Choral Music

Choral music for a mixed choir is quite demanding, and the successful choir practices constantly to achieve good tone quality. The preparation requires constant vocal drills, as a group and individually, to achieve the expected sound . The challenge is to make it easy for everyone who volunteered to join the church choir. Interestingly, one of my subtle and successful ways was to seat the weak voices closer to the strong ones.

Conducting the Easter Cantata “No Greater Love” by J.W. Peterson in 1990 was the easiest part of the whole performance. I made good use of my administrative skills to assure the success of the program. Musicianship goes beyond music literacy, and its application. Decision making is at the core of a successful conductor. Since the goal is achieved the audience, listened, enjoyed themselves, watched and participated throughout the program.

A few years ago, one of my subscribers pointed out a very important aspect of musicianship. He was concerned with the quality of sound when working with a church choir made of non-musicians. Many of us musicians educated in conservatories, and schools of music, had to perform to obtain their degrees. However, when faithful church members volunteer their time to sing for the Lord, we have to rely on our musicianship to build a successful and viable group of singers.