit the music to memory before they perform it. Because I direct a non-competitive chorus, I find myself holding back from setting deadlines, imposing tests, or pushing singers. Yet I know that they would enjoy themselves much more if they memorized the music early. They don’t seem to realize that memorization also deepens their understanding of the music and enhances their ability to entertain the audience.
Purposeful rehearsals
Posted by editor on Mar 17 2006 | Category: Rehearsal
Many chapters use weekly rehearsal time going over music, over and over the same songs, the same spots, the same phrases. From week to week, it seems like little, if any, progress is being made.
