[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]
Apparently there is more to life than just singing (can’t imagine what), so occasionally you may have to miss a choir rehearsal (not me though!).
Here are some tips for catching up with what you’ve missed.
- find out what you missed – check with your choir leader exactly what was done in the rehearsal you missed. Ask if any resources (e.g. recorded parts) are available to help you. Ask for advice about how you can catch up.
- get a friend to help – it’s a great idea if you have a willing buddy in your section who can record the rehearsal (or at least the bits relevant to you) and/ or take notes. You can do the same for them when they have to miss a rehearsal.
- do your homework – if you have the sheet music, you can practice at home on your own and get up so speed in your own time. Or maybe you have recorded parts you can use.
- have a get-together – invite others in your part round to your house and go over the song. Great opportunity for a singing social event and also a chance to go over tricky bits in other songs.
- pay extra attention – in the next rehearsal you attend. Although you’ve missed one session, there is often a recap of what was done, so listen carefully and you may well catch up quite easily.
- just let the song go – if you miss the first (or even more than one) rehearsal of a new song, it can be that you never ever really get to grips with it. There may be a case for just not singing that particular song in the future. Let it go.
- find a recording – a recording may exist of the song you’re working on, even possibly the same arrangement that you’re learning. If so, get hold of it and listen to the bits you’ve missed so at least you’re familiar with them when you go to the next rehearsal.
- develop a strategy for next time – how important is choir to you? Can you make sure you you’ll not miss a rehearsal in future (funny how the choir leader always seems to manage to turn up!)? If you have to miss a session in future, can you put something in place to help you catch up?
I’m sure I must have missed out on loads of other ideas. Do let me know if you have any great tips for catching up when you have to miss a rehearsal, I’d love to hear from you.
don’t come to choir with a cold!
Please, please, please don’t struggle to choir bravely when you have a full-blown cold. You’ll infect everybody else and then everyone will be missing rehearsals!!
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Chris Rowbury
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