No applause
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At least until we are done singing the last number.
I sing with a large university-based community choir. Last year the long-time director retired, so this year we have three different directors rehearsing and directing us over the course of the year. A choice will be made over the summer.
Our current one is a doctoral student at Northwestern U and a professional singer himself. He picked a challenging program with the theme of "credo", or "I believe". A whole bunch of pieces in 3 sections.
https://depaulcommunitychorus.org/Yesterday was our dress rehearsal where we ran the entire program for the first time. The surprise was that he wants to present the program as a thematic experience for the audience without any applause until the very end. I didn't think about it much until we were part way through the rehearsal when I realized I'm really used to having a bit of time between pieces - applause, maybe some announcements and time for a sip of water and shifting around to reset mind and body.
Wow, that was tough to maintain focus through the entire hour and I was vocally more tired than expected! The show is this afternoon...
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At least until we are done singing the last number.
I sing with a large university-based community choir. Last year the long-time director retired, so this year we have three different directors rehearsing and directing us over the course of the year. A choice will be made over the summer.
Our current one is a doctoral student at Northwestern U and a professional singer himself. He picked a challenging program with the theme of "credo", or "I believe". A whole bunch of pieces in 3 sections.
https://depaulcommunitychorus.org/Yesterday was our dress rehearsal where we ran the entire program for the first time. The surprise was that he wants to present the program as a thematic experience for the audience without any applause until the very end. I didn't think about it much until we were part way through the rehearsal when I realized I'm really used to having a bit of time between pieces - applause, maybe some announcements and time for a sip of water and shifting around to reset mind and body.
Wow, that was tough to maintain focus through the entire hour and I was vocally more tired than expected! The show is this afternoon...
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The show, as well as our improvement over the 9 weeks, exceeded my expectations for a community choir. I really thought when looking at the pieces that our group wouldn't be able to pull it off. Even MrsTuner noticed and said it was her favorite choir performance over the years that I've been singing with different groups. I gave him high marks on the review sheet sent to us. One more interview/concert to go this year...
I've performed (both as a singer and bassoonist) with a very small number of directors that show the ability to get more out of a group than was previously possible - it's an exciting thing to experience! It's not only clarity of intent through movement, but verbal cues/hints during the rehearsal process. The challenge is often participants not retaining instructions between rehearsals, making the director repeat or come up with new cues based on the same errors or lack of attention.
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Your comments were very interesting. I haven't participated in a choir since high school, but I do play in a handbell choir at church so I can somewhat relate to your experience.
The remark about no applause raises a question for me. How was that request communicated to the audience?
I regularly attend both jazz and classical concerts. The protocols concerning applause are very different. At jazz concerts, applause is frequent after a solo occurs even though the music continues. At classical concerts, I was accustomed to no applause until the composition was performed in its totality. Recently, there has been at least a smattering of applause after a movement has ended, which somewhat jars me. I wonder what others have experienced?
Big Al
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Good for you!
I admire you and everyone else who performs for the public.
I can't relate to being able to do it.
I had intensive private lessons in middle school when I played the clarinet. I did one unaccompanied solo at the New York State School Music Association competition. I revceived a 99/100 evaluation. I played in the band for two years.
But that's it. One school year I was doing it. Then the summer came and I didn't start again the next year.
I'm glad you had an exceptional experience.
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