Choral Performance Observations from the semester
Because of my work in music therapy, I have become more conscious of the entire package of choral performance. I have been taking into account, settings, staging for choir, and the target audience. I have also been considering experiences of chorus members in different settings in order gain a more complete picture of what it can mean to be in choir. I am going to contrast three different choral performances I attended this semester, namely a children's choir that performed at the Austin Children's Shelter Benefit in Austin, TX, Celtic Woman chorus members, and finally a choir that performed in Mall of America during the busy holidy shopping season. These were all markedly different performances, and they each taught me something different about conducting a choir.
The children's choir that I saw perform was a selective choir in Austin, TX. It seemed like its members ranged in age from 8 years old to 13. They were very polished performers and followed the director's conducting. This choir was fairly large: approximately 30-40 people. They sang repertoire appropriate for their age and the context in which they were performing. The most valuable lesson I learned from watching them perform was that children can sing expressively when nurtured and properly conducted. Equally important was my observation that the children singing sounded like themselves. Their voices sounded young, but they were successful because they sang appropriate repertoire.
Later into the semester, I attended a Celtic Woman performance at the Excel Energy Center. This was a valuable experience in the context of choral conducting because I saw how effective rhythm was in keeping singers together. The tempos set by the drumset, and the contrast in dynamics that they demonstrated, were enough to lead choral singers through pieces in performance. This is helpful to realize as a future music therapist because I will consider using a rhythmic instrument to guide music interventions, especially if they involve group singing. Finally, Celtic Woman showed me how beneficial it is to use lighting in choral concerts. The visual aspect of live music is very important both for audience and for performers. Lighting a show that I do with a special needs choir, for example, will be a great way for me to give my clients a culminating experience.
Finally, I saw a young adult choir perform at the Mall of America. It was mixed gender and there were approximately 15 members plus a conductor. They had a great sound, but the most memorable aspect of watching their performance was the conductor herself. At the end of the first piece that I watched the choir complete, the conductor waited an appropriate amount of time and then leaned forward to congratulate her choir on their performance of the piece they had just completed. Watching this woman, I saw how important it is to continually nurture choir members, even during performances.