Chorus Etiquette
What can I do to get the most out of rehearsal time?
What do we wear for concerts?
For Men: Concert dress for men consists of a black tuxedo, white tuxedo wing collar shirt, black bow tie, black socks, and black shoes. Dress shoes are best, but all black leather athletic shoes are acceptable as long as lighter colored soles have been blackened.
For Women: Concert dress for women consists of a stylish black dress with a velvet bodice, sweetheart neckline, empire waist and crepe skirt. Accessories include specific earings and necklace, black stockings and underclothing and black closed-toe shoes. Purchase your main costume through the chorus or from members who have left the chorus.
What about Concert Etiquette?
Please DO: (Best Practices)
- Sectionals are considered lab time and are not optional. Sectionals start at 6:00 p.m. Check with your section leader to confirm the place.
- Get to rehearsal early enough to be in your seat ready to sing by 7:00 p.m. Be sure to allow enough time to pick up new music.
- Rehearsal starts with the warm-ups. Please treat this time with respect by being in your seat ready to work promptly at 7:00 p.m.
- Bring the "tools of the trade"- three pencils (one for you, one for each of your neighbors!), a highlighter, your tuning fork (on a leash), a music recorder if you like, and don't forget your MUSIC!
- Please do not talk or interrupt Cheryl during rehearsal with questions. It impedes the flow of the rehearsal. Check with your section leader at break if you have a question or email questions after class.
- ALWAYS watch the conductor! It's amazing how helpful she can be.
What do we wear for concerts?
For Men: Concert dress for men consists of a black tuxedo, white tuxedo wing collar shirt, black bow tie, black socks, and black shoes. Dress shoes are best, but all black leather athletic shoes are acceptable as long as lighter colored soles have been blackened.
For Women: Concert dress for women consists of a stylish black dress with a velvet bodice, sweetheart neckline, empire waist and crepe skirt. Accessories include specific earings and necklace, black stockings and underclothing and black closed-toe shoes. Purchase your main costume through the chorus or from members who have left the chorus.
What about Concert Etiquette?
Please DO: (Best Practices)
- Carry your score in the hand away from the audience when entering or leaving.
- Lift your score when the conductor signals.
- When we're finished; close your book and hold your score down by your side.
- Remain attentive and focused onstage. Hearts on fire, minds on ice!
- Look up and smile! Keep your face out of your music and show your enjoyment. Remember, as Cheryl says, people also "hear" with their eyes.
- At the end of singing your section, if the music continues, freeze - and pay attention! Don't leaf through your score to the next section, shift your weight or otherwise disturb the moment until the orchestra or the conductor are finished!
- At the end, smile and maintain poise; don't get carried away and randomly bow - it looks sloppy. The conductor will cue us to take a bow together (or not).
- Hold your music folder high and flat, so your voice can carry over it.
- Turn the pages of scores slowly and quietly.
- Sit and stand without scooting chairs. Cleanly executed sit/stand cues make us look professional.
- Clip pages together that you don't use (long solos etc.) to reduce page-turning.
- Memorize the endings of sections so you can watch the conductor to the end of the line. You could miss a change of tempo, lift or pause that is exquisitely calibrated if not locked onto the conductor.
- Wear perfume, cologne, aftershave, or perfumed hairspray before a concert. (Do wear unscented deodorant!)
- Smoke or indulge in aromatic food or drink before we sing. We are in very close quarters during concerts, breathing deeply, and we need all the clear oxygen we can get!
- Never drink alcohol before a performance for a myriad of obvious reasons. Leave celebration until after a brilliant concert,
- Talk on stage, at all, ever.
- Move or sway your body during the concert unless it has been choreographed.
- Tap your feet on stage! Others can feel it through the riser and it's distracting. A certain amount of body English is unavoidable, but be aware that visible "learning aids" such as foot tapping, book bouncing or nodding your head to keep time become habits that are hard to break, and look amateurish on stage.
- "Read along" in your score during solos.