CORNERSTONE 2:
INTRO
Right before you start to warm up with your choir, we need to take the time to properly introduce the session. This starts from the moment we request everyone’s attention.
Getting this introduction right is really important. It sets the tone of the rehearsal, communicates the expectations you have of your members, and can go a long way towards putting everyone’s anxieties to rest.
Try and avoid making too many assumptions when you you make a rehearsal – assume there are new people present: introduce yourself, explain what the choir is about, assure everyone that whatever they have to contribute is valued. Take the time and effort to set things up right, and you will have a much better rehearsal.
- Introduce yourself, and welcome everyone to the choir.
- Explain to your choir what you are hoping to achieve in the rehearsal.
- Give them a brief plan of what will occur, and if necessary, a reason why you’re doing it.
- People on mass love to know what is expected of them. It allays any anxiety, and lets them relax into the rehearsal feeling prepared.
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE:
“Good evening lovely friends. We’re about to get started so please take a seat, and bring your attention here.”
“I want to quickly say hi and welcome to our new guests joining us tonight – thanks so much for coming!”
“Tonight, once we’ve warmed up we’ll be learning XXXX and XXXX for our upcoming gig at the concert hall. And if we get time at the end, we’ll rock out with a bit of a sing-a-long.”
“At the end of the evening XXXX will come up and speak about some notices, then we’ll have one last big sing. Afterwards please stay for supper where we can all have a chat over a cuppa and some nibbles.”
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:
- I am clear about what we are about to do, and can prepare accordingly.
- I fell anxious about what’s coming up.
- I feel welcomed and valued in this new community I’ve joined.
- Establish any expectations you have of your choir. Particularly early on if you are a new community music facilitator.
- Let people know what is expected – perhaps you’d like them to remember to bring a water bottle and a pen. Perhaps you need them to remember their music each week.
- Be consistent and clear with them when you need their attention. Establish a fun, friendly way to get their attention back after short breaks.
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE:
“I’ll invite you all to please bring a water bottle and a pencil to rehearsals if you’re able and willing.”
“We’re all adults here, and I don’t want to “shush” you all night. If you hear me “XXXX”, please reply “XXXX” and give me your quiet attention. There will be heaps of time to chat at supper later on.”
“I’ll kindly ask that for the next hour you put your trust and attention in me, while I guide you through some joyful singing.”
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:
- I know what is expected of me, and I’m aware of the behavioural boundaries in rehearsals.
- I feel respected as an adult, and I can enjoy my singing without lots of people talking and distracting me.
- With One Voice choirs are about joy and connection. Don’t forget to continually frame things around this concept.
- Spend some time allaying members’ anxieties about singing in front of each other.
- Assure them that we are here to sing, not to be good singers!
- Remind people that the benefits of singing come from the “doing” – not necessarily the “doing well”!
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE:
“Do you know what happens when we get a note wrong in this room? Nothing!“
“There is no right and wrong in this room. You will not be judged by those around you, or singled out to sing alone. You will not be tested at the end, nor rewarded for excellence. The only thing we can gain from this experience is joy and connection – right here, right now in this moment.”
“Forget about everything else and bring your mind to the enjoyment of the moment.”
“The benefits of singing together come from DOING it, not by being good at it! The only mistake you can make is just to not try.”
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:
- I feel confident to sing out and enjoy myself.
- I feel safe in an environment that is non-judgemental and supportive of everyone.
- I am bringing my attention to the feeling of singing, rather than analysing my performance.
- I feel aligned to the joyful, inclusive, non-judgemental culture of the choir.
- A sincere Acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the land we are on shows support and respect for our displaced and / or traumatised indigenous brothers and sisters.
- Indigenous Australians have been gathering as communities and connecting through song and dance for tens of thousands of years.
- Acknowledging this, and connecting people to the history of the land on which they meet can ground our intentions in gratefulness and respect.
- We encourage all choirs to consider adding an Acknowledgement of Country to their regular rehearsal procedures.
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE:
“I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, the XXXX people of the Kulin (or other) nation and pay my respects to Elders past and present.”
“Our indigenous brothers and sisters have been meeting here just like this for tens of thousands of years, sharing their stories through song, and connecting with the land and its people. As we continue this tradition, we pay our respects and give our thanks for the beautiful country we share with them.”
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:
- I begin our rehearsal feeling connected to the land and its people.
- I feel a sense of gratitude towards our country’s original custodians.
- I feel that our choir respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols.
