Conductor's role in vocal health
Choral conductors can support their singers’ vocal health in a number of ways in the rehearsal setting. No one wins when singers emerge from rehearsal so hoarse that they can barely speak!
Topics of importance include:
We address conductor's appearance and gestures below. Vocal Technique addresses the other issues as well.
The conductor’s appearance and gestures
The way a conductor physically looks has a direct influence on the vocal health of the singers in the choir. Nonverbal communication has a strong and often unconscious effect upon singers. Conductors should always think about and practice gestures that encourage good vocal technique. Some of the myriad ways that conductors can facilitate vocal health through their gestures include:
Never skip the warm-up--for yourself or the choir! A thoughtful, well-planned warm-up, even as short as five to ten minutes, can make a huge difference to the vocal health of the ensemble. The warm-up should include some exercises that are designed to help singers improve their technique. It should always include an SOVT exercise!
For many amateur singers, the choral rehearsal is the only singing that they do each week. Conductors should spend some time with them to establish the basics of the foundations of singing and then continue to remind them of these principles at every rehearsal. Their technique and stamina will improve and so will the sound of the ensemble.
Topics of importance include:
- Conductors' appearance and gestures
- Sight-singing
- Standing, sitting, and taking breaks
- Warm-up and cool-down
- Planning and pacing of rehearsals
- Support of singers with vocal health issues
We address conductor's appearance and gestures below. Vocal Technique addresses the other issues as well.
The conductor’s appearance and gestures
The way a conductor physically looks has a direct influence on the vocal health of the singers in the choir. Nonverbal communication has a strong and often unconscious effect upon singers. Conductors should always think about and practice gestures that encourage good vocal technique. Some of the myriad ways that conductors can facilitate vocal health through their gestures include:
- Posture—Stand with good alignment. Avoid unnecessary physical motions and tension, especially in the neck and shoulders.
- Conducting pattern—Conducting with a very large pattern all of the time will make everyone feel tense and tired, especially you. Also, make sure that your conducting pattern does not sway your body out of good postural alignment. Remember, the way you look when you conduct has a direct impact on both you and your singers.
- Cues—Prepare the singers’ breaths and infuse your cues with a grounded inhalation whenever possible. Opening your mouth for the choir’s inhalations is helpful. Breathing in through the shape of the vowel to follow is useful, so try showing the vowel shape yourself as you inhale with the choir.
- Cutoffs—Cutoffs should be clear and prepared. Whenever possible, avoid a rapid clamping shut of the fingers. Singers may respond to this gesture by closing their glottises or their mouths—an unhealthy and poor-sounding means of release.
- Hand shape—When conducting without a baton, choral conductors should look carefully at the shape of their hands. This shape may well change depending on the tone quality desired. For example, fully extended tense fingers may result in a more tense, strident sound. Try to remind singers of pharyngeal space with your hand and mouth shapes. Generally you want to create a shape that looks relaxed yet engaged.
- Facial expressions—Attempt to stay relaxed in your face as you conduct. Show your intensity, connect with your singers, but avoid demonstrating tension, especially in the articulators.
- Difficult passages—Often conductors do exactly the opposite of what their singers need in technically difficult sections of the repertoire. For example, for higher pitches, keep gestures low and grounded near the support muscles (abdominals) to encourage your singers to stay on their support. If the repertoire is fast and rhythmic, keep gestures more precise with little extraneous motion; be careful not to over-conduct to help your singers avoid unnecessary tension.
Never skip the warm-up--for yourself or the choir! A thoughtful, well-planned warm-up, even as short as five to ten minutes, can make a huge difference to the vocal health of the ensemble. The warm-up should include some exercises that are designed to help singers improve their technique. It should always include an SOVT exercise!
For many amateur singers, the choral rehearsal is the only singing that they do each week. Conductors should spend some time with them to establish the basics of the foundations of singing and then continue to remind them of these principles at every rehearsal. Their technique and stamina will improve and so will the sound of the ensemble.