Making sure the singing goes on

Inevitably there will be times when you are not available. But the show must go on. What do you do? It could be ill-health, a diary-clash, a family emergency or being on holiday. There will be times when you are not available to do your job. The best solution is to prepare in advance. Have a substitute to lead the rehearsal or workshop Somebody you trust and who works in the same way as you. Better still, have a pool of such people to ensure that somebody will be free. If a concert is coming up and you know you can’t lead it, have your substitute attend the rehearsals leading up to it. Make sure you pay them! Have a buddy who can sing your solo or play the piano This can be somebody you, the singer, chooses, or it could be done by your choir leader. There are understudies in theatre. In the same way, if a concert is important enough, there will need to be backups for the important solos or accompanists if you use musicians. Schedule publicity and other announcements in advance If you…