The "Eyes" Have It

I recently won a $10,000 grant to travel to Latvia and study the country's great choral music.  I have been here for almost three weeks, and I have had the opportunity to hear some wonderful ensembles. This small country -- about the size of West Virginia -- has a phenomenal number of excellent choirs.  I am impressed every time I hear one of them.

While listening to and watching one of these wonderful auditioned choirs at a concert this evening, I noticed something that was very distracting.  There were at least two singers who did not keep their eyes on the conductor while singing.  I was shocked when I noticed it.  Here was a talented, experienced ensemble who has won many awards, and their conductor deals with some of the same problems I do!

I am constantly having to remind my school groups that they are not to look at the audience while they are singing;  they are to keep their eyes on me at all times.  They look at me with puzzlement on their faces and say, "Why?  Aren't we supposed to relate to the audience?"  Yes, but there are right ways to relate to the audience, and there are wrong ways.

If you are in a choir, and a conductor is standing in front of you, you need to be looking only at that conductor and nothing else.  Why?  There are several reasons.

1)  Your conductor is basically recreating the music in the air with his or her gestures.  It is up to you to watch those gestures so that you will know what the conductor wants from you.  While he has rehearsed the music with you enough that you should know it, there is always the chance that the conductor may want something different the night of the performance.

2)  Being in a choir is about being a part of a group.  As the audience looks at the singers, they expect to see a uniform group.  Being uniform means that everyone looks at the same thing -- the conductor.  If the audience sees a singer or two not looking at the conductor, that person detracts or takes away from the uniformity of the ensemble.

3)  Not only does it take away from the uniformity of the choir, it is also a distraction.  When the audience is looking at the choir and they see you looking around while everyone else is watching the director, you become a distraction for them.  You are not doing what you are "supposed" to be doing, and they notice it.

4)  Singers are supposed to relate to the audience through the conductor.  All emotions and "messages" should go through the conductor and then funnel out to the audience.  It creates a flow, and when one person looks away, the flow is broken.

These reasons apply only if a conductor is standing in front of the ensemble.  The minute that conductor steps away, then it is necessary for you to communicate directly to the audience.  The audience expects it at that point and will be disappointed if you don't.

Being a member of a choir means that you are a member of an ensemble, a group of singers.  It is not about "you," but about the group, and everything you do should be for the betterment of the group.  Don't let your individuality be a detriment to the group's success.

The Power of a Conductor

I recently read a post about the power that a conductor has over his or her ensemble.  The article stated that no other position has similar authority.  The president has to consult with his cabinet before making a decision, a baseball manager has to report to his general manager, and a CEO has to report to his shareholders.  However, a conductor has been entrusted with the authority to make decisions for his ensemble on his/her own, without consulting with anyone.

As a choral conductor, I agree that I have power over my ensemble.  In fact, I am constantly amazed at how much power I have.  There are times that it is downright scary. If the singers are too loud, I ask them to sing softer, and they do -- no questions asked. If I want crisper diction, I ask for it, and they deliver. If I want a more flowing, legato sound, I show them with my gestures, and they produce it. All of this is done without argument. 

While wielding all of that power is great, it can also be disastrous. During a performance, if I give the choir a cutoff, they cut off -- even if it's in the wrong place. If my gestures indicate that the basses are supposed to come in, they will come in, even if it's in the wrong spot. Once a mistake like that is made, the choir looks to me, their leader, to fix it. If I can't fix it, then the performance is ruined. 

My singers have entrusted me with their success. They are willing to follow me because they believe that I will help them be the best that they can be. I am the expert -- that's why I am their leader. While some conductors may take advantage of that role and use it for their own success and glory, I find it to be very humbling. The fact that my choir has chosen me to lead them is the greatest honor they can give me. It is an honor that I accept with the deepest gratitude and humility.