Choir Discipline and Training

[MagisterMusicae]

For those other church choir directors out there I'm wondering if you would be willing to share your policies and practices for keeping the choir orderly, punctual, etc. yet still making the experience enjoyable and educational.

I am trying to formulate some kind of choir handbook outlining the policies, expectations, duties, etc. to bring more organization. We have a talented and good choir and with some extra discipline would even more effectively shine.

Any suggestions regarding attendance, music selection, etc. would be helpful.

Cheers.

[Archbishop_10K]

MagisterMusicae,

The schola I sing in at my university chapel meets 30 minutes before Mass to warm up, and an hour on Thursday evenings to get acquainted with the songs. We use the Gregorian Missal published by Solesmes for the Propers, but that's about all we do. I wish we could do more.


I don't know if this is directly related, but what do you think about uniformity in dress? Do you think choirs should all be in civilian dress, or in vestments or robes of some sort?

Also, do you have a male/female choir or male-only? Do you think the Propers are a "clerical" part and should be sung by men only, as though they were altar servers?

Aaand.... what are your thoughts about the use of the pipe organ? At my regular parish back home, the pipe organ is used rather extensively: an elaborate anthem before and after Mass, accompaniment to the Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, etc.), hymns, and responses (et cum spiritu tuo, etc.), and for various other places such as little anthems from the time the celebrant takes walking to the pulpit after the Gospel, to his walking back there after the sermon to lead the Credo, and more anthems in between hymns at the Offertory and the Ablutions. The organ is used as a tuner with a few notes played before the schola sings any chants, or before the celebrant intones the Gloria/Credo.

The reason I brought it up is because at this other chapel I go to, there's an organist but he only uses the organ for anthems before and after Mass. They seem to strongly believe in unaccompanied music, so the Mass as a whole feels a lot more, err, barren. I understand that others may prefer this, though, because it's more conducive to contemplation.

[Rising_Suns]

MagisterMusicae ,
This is a good practical question to ask, and I would be curious to hear input from choirmasters as well.

One policy that our choirmaster uses, is if a member misses practice on a certain chant, then that member does not sing the chant the following Sunday (even if he already has prior knowledge of the chant). The logic for this is simple: The purpose practice is not only to train the schola members to sing the chant, but also to train them how to sing together as one voice, in unison to the unique direction of the choir master. A member who misses practice will not be aware of the subtle tonal intructions that the director gave during practice.

In this instance, the discipline is not so much a "punishment", as it is the logical consequence of the action (i.e., if you do not learn the chant, you do not sing the chant). Many parents use a similar method in raising children.

Another thing that he will do to help people want to become disciplined, is education. But not simply educating as in a monolog, but also calling a members to answer questions and participate more interactively. I remember once when our choir master asked us a question in class ("what should you automatically do every time you see a triple episema?"), and he called on me to give him the answer. At the time, I did not know the answer. And I remember feeling a bit disapointed in myself, which spurred me to want to study more to develope in my knowledge of sacred music. Simple techniques like this, that any teacher uses, helps.

Ultimately, of course, discipline cannot be forced, but it must come as a desire of the choir members, germinating out of their own will. I think a good choir master has the ability to spark this will in the members of his schola, which undoubtedly requires a mix of tact, competence, charm, and humility.

-Davide

[Catholicmilkman]

For those other church choir directors out there I'm wondering if you would be willing to share your policies and practices for keeping the choir orderly, punctual, etc. yet still making the experience enjoyable and educational.

I am trying to formulate some kind of choir handbook outlining the policies, expectations, duties, etc. to bring more organization. We have a talented and good choir and with some extra discipline would even more effectively shine.

Any suggestions regarding attendance, music selection, etc. would be helpful.

Cheers.

I'm not a choir director but I do sing the Ordinary and the Offertory and Communion hymns in my chapel. I'm not brave enough or practiced enough to want to sing the (ought-be clerical) choir's parts of the Propers. I've been told, don't do it if you know how. We have three lay men who do it well enough. I'm not the best singer anyway, not even good really.

My only suggestion or wish is that the whole congregation would sing the Ordinary. This is the way I believe the Church did it in the Apostolic age. The Mass of the Catechumen is a dialog between the Priest and the Faithful and hence it's the way it should be done.

[Archbishop_10K]

My only suggestion or wish is that the whole congregation would sing the Ordinary. This is the way I believe the Church did it in the Apostolic age. The Mass of the Catechumen is a dialog between the Priest and the Faithful and hence it's the way it should be done.

I agree, at least as far as the responses go. It's a dialogue between the celebrant and the entire congregation, not just the choir or some boys. The Credo should especially be sung by the congregation, in my opinion, because of its nature as a profession of faith.

OTOH, a trained choir can sing some complex settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, because those are times when the faithful can meditate upon the Blessed Sacrament.

[AgnusDei1989]

Organ Prelude (sometimes); Processional; Kyrie, Gloria etc. with organ (the congregation or at least part of it sings with the choir, which is really nice); anthem after Offertory; two or three hymns for Communion; recessional and postlude. At Communion usually the choir goes down to receive first and one of the organists (we're lucky, I guess, to have two) plays a simple piece or improvises until they're back, and then goes down to receive Communion while the schola sings the Proper.

[Catholicmilkman]

OTOH, a trained choir can sing some complex settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, because those are times when the faithful can meditate upon the Blessed Sacrament.

Our choir is not trained but well enough though at the moment we don't have an organist. I still think it's best that the faithful learn so that it's easier to have the High Mass. I think that attitude of "just let the people meditate" is what got us into this crisis (not saying that's your attitude).

[AgnusDei1989]

We sing polyphonic Masses as well, just not as a regular thing, so the congregation does sing usually.

[Archbishop_10K]

OTOH, a trained choir can sing some complex settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, because those are times when the faithful can meditate upon the Blessed Sacrament.

Our choir is not trained but well enough though at the moment we don't have an organist. I still think it's best that the faithful learn so that it's easier to have the High Mass. I think that attitude of "just let the people meditate" is what got us into this crisis (not saying that's your attitude).

I was just suggesting a way of embracing the full heritage of Catholic choral music, from the early Church to the present; that is, to use plainchant for some parts, and polyphony for others; and also to balance "active" and "contemplative" participation by the faithful by having both.

I'm very much a solemn Mass type of guy, and I have a hard time appreciating the austerity of the low Mass. That's probably why I would make for a terrible monastic.