Every once and a while I find the need to write a blog that will garner me a whole bunch of hate mail. I can’t wait for the inbox once this one is published. Those choir people are going to be up in arms.
The professional Symphony Chorus. Why do we have them? It’s not like they’re used every week, or more than a couple times a year in most cases. Of course, most people will tell you that the answer is “Great music, and great orchestras, deserves a great choir.”
True. But what’s the downside? (insert snide comment about dealing with singers here, then move on, please.) And here we have to step out of the “whatever’s best for the music is best for everything” mode of thinking. One of the most challenging problems for orchestras in today’s world is the perception of a disconnect between orchestras and audiences, whether this is real or not. If it is real, then the problem with the professional choir is that it puts yet one more barrier between orchestras and their constituency. Why? Because singing in a choir is the one and only way Joe Shmoe can actively participate with his local symphony.
Back in the day both of my parents sang in the Schola Cantorum, the choir that regularly sang with the Buffalo Philharmonic. This despite the fact that my mom couldn’t carry a tune with a forklift. I remember clearly how much fun and pride they had when singing for their local symphony. Beethoven 9, Mahler 8, Carmina Burana – whatever. They sang it, and there is still a network of people in the Buffalo community who remember those concerts with tremendous fondness.
Recently in Edmonton we threw four different and disparate choirs together for what I called the God Program – forgotten sacred works of the Masters. One choir I had worked with most recently on……. wait for it….. a Procol Harum show. Another was the top choir from the local University. The premiere kids choir filled out the top end, and the truly insane collection of lunatics known as the Ukranian Mens Choir supported the bottom. The Ukranians crack me up – true amateurs, they love to sing, there are a couple basses who can hit notes around 14 hertz, and they have this wonderful traditional post-concert drink/sing that is an absolute riot. There are a lot of reasons I keep inviting them back.
Music of Bach, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Cherubini, Mozart, and Poulenc was programmed, and each of the choirs were featured in one of the pieces. The whole mess came together to sing the Poulenc Gloria. It was a tremendous week, and I was struck by how much fun the choirs had, and how much pride they took in being featured by their local orchestra. The post-concert buzz backstage was just fabulous (including the Ukranian buzz ….. if you know what I mean). Better yet, they all sounded fantastic!!! They brought their A game, and the combined sound in the Poulenc filled the Winspear Centre with a joyful noise.
Just the week after I heard the Metropolitan Boys Choir in Minneapolis and their offshoot Mens Choir. Once again I was struck by the joy they had in singing together, and the obvious pride they took in what they did. The Mens choir is not the greatest choir on earth, and they’d be the first to tell you that. They sing for the love of singing, and for them that is quite enough.
Now, I’m not advocating that all singers should simply sing for free and that every professional choir be immediately disbanded. I don’t begrudge any musician a decent living, and these days any little bit helps. But I can’t help but wonder – with the “top tier” orchestras, do these professional chorus hurt more than they help? How many of your constituency would seriously consider premeditated homicide to have the chance to get up there and sing with the Band? I know from first hand experience how much joy they would take from that experience.
There’s nothing wrong with having some amateurs on stage. Especially when they make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Hallelujah!
Loved the blog post, Bill. You may (or may not) remember me from the cello section in Toledo. I’m adding to this thread to tell you about a recent concert we performed. It was a “side-by-side” concert featuring amateur musicians from the community. We’ve been doing these gigs with the youth orchestras for awhile now, but this was the first time we’d attempted it with adult amateurs. It was called the Pro-Am Concert.
Imagine: 17 flutes, 10 horns, 4 euphoniums in the tuba section, 6-7 t-bones… you get the picture. There was even someone (placed near the pcn playing harmonica! Ams has 2 extra rehearsals, in which pros volunteered to sit in and advise on issues such as turning pages, efficient fingerings, orch protocol, etc. Finlandia, Nimrod, Sound of Music medely, and Great Gate of Kiev.
Absolutely everyone had a great time. There was an energy brought by the amateurs’ enthusiasm that infected all us jaded pros, and “a mighty wind” was blown during the Moussorgsky, to be sure.
It was a blast for me, increased our outreach footprint, and sowed much goodwill in the community. Based upon the success of this year’s joint, I’m certain there will be repeats in the years to come. (BTW- the hall was PACKED with family & friends, as well…)
I’m with you… a little consorting with the local ‘unpaid lovers of music-making’ can be a good thing.
Thanks for the good read.
I completely agree with you Bill; of course I am one of those “truly insance lunatics” so I suppose I’m biased. I’ve have been an amateur musician in Edmonton for over 35 years, in various choirs as well as concert bands (tuba). The opportunity to perform with a world-class orchestra such as the ESO is something that every amateur musician should have a chance to do. And to do so in a hall like the Winspear Centre makes the experience even better. I also appreciate the opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to a broader audience. I look forward to my choir working with you in the future – Daj Bozhe!
Ellis and I enjoyed your blogging….and we laughed…at the fact that your Mum can’t carry a tune w/ a forklift!!
Good points!!
Best,
Karen
I enjoyed this post. Some good points were made. Thanks for adding some humor as well.
Sarah
In Dallas the Symphony’s official “professional” chorus is really an amateur chorus that sings because they love to do it. They have auditions every year and old members must re-audition. They sound GREAT.