Ward Choir Tips

I am not a conductor, by any stretch of the imagination.  While earning my degree at Utah State University, I was required to take a conducting class.  My final was conducting the university's orchestra, and I was TERRIFIED.  I was so uncoordinated, nervous, and overwhelmed with how many details I needed to not only remember, but remind the orchestra about as well.

It did not go well.

I failed.

Despite my inability to conduct, I always knew that someday I would be ward choir director.  At least I know how to sing and have sung in several choirs, right?  I have taken a really low key approach to choir, and have gotten some surprising results.  The choir sounds great!  So this post is to share some things I have found to be helpful, and will hopefully be helpful to other directors.


1.  UNITY
If half of your choir can sing something correctly, and the other half incorrectly... it will sound better to have EVERYONE sing it INCORRECTLY.  I promise.  Singing the same is most important.  This is most applicable to pronunciation and when to breath.  If most of the choir is breathing in a place where the conductor wants to carry over the sound, it will really sound like the few who are following directions are making a mistake.  Another example is the dreaded "er" sound, like in "ever".  Typically, a choir director will want to soften the "er" sound to more of an "uh" sound.  This usually leads to the women singing "uh" and the men singing "er".  (Sorry men, but it is what it is.)  Then the choir doesn't sound unified, leading the listener to think that the choir isn't very good.  The average listener will only hear really obvious mistakes, and certainly does not expect a ward choir to sustain phrases or avoid harsh consonants.  Those are musician standards.


2.  PITCH
Good pitch and correct notes are the #1 priority.  If everyone is singing the correct note, then the choir overall will sound just fine.  Learning notes can be daunting at first, especially if the arrangement is unfamiliar, or has a new part like a descant.  But anyone who is making time to sing in ward choir will have the ability to learn their part.  Ensure enough time in rehearsals to pound out parts, so that your choir members will feel confident.  And don't be afraid to try something new.  I am always throwing out unique and unfamiliar arrangements to my choir.  And they always pull it off and sound beautiful.


3.  DON"T WASTE TIME
When I was first called to lead the choir I had a heart to heart with the previous conductor.  I remember her saying something like "the hardest part about choir is they want us to have it, but don't have a time set aside for it."  So true!  With only about 25 minutes a week to learn your music, time is of the essence.  So if you have spent 5 minutes trying to perfect something and it still sounds exactly the same, just move on.  One measure will not make or break a performance.  Instead, spend 5 minutes warming up and/or teaching correct singing technique.  That will benefit your choir much more.

4.  DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
We really needed one more rehearsal before singing our Easter hymn two weeks ago, and I knew it.  We met before sacrament meeting to warm up and run through our song.  I could tell that many of my choir members were not feeling very confident.  I told them that if there was something they didn't know now, that they would still not know it in 45 minutes when we were scheduled to perform, and that's OK.  A small mistake here or there, is really not that big of a deal.  Chances are, no one will even hear it.  As a choir director, it's not worth making your choir feel unprepared or worry about their performance because all the little details aren't worked out.  Sometimes there isn't time to perfect breathing, dynamics, phrasing etc.  Remember, that is not the purpose of ward choir.  We have ward choirs to praise God through song, not to have a perfect performance.

5.  TESTIMONY
Most choir members will focus intently on singing the correct notes.  This is great, and obviously needed.  But they often need reminders about sharing their testimony of the doctrine in the song.  Take the time to share your own testimony of the lyrics, and encourage your singers to share their love of the Savior through the way they sing, and the way they look.  It is amazing to see the difference in someone's countenance, just by reminding them to share their testimony.  Their eyes will light up, and their testimony will compensate for any musical mishap.  The beauty of the music along with musical testimony is what will invite the spirit into the meeting and into the heart of the listener.  The most wonderfully prepared music will not invite the spirit if it does not have the feeling behind it.

In a nutshell, less is more!  Correct notes + testimony = a great choir!