Rehearsal 101
MIDCOAST COMMUNITY CHORUS INFORMATION SHEET: Spring Semester 2012
Thank you for taking the time to read the following. Listed below are some “chorus basics” that will help make for successful, respectful and efficient use of our time together. Some of what follows is common courtesy. This is not meant to be condescending, but rather to remind us all of how the small ways we take responsibility can (and do) make a big difference in the context of the larger group. If you are new to MCC, please also read the FAQs.
Regular Attendance is Required and Expected. Even though our concert date seems a long way off, we have much to accomplish in a short period of time. Every chorus member is allowed (but not encouraged) to take no more than two absences from regular weekly rehearsals and only if absolutely necessary. Attendance will be taken at all rehearsals. If you miss more than two rehearsals, your continuation in the chorus will be at the discretion of the Artistic and Executive Director. Please communicate with us if you are concerned about your attendance or know conflicts may arise during the semester.
Please Be On Time to Rehearsals. Being on time means being in your seat ready to begin singing at 6:30 (not arriving to the space at 6:30). All lobby activity will shut down at 6:25 pm and rehearsals will begin on time. The rehearsal space will be open at 5:30. Give yourself time to come in, say your hellos, and get settled in a relaxed fashion. If being late is unavoidable, please wait in the back of the rehearsal space until there is a break in the singing, then find your seat.
Please Bring What You Will Need to Rehearsal. This includes your music, a pencil, water (water only in the sanctuary, please), glasses if you need them, and whatever else you need to be comfortable. (Please note: Cough drops are not a healthy choice for singers – they are a choking hazard and can numb your throat leading to vocal damage.)
Be Actively Engaged Throughout the Rehearsal Process. There will be times when you or your section may not be singing. It is easy to “check out” during this time. Please use this time to be looking over your part, singing in your “mind’s ear” (no humming please!), listening to how your part fits with the section that is singing, etc. Please be following along so that you know exactly where we are and don’t need to take time to find your place in your score when it is time for you to join in.
Talking During Rehearsal. In a word - OK, two – Please Don’t, not even if you are talking with your neighbor about the music! This means please don’t talk as soon as the group is done singing a section or piece, or if the director stops you. The amount of time it takes for the chattering to dissipate wastes a surprising amount of rehearsal time. This also means please don’t talk if another section is rehearsing and you are not – the background noise is very distracting. If you have a suggestion or question, please consider talking with your section leader first so we can save rehearsal time. We cannot possibly field questions and ideas from everyone in the limited time we have together but we want to hear them. Please use your section leader as the conduit or e-mail us directly.
Section Rehearsals. We will hold rehearsals for each section on a rotating basis. This information is included in the Semester Calendar. Warm-ups for sectionals start at 5:55 pm and all sectionals start at 6:00 pm sharp and end at 6:25 pm. Attendance is strongly recommended; changes to the score are often announced during sectionals and the work done in these sessions means less “note pounding” during the full rehearsals. Sectional locations are on the calendar.
Our Music. This music is yours to use during our rehearsals and performances. After that it will be collected in order to become part of the Midcoast Community Chorus Choral Library. The cost of sheet music for each semester is one of the biggest line items in our budget, so we ask everyone to be careful and accountable for its use. All music will be collected on concert day. You will return all music in your numbered folder provided at registration, so please hold onto your folder for this use. This system allows us to better track our music and insure that everyone is accountable for its care and return.
Please mark your scores with pencil only. As you are marking your scores please keep in mind that you will be asked to erase those markings before turning in your music on concert day in your numbered folder. Also, please do not punch holes in your music or use tape. If you lose your music, please see our Music Librarian, Lyn Donovan. If you are an habitual doodler, please bring spare sheets of paper for that purpose and do not doodle on your music!
Choral Binders. MCC will provide professional quality choral binders to all choristers free of charge. If you would like to purchase your own, they cost $35. Each binder is numbered and checked out to you and must be returned in good shape immediately following the concert. Do not use any tape or labels on the binders or mark on them in any way. Please take good care of them. These binders are expensive and we need them to last for many years.
Please Refrain from Drinking Alcohol Before Rehearsals or Performances. Among other things, alcohol dehydrates you, often leads to singing flat, and dulls your senses.
Bathrooms. There are bathrooms located across the lobby and to the right. There will be no formal bathroom break. When and if the need arises, please leave and return quietly.
What About Snow Cancellations? We will only cancel a rehearsal in the event of heavy snow or very hazardous conditions. If you are concerned about this possibility please go to our website www.mccsings.org on the day of rehearsal at 3pm or later for updates or call our MCC phone number: 975-0582. If our rehearsal is canceled that evening you will see a snow cancellation notice on every web page—it will be very obvious. There may be additional details posted under Chorister News. Cancellation announcements will be posted at 3pm on rehearsal days if needed on both the website and phone. We will not be able to give any updates prior to 3 pm.
Where To Direct Questions and Concerns. Each section has a section leader: Susan McGovern (Soprano), Beth Wilson (Alto), Lucia Elder (Tenor), and Rich Craft (Bass). These folks will be the “ears” for your sections – musically and otherwise. If you have a question or concern, or have missed a rehearsal, please see or contact your section leader (their e-mail address will be distributed to each section). Also, do not hesitate to send suggestions or comments to info@mccsings.org. Karen Searls is our Chorus Manager and will regularly make announcements about chorus concerns during a short break in the rehearsal. Lyn Donovan is our Music Librarian and you should see Lyn if you have questions about your sheet music. Outside of rehearsal, please use info@mccsings.org or 975-0582 to contact Shelley Johnson, Executive Director.
Communications and Our Website: We encourage everyone to use the website for accessing information on our concerts, beneficiaries, organizational structure, and past activities. We have redesigned our website (thank you Jim Dugan and Hildy Ellis!) to make it easy to use and it does not require any password access. We are always open to suggestions for improvements. In general, announcements to choristers will always be posted under Chorister News and information on other choral events and workshops will be posted under Events. As we near a concert date, ticket information will be posted on the website. Our CD is available for sale and shipping through the website as well. You will also find a photo gallery of past concerts and archive of concert posters there.
Announcements will be e-mailed to you approximately every two weeks typically on Sunday evenings. These notices are chock full of information! Please take the time to read your announcement sheets as they become available. Be sure to reset any junk mail filters to allow info@mccinsgs.org entrance to your active mailbox. We try to anticipate questions and address them in these announcement sheets so that our rehearsals can focus on singing. Before asking a question, check your announcement sheet! If you do not have internet access, please find an “e-mail buddy” to print out a copy of the announcements to share with you and also notify you of other postings as they happen. E-mail is also regularly used by section leaders for updates and information so finding an e-mail buddy in your same section is preferable. Please notify us of any e-mail address changes during the semester.
Odds and Ends: In the lobby there will be a small table that serves as the pickup point for additional music, announcements or any other materials we need to get to our choristers. Please check this table on your way in for new material. We will always plan to have the previous week’s materials available for those missing a rehearsal on this same table. Attendance sheets will be posted on the glass next to the sanctuary doors. Please always mark your attendance and check the spelling of your name and section for accuracy.
Found items are put in the milk crate marked “Lost and Found” under the coat rack in the lobby.
Updated 2.09.12
