Keene, NH - Chapter

MUSIC POLICY

What the music team will provide:

It is our responsibility as directors and section leaders and other members of the music team to teach, encourage, and help the members of the chapter to improve their musical abilities. Instruction in all aspects of choral singing and performance, including but not limited to vocal warmup, vowel formation, breath support, phrasing, ensemble blending, stage presence, musical notation and theory, sectional guidelines, and even vocal coaching, will be provided as time allows. We welcome the efforts of any chorus member to contribute to the music team effort. In addition to instruction we will provide time during chapter meetings for quartetting, woodshedding and tag singing and other activities just for fun. We welcome contributions to this effort also from any chorus member. Chapter meetings will include time for these activities during the course of the year.

The Chapter will provide sheet music, craft instruction, and an assortment of learning materials to its members in a timely fashion so they can learn how and what to sing. The sheet music and the learning materials shall remain the property of the chapter while they are on long term loan to the members. The loan of these materials is a benefit of membership.

What we will expect from chorus members:

Attendance: We encourage all members to attend as many complete chapter meetings as they can. If a member would like to participate in either one of the major shows, we strongly encourage his attendance in the six weeks prior to that show so that he will be able to learn any final interpretation and stage presence or choreography that is being taught. Proper practice requires presence and time. Instruction will be cumulative. The more meetings a member attends, the more he will learn.

Vocal technique: The Cheshiremen Chorus is an ensemble of voices singing together. Members who desire to sing in the chorus will be expected to match pitch and vowel sounds while minimizing vibrato, employing proper choral breathing and dynamics, and blending with the rest of their section and the chorus. Instruction will be available.

Song learning: A learning schedule will be published for each show and learning aids will be available. Members are expected to make every effort to memorize the words and music using all the tools available to them on the schedule given, which will likely mean additional time outside the regular chapter meetings.

Participation in shows: The music team desires that as many members as possible participate in the major performances. The chorus directors in consultation with the section leaders or other members of the music team may tell a member who is not ready for performance due to lack of attendance or inability to properly execute words, music or ensemble blend to take a non performing role in a show or at a singout. It is recognized that not everyone will be able to meet performance standards quickly or ever. Performance standards will be set by the directors in consultation with the rest of the music team. It is a privilege, not a right, to be allowed to sing on the risers as part of the Cheshiremen Chorus.

July 2011

rev. 9/05, 8/01