Choir Etiquette
A good rehearsal depends on everyone being able to concentrate and make the best use of the available time. Most rehearsal etiquette is simply a matter of arriving prepared, listening carefully and showing consideration for the people around you.
Before the rehearsal
Arrive in good time
Try to arrive early enough to find your seat, arrange your music and be ready when the rehearsal begins. If you arrive late, enter as quietly as possible and wait for a suitable moment to take your place.
Sign in and respond to event requests
If your choir asks members to sign in at rehearsals, remember to do so. Likewise, if you are asked to indicate whether you will take part in a concert or other event, try to respond promptly - even if the answer is no. It takes very little time for each singer but saves a great deal of checking and chasing for those who run the choir.
Come prepared
Bring the music and equipment you are likely to need, including a pencil or two!
Help where you can
Choirs often rely on members to help with chairs, music and other practical tasks. Offering a hand before or after the rehearsal can make a considerable difference.
During the rehearsal
Watch and listen to the conductor
Keep an eye on the conductor as well as on your music, and listen carefully to instructions. This is important musically, but it is also a matter of consideration: if singers miss a cue to stop, sing more quietly or begin again, the conductor may have to interrupt the rehearsal and repeat something that has already been explained.
Avoid chatting
Even quiet conversations can be distracting when the conductor is speaking or another section is rehearsing. Save conversations for the break or the end of the rehearsal where possible.
Follow the music when another section is singing...
It can be tempting to switch off while another voice part is rehearsing, but following the score will help you understand how the parts fit together. You will also be ready when the conductor asks the full choir to continue.
...but only in your head!
It's so tempting to hum or whistle your line under your breath when not singing, or to tap your foot, but avoid this temptation. Your neighbours will probably be too polite to ask you to stop, but will find it very distracting.
Mark important instructions
Note changes and corrections in your score as they are given. This helps you remember them at the next rehearsal and reduces the need for the same points to be explained again.
Choose a suitable moment for questions
Questions are often helpful, especially if several singers may be unsure about the same point. Try to ask at a natural pause rather than while the conductor is working through something else, and be sensitive to time pressures. If you're new to a choir, gauge the conductor's appetite for questions by observing a few rehearsals first.
Keep phones from becoming a distraction
Put your phone on silent and avoid checking it during the rehearsal unless you have a particular reason to keep it nearby. If you need to take an urgent call, step outside as quietly as possible.
Avoid using scents
Perfume, aftershave and fragranced sprays can be uncomfortable for people with allergies, asthma or other sensitivities, and can also hinder people's singing and enjoyment of the rehearsal. It is best to avoid them altogether in both rehearsals and concerts.
Be thoughtful about illness
Singing brings people together in an enclosed space, so take sensible precautions if you have an infectious illness. If you do attend with a lingering cough, bring water and tissues and consider sitting at the back, or at least moving away from the group if you have a prolonged coughing fit.
Treat everyone with courtesy
Choirs bring together people with different levels of experience and confidence. Be patient with other singers and avoid drawing attention to someone else’s mistakes. The conductor is usually best placed to decide which points need correcting.
After the rehearsal
Leave borrowed music in good condition
Use pencil rather than pen in borrowed scores unless your choir says otherwise. Return music promptly when requested, with any temporary markings erased if required.
Take your belongings with you
Check around your chair for music, pencils, glasses and water bottles before leaving. Taking home other people's possessions for safekeeping, and bringing them in the following week for collection is unnecessary extra work for others. If chairs or equipment need to be put away, help where you are able.