When singers want different things

I wrote last week about how No choir can be all things to all singers. Some singers prefer sheet music, others learn best by ear. Some love movement and performance, others just want to stand still and sing. Here are some of the most common tensions that arise — and a few ways to navigate them. The role of a choir leader is rarely about finding perfect solutions. It’s usually about finding the best compromise for this choir, these singers, and this situation. sheet music or learning by ear? If your choir teaches exclusively by ear, make that clear from the outset. Singers who rely heavily on notation may simply need a different kind of choir. In one-off workshops, though, it helps to engage readers and non-readers equally. See How to cope with sheet music if you don’t read and usually learn songs by ear and How to cope with learning by ear if you usually read music notation. name badges or learning names naturally? Some people love name badges. Personally, I don’t like them because I…