Taking Control

True story: the first time I was called as a ward choir director, I started my first rehearsal by saying how excited I was, but also how nervous I was. I then made the worst mistake I ever made as a choir director: I said, "If any of you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to let me know." From that point forward, I was not in control. In those well-intentioned but fateful phrases, I had given control to a very experienced tenor on the back row. From that instant forward, he took it as his personal mission to "save" the choir from my inexperience. He commented about everything, from music selection to my conducting style in front of the whole choir. I spent that year very frustrated.

The first--and often largest--mistake many new choir directors make is admitting that they don't know what they're doing. Even if this is true, never tell the choir that; they'll find out soon enough.

This leads me to a major warning to all choir directors everywhere. Don't admit that you're clueless. The biggest problem with this confession, is that it often opens up choir rehearsal for a non-stop stream of suggestions by well-intentioned choir members. As considerate as it may be, it wastes a lot of time in rehearsal and makes you appear out of control. Even if you have more accomplished musicians in the choir, don't let rehearsal time become become a private coaching session for you; it's very frustrating for everyone else who has to watch, and it's often embarrassing for you.

Suggestions to solve the problem:

• Be as prepared as you can be. Go over the music in advance and decide where you want the choir to breathe, when to not breathe, how you want the dynamics, how fast you want the tempo, etc. If you come prepared, you have nothing to apologize for.
• Talk with experienced musicians outside of rehearsal. If you have someone in your choir who is very knowledgeable, ask for suggestions or help outside of the rehearsal. Be open with them about your concerns, but explain that you don't want to waste a lot of rehearsal time focusing on you
• If someone offers suggestions of things to do differently, thank him/her for the suggestions, but ask that they wait until after rehearsal.
• Realize that choir is not a democracy. Sometimes you just have to make a decision. You can change your mind later on, but long conversations with individuals or worse, a whole-choir committee meeting--just wastes lots of time. Just decide.
• Exude confidence. Don't apologize for a lack of experience after after rehearsal. Smile and look like you're enjoying it.
  

Now, I worry that I'm appearing a little too much like the choir dictator, which I'm not trying to be. I just think you should realize that conducting a ward choir is a leadership position, and you should be confident in that role (or at least, you should fake it really well).