Kevin Sutton wrote:

>1.  If you are in a professional choir situation, you will probably have
>three to four rehearsals to learn your concert.  Memorization in this
>setting is silly and impossible.

I guess I should have been more informative about my choral experience.
I have yet to be involved with a professional ensemble, so I guess my
judgment was clouded.  I strongly agree that when a choir only has a short
period of rehearsal time, that using the score is clearly the best possible
thing to do.  I guess, I am still trying to get out of the collegiate/high
school memorize, memorize mentality.  I actually prefer to use the music
because I feel more comfortable and can focus more on the expression rather
than the thought of loosing my place.

>If no one at your school has taught the younger singers how to balance
>looking at music and conductor simultaneously, there are some real
>deficiencies in the choral program that need attention fast!

The deficiencies will hopefully be fixed due to the fact that the school
hired a new full-time music director.

>It takes about a room temperature IQ to figure out how to hold a folder
>and look at the conductor.  If the conductor can't teach his or her choir
>how to do this effectively, then they should dismount the podium for
>heaven's sake and sell shoes.

I'd hate to say it, but their were people in the choir at my school that
didn't have a clue, and the conductor couldn't teach or conduct her way
out of a bag, so I guess there in lies the problem.

>I for one love to use music stands in choral performances as it frees my
>hands and allows me to stand in a much more natural position to sing.
>Holding one's arms in front of one with 5-6 pounds of music in it is more
>like unto an endurance test than a way to sing.

Using a stand would be more efficient.  I had forgotten about that aspect.

To also defend myself in not being clearer on my thoughts, I was half
asleep when I wrote the post, so pardon the miscommunication, if any!!

tedd
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