YOUR REHERSAL'S AGENDA

[CJKeyboardPlaya]

Hello all. CJ is back (not fully but mobile. P.C. Needs work) and im ready to resume play, wit yall.

Question: What do you and your team do during your time for practice? In what order?

Im now Head Musician/PW Director  by DEFAULT, not choice.

Also any by laws that are mostly important to keep order?

[sjonathan02]

Order:

Prayer

Go through songs for service/bible study

Learn new songs

Prayer


No by-laws.

[CJKeyboardPlaya]

Ok so you sayin "No-bylaws"?  So how do you address the member who dont Come to practice but still has the nerve to jump up during a song on Sunday, weather we sound bad or not or even if you know the song, and act like its ok?

[jgause2]

Order:

Prayer

Go through songs for service/bible study

Learn new songs

Prayer


No by-laws.

This.

Ok so you sayin "No-bylaws"?  So how do you address the member who dont Come to practice but still has the nerve to jump up during a song on Sunday, weather we sound bad or not or even if you know the song, and act like its ok?

That's an issue that should be settled with each member BEFORE they join the choir.  I sit each of them down and basically go though what is expected of them....one of which is "No Rehearsal = No Singing".  That way, there's no suprise.

[betnich]

Ok so you sayin "No-bylaws"?  So how do you address the member who dont Come to practice but still has the nerve to jump up during a song on Sunday, weather we sound bad or not or even if you know the song, and act like its ok?

This is what our choir is going through right now. So - we have set Sunday Morning rehearsals for 45 min. before service, and used the dreaded word "Mandatory".

Plus, we are going to try having Choir sing first thing (after opening prayer) in the service, to encourage promptness. A lot of the visitors and new people come to church on time, but there is a population of old-time-stragglers...

[CJKeyboardPlaya]

Ok so... Now i now i post my second question:

"Should Choir / PW Leaders have by-laws, rules...whatever you wanna call them...?"

[sjonathan02]

Ok so you sayin "No-bylaws"?  So how do you address the member who dont Come to practice but still has the nerve to jump up during a song on Sunday, weather we sound bad or not or even if you know the song, and act like its ok?

We don't have that problem.  But, to answer your question, you speak with them directly concerning the expectation 'No rehearsal, no singing on Sundays.'  With bigger churches, this is more of a problem.

[sjonathan02]

Ok so... Now i now i post my second question:

"Should Choir / PW Leaders have by-laws, rules...whatever you wanna call them...?"

That depends on the size of the church/choir and the age of said church/choir.  With older, larger churches, yes, rules/by-laws, etc. are probably needed. 

[malthumb]

Order:

Prayer

Go through songs for service/bible study

Learn new songs

Prayer


No by-laws.

For the most part, ^^^^^this^^^^^

But I REALLY dislike performing songs we've only rehearsed once.  Each month, before 1st Sunday, I email to the singers and musicians the schedule for 3 rehearsals and the songs we'll be doing, including which CD they are on.  The 1st rehearsal is 3rd Saturday in the afternoon.  We LISTEN to the songs we're going to do and work out the arrangements (which verses we'll do, how many times we'll repeat the chorus or vamp, do we REALLY wanna modulate that many times?).  The second rehearsal is on Thursday evening with the musicians.  Then the final is a brush up on Sunday Morning before service.

For songs we've done before, I'll let someone who missed Thursday sing if they make Sunday morning brush up.  For new songs or arrangements, NO.

Here is an example of the email I send out

Folks,

Here is the plan and rehearsal schedule for our 4th Sunday Service.  A couple of these are new.  They are fairly simple, but since they are new, we really do need to plan on making these rehearsals.

The songs are:

INTROIT:  Holy Spirit Move (on the CD I recently gave most of you with a number of Introits)
SEL 1:      I Need You To Survive (CD 1, Track 8. )
SEL 2:      Get Ready For Your Miracle (CD 3, Track 3) Rodney, can you lead this one?
OFFER:    Job's Song [Blessed] (CD 2, Track 7)

The rehearsal schedule is:

Saturday, July 16th 3:00pm
Thursday, July 21st 7:00pm
Sunday, July 24th 10:15am

Stay blessed,

James

[sjonathan02]

But I REALLY dislike performing songs we've only rehearsed once. 

I agree with the above poster with the caveat 'unless we knock it out of the park (read: already know the song and we're simply singing it during service).

[LaylaMonroe]

Note: I'm not a choir director or PT leader (or any type of musical leader).

Our rehearsals go like this:
Worship Song ---> Opening Prayer ---> Worship

(That part flows with no breaks in between. Choir director starts off the worship song, whoever he passes the mic to begins to pray, and when they say "amen" we just continue worshiping.

Then, we start rehearsing.

Then, he gives announcements/instructions/attire, etc.

Then, he dismisses.

Our entire rehearsal lasts about an hour, never more than 90 min. and we usually get through about 5 or 6 songs (sometimes, that's 5 or 6 NEW songs). Our choir director is one of the best I've ever worked with.

IRT the second question, I think that every auxiliary should have clearly defined roles and responsibilities so everyone will always know what to expect and there are no questions about what is acceptable and what is not. And no surprises.

[CJKeyboardPlaya]

Wow... Very detailed... I like.

[Japica]

Practice 6:30pm. I start on time.
1. Devotion
2. Sing
3. Scripture
4. Selections for Sunday
5. Break
6. Go over praise and worship songs for Sunday
7. New songs, if any or announcements, etc