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I thought it appropriate for this January column, the traditional time of the year when we think back on what we have done in the past and make resolutions for the future, that we examine our this topic, not only for International Sings but with suggestions for District Sings and individual choruses as well. And since this is a personal column, the discussion will include my experiences and the conclusion should not surprise you, dear reader, if it seems biased! The Argument For Holding Music Currently, and in most instances, all music sung as massed when choruses gather in groups is performed by memory - sometimes it is not performed very well. Our audiences are entitled to the best we can give them. Are they getting it or would they be better served if we held music? Well, that really is the question, is it not? I can recall that a number of years back Stan Carlson, conductor of the Staples Area MC of the Upper Midwest District, stood up at a meeting of the AMCA Board of Directors and made a strong argument for holding music for massed numbers. He stated at that time that his chorus held music for all their performances and noted that most professional choruses that he had seen did the same. On television this past Christmas season, we were blessed with many excellent choral performances given by well regarded choirs; such as, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Robert Shaw Chorale with the Atlanta Symphony (rebroadcast from 1998), and the Dofasco Men's Chorus with The Dofasco Ladies' Chorus. You will no doubt have seen many other fine groups over this same period performing with music. Stan's point, I believe, was that if other good choruses need to hold music, why would the AMCA think that their amateur community choruses could perform well from memory! Stan did not win that argument and AMCA Sings have continued to perform without their "books". And with the occasional exception District Sings are also performed this way. Another factor often raised is the time needed to learn the massed selections by memory. Time that reduces the amount left for a chorus to spend on learning repertoire selected for their own needs. Incorporating the massed numbers into a chorus' performing repertoire is not always practical since Big Sing numbers are not always suitable for small choruses nor appropriate for the make-up of each chorus. A good example would be "The Awakening" chosen for the Common Repertoire List - some of our member choruses just could not handle that number as a part of their own repertoire, but will memorize it specifically to participate in a Big Sing where it is used. Those in favor of holding music would point to the fact that it would take much less time and effort if they were allowed to read music for this performance. I recall having received a letter from a prospective member chorus in which they rejected our offer of membership partially on the basis that they could not possibly learn and memorize AMCA repertoire and still continue to perform the three concerts annually that they were currently doing. Often heard is the lament that we're getting older and memory work is becoming more and more difficult. Look around you at a Big Sing at the number of singers holding "cheat sheets" because they don't know the words - some even hide the music behind the person in front so that it can be read. How many times have you stood beside a singer who obviously didn't know the music and flubbed the words? Some would say it follows that we should not be attempting to memorize. The proponents of this point of view assert that the Big Sing concert level of performance would improve if we held music. There would be fewer "flubs" and we could perhaps consider changing more numbers, more often in our repertoire if they didn't need to be memorized. The Argument For Memorizing Those that argue for memorizing make the point that singers holding music can not follow the conductor's direction well. I can recall one director stating rather forcefully that he would be fearful of standing in front of a couple of hundred men who had their noses buried in their music. If holding music and following direction is a skill to be taught, just when would it be taught? Individually our choruses fall into both categories - those that hold music and those that memorize. Surely then, it would not be expected that conductors teach this skill at a dress rehearsal! To develop this skill all choruses would need to be required to sing holding music most of the year and the AMCA not only doesn't have a mandate to require this, but it would be doomed to failure if they were to attempt to do so. Remember this issue polarizes opinion and there are very strong views on both sides of the question! Singers do, in my opinion, follow their conductors better if they make constant eye contact, following directions for lead-ins, cut-offs, timing and dynamics free of the need to refer to sheet music during a performance. Personal Benefits According to reading that I have done on this subject, as we age we lose some of our ability to remember. Aging affects concentration levels, rapid information retrieval and the ability to juggle several tasks at the same time. As we grow older, the number of brain cells, or neutrons, declines and that reduces our ability to remember. However, our brain has an amazing plasticity, an ability to expand or shrink depending on how much we use it and there is evidence to support the fact that social interaction also plays a part in strengthening memory. (A healthy diet and life style is also a factor but that's another topic.) Therefore, it is correct to conclude that singers involved in intellectual pursuits, such as learning and memorizing music coupled with the fellowship resulting from choral participation, retain their ability to remember better than do persons not so engaged. Admittedly, there are benefits of singing in a chorus that holds music, but memorizing your music further enhances your ability to remember. The best way for seniors, and the majority of our members fall into that broad classification, to maintain memory and mental function, is to give them constant workouts - "use it or lose it" is an appropriate catch phrase. Of course, there are other factors that can have a profound affect on the quality of performance. The members must have adequate time to prepare. This places a burden on the organizing committees in the case of District and International Sings and music committees on the chorus level. Admittedly there are external situations that can develop and planning committees need to guard against this eventuality. (ie. delays in receiving ordered music from suppliers, host choruses not sending our massed selections in a timely fashion, etc.) There you have some compelling reasons to memorize your music. Finally, my personal preference on this subject. A Reasonable Approach Firstly, all concerned need to recognize and make allowances for the fact that as we age, we can't absorb and recall material as easily as we could when we were young. Translated this means that senior members will take longer to memorize new material and that is a normal part of growing older. Once that reality is understood and accepted, strategies and expectations can become more in tune with reality reducing frustration on the part of singer and director. And that strategy should include memorization not only to improve performances but as a service to our membership. Due to the plasticity mentioned earlier, we know that our brain is growing and changing all the time. It feeds on stimulation and it is never too late to feed it! It is my belief that AMCA is on the right track - ALL music - solo and massed - for International concerts should be performed from memory. Individual choruses are entitled to have the option of holding music or singing from memory at the Afterglow and their own shows. We are after all an association of male choruses and each member retains its autonomy. However, AMCA is giving leadership by example to its members and that's its role. I offer one exception which would perhaps only apply to individual choruses.. I think it reasonable to suggest that for seasonal music - a good example is Christmas, which may involve very few performances before the music is set aside for the year, that music be held for at least part of the concert. Should a chorus be able to concentrate on a Christmas program beginning early fall with no other distractions, then it might be possible to memorize the entire program. However, most have other commitments to consider in the fall of the year in addition to preparing for a seasonal concert and time becomes a guiding factor. I trust that I have presented the arguments for both sides of the issue fairly, but that dear reader is where you enter the picture. You are invited to comment on this column and to present any arguments for or against that you discover missing. It is my hope that you will find the discussion as presented helpful and as always I welcome your comments 'on line'. View Feedback | Make A Comment |
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