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Positioning Your Choir

This document discusses various standing positions for choirs to refine their sound. It recommends choosing positions based on the acoustics of the venue, size of the stage, number and type of singers, musicianship of singers, literature being performed, and other factors. Some typical formations mentioned are rows, a single line, sections, and quartets. Rehearsal positions discussed include blocks by section or voice, circles, and facing formations. The document provides examples of unusual positions for featured sections, weak sections, or an imbalance of voices. It concludes with additional considerations for maintaining a choir's identity and ensuring singers can hear each other.

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Derrick Kam
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2K views3 pages

Positioning Your Choir

This document discusses various standing positions for choirs to refine their sound. It recommends choosing positions based on the acoustics of the venue, size of the stage, number and type of singers, musicianship of singers, literature being performed, and other factors. Some typical formations mentioned are rows, a single line, sections, and quartets. Rehearsal positions discussed include blocks by section or voice, circles, and facing formations. The document provides examples of unusual positions for featured sections, weak sections, or an imbalance of voices. It concludes with additional considerations for maintaining a choir's identity and ensuring singers can hear each other.

Uploaded by

Derrick Kam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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REPOSITIONYOURSINGERS:REFINEYOURSOUND

PresentedbyDr.CharleneArchibequeattheACDANationalConvention2005
ToMakeAnyChoirSoundBetter:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Teachallsingerstousetheirvoicescorrectly
Improveyourconductingskills
Choosetherightliteratureforyourchoir
Trydifferentstandingpositions

FactorstoConsiderinChoosinganEffectiveStandingPosition:
1. Acousticsofthevenue
Maximizethehallsacoustics;Riserposition(proximitytoaudience,infrontofcurtains,
etc.);Reinforcementofovertones(whichpositionsmaximizethebestsoundsinthechoir)
2. Sizeofstage
Ambientspacing(giveeveryonetheirownspacetomovein,heareasily,seetheconductor
clearly,spreadoutasmuchaspossible;nosingershouldsingintothebackofsomeones
head,hair,back,etc.;optimumspaceneededbetweensingersis4feet;numberofrisers
(usefloorandaddedchairstogetextrarowsinfrontofrisers)
3. Numberandtypeofsingers
Voicematchingforoptimumsingingconfidenceandblend;beautyandstrengthofeach
voice;colorandtimbre
4. Musicianshipofsingers
Bestears;partsecurity;pitchaccuracy;intonation;vibrato(noduelingvibrato)
5. Literaturebeingperformed
Construction(homophonic,polyphonic,antiphonal,solos);equalbalance
6. Factorsuniquetothechoir
Weakersectionsplacedinmiddleorfrontofformation;numberofsingersineachsection;
7. Conductorschoices
Densityandsonorityofdesiredtone;idealsoundshape(pyramid,doublepyramid);Weston
NoblesuggestslisteningtoallvoicestoidentifytheONEvoiceyouwanttotypifythe
sectionssound.Buildyoursectionsaroundthatperson.
8. Appearanceofsingers
Facialexpression(orlackthereof);physicalinvolvement;height(avoidaverytallsinger
standingbyaverynottallsingertheycantheareachother)
9. Specialneeds
Singerswithstanding/mobilityissues

TypicalPerformanceFormationstoConsider:

1. Rows
2. Singlelinespreadacrossstagewith4feetbetweeneachsinger
3. Surroundsound(singingintheround)
4. Insections
5. Quartets
6. NoahsArkordoublequartetsinanystructure(SSBBAATT;STABSTAB;etc.)
7. AlternatingVoicesinRows
8. Horseshoecurve(widecurvewithstraightlineacrossback)
RehearsalPositions:Manyofthesepositionswillalsoworkinperformance.
1. Newmusiclearninginrowsorsections:
a. Bassesbehindsopranos;Tenorsbehindaltos
b. SBTAblocksections

c.

SATBblocksections;considershiftingrowseachweeksoeveryonecanbecloseto
theconductorsearatsomepoint.
d. Insamevoice4rowposition:sopranosinrow1,altosinrow2,etc.Againshift
rowsbytheweeksoeveryonecanbeclosetotheconductoratsomepoint.

2. RehearsinginCircles
a. onelargecirclearoundtheroom
b. menincirclearoundwomenscircle;andreverse
c. lowvoices(B&A)inoutsidecircle;uppervoices(T&S)ininsidecircle
d. Individualpartsinrehearsalcircles(IcallthisonePowerCirclesbecauseittends
toempowerthesingerstoworktogether).Ifyouhavechattysingers,constant
rovingbetweencircleswillprobablybenecessary.
e. 4rowsindoublecircleposition(Youcanhaveallsingersfacetothecenterofthe
circleoryoucanhavethecirclesfaceeachothertochallengepartandpitch
accuracy).Facetofacerehearsalisagreatwaytoworkblendandvowellocks,also.

3. Extracreditpositions
a. 2equalchoirsfacingeachother
b. 2rowsfacingeachother
PerformanceConsiderations:
1. Putmostbeautifulvoiceinthefrontaudiencehearsthatsoundfirst
2. Minimizeproblemsingersbyplacingtheminfrontofstrongsingersorattheedgeswhere
theydontinfluenceothersasmuch
3. Placethemostinterestinglooking(facialexpression,physicalinvolvement)singersinthe
mostprominentpositionssotheaudiencecanenjoytheirjoy
4. Facialexpressioninfluencesmanyelementsofperformance:intonationvarieswith
differentfacialmuscleinvolvement,facialexpressionindicatesasingersconnectedness
withthetext,rehearsalissingingforselfperformanceissingingforothers.
5. Usesingerswithbestintonationinanchorpositions
6. Separatesingerswhosevoicesdontblendorwhosevoicesclash(intonation,vibrato,etc.)
7. Changepositionsfrompiecetopiece(addressthevarietyofeachpiecewithvarietyin
position;thisalsohelpsthesingermaintainlooseandflexiblebodies)
8. Getsoloistsoutinfrontofthechoirsotheaudiencedoesnthavetosearchforthem.
UnusualPerformancePositions:

1. Whenonesectionisfeaturedmorethanothersinapiece:positionthatsection
prominentlybyplacingtheminasinglefrontrowandusingascrambledpositionforthe
restofthechoirinotherrows
2. Weaksections(thisexamplefeaturesweakaltos):dispersesopranosandbassesaround
edges;puttenors
behindaltos.

SBSBAATTAASBSB
BSBSAAAAAABSBS
3. Tenorsweak,withchallengingvoices:Hidetheworstvoicesinthebackandplacebest
voiceinfrontinatriangle
SSSBTTTBAAA
SSSBBTBBAAA
SSBBBTBBBAA

4. Whenyouhavetoomanysopranos(oranyotheroutofbalancevoicepart):
Placethatsectionalongthebacktworowsofchoirandarrangeotherpartsindoubleor
triplequartetsonfronttworows(assuming4rowposition)

Whensingingwithaninstrumentalensemble:

1. Keeplikepartsinthesamesightlines:Violin1insamesightlineasSopranos;Vn.IIwith
Altos;ViolaswithTenors;Cello/BasswithBasses
2. Positionchoirmuchhigherthantheorchestraorband:ChoironStagewith
Orchestra/BandinthePit;Choironelevatedrisersbehindtheorchestra/band;orbetter
yetplaceelevatedrisersinthepit(closertotheaudience)withtheensemblebehindthe
choir.
3. Althoughpositioningachoirandinstrumentalensemblecanbedifficult,itisworthittogive
themusicstudentsachancetoworkwitheachotheratsomepointintheirschooltime.
AdditionalConsiderations:
1. MaintainachoirsidentityasaChoir.Itshouldlookandfeellikeachoir.
2. Conductormuststandasfarbackaspossiblefromthechoirsohe/shecanhearcloserto
whattheaudiencewillhear.Theoptimumdistancefromthechoiris2030feet.
3. BesuretogooutintotheseatingareaandLISTENwhenperforminginanewvenue.
4. Havepeoplewithtrustedearssitinvarioussotsinthehallwhilethechoirisrehearsing
forfeedback.
5. Besuresingerscanheareachother.
6. Neveruserehearsaltimetomovevoicesaround.Preplanseating.Displaythenewseating
chartssosingerscanmovetotheirnewpositionsquicklyandindependently.Theexception
wouldbewhendoingvoicematching.
7. Missingsingers?Practicesingingwithoutthesingerinposition.Theothersingershaveto
learntoaccommodateforthemissingperson.Anentirelydifferentseatingarrangement
mightbenecessaryifcriticalanchorpositionsingersaremissing.

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