June 2003
Where are the Singers?	Show Menu

David McConnell examines some of the issues facing church choir directors in recruiting singers.

The recruitment of singers must be an ongoing concern for all who direct church choirs. It is probably an issue that needs to be given a higher priority than at present. It should not be the sole responsibility of the organist. Rather it should be shared with the clergy and others in the parish.

“Church choirs are dying out” is a frequent plaint. In some cases, perhaps, the worship tradition of the church no longer requires a formal church choir but this probably applies only in a small number of cases. There are more choirs, there is greater interest in choral singing in Ireland today than ever before. Yet most parish church choirs do not reflect this phenomenon; rather, the contrary. Why? There are several reasons and here I look briefly at two aspects of the problem: sourcing singers and the time of rehearsals.

Greater visibility

Increasingly, in city and suburban parishes at any rate, the stark reality is that choir directors no longer can rely on the local parish to provide singers. Articles in parish magazines, requests from the pulpit, pleas at meetings, generally fall on deaf ears. My experience points more and more to the benefits of looking outside the immediate faith community and to seeking out those who enjoy singing and who value the church choir experience. Some of these may be denominationally blind; others may profess no particular interest in church, apart from singing. This is no more than a reflection of Irish society in the post-Christendom era and, paradoxically, in some ways can work to our advantage as choir directors, in that it makes for an eclectic group of people to work with.

So, to access the many who, I believe, are open to singing in a church choir, directors need to adopt a more proactive, externally orientated approach. We are in a competitive situation for singers and, consequently, we need to sell our product – namely, singing in the church choir – using present-day market tools: photos and articles in community newspapers, fliers in shop windows, website promotion, local radio, leaflets through letterboxes, and the like.

We must increase the visibility of our choirs and make it widely known that we welcome singers. We must believe in our ability and in our product and then tell others.

Early on Sunday?

The weekday evening choir rehearsal is a long established tradition. When a majority of the choir attends regularly, with all voice parts represented, it can be a vehicle for significant musical achievement. But pressures of modern day living militate against constant, near-full, attendance on weekday evenings. And it is extremely difficult to make a rehearsal interesting and stimulating if forces are inadequate. When talking to potential new singers, whether from within the parish or outside, I have found that the weekday rehearsal is a stumbling block to accepting my invitation. Those in the choir for many years have factored in that evening to their social calendars. New-comers find it difficult to make this commitment. Recognising this, some churches already have moved their normal weekly rehearsal to immediately before the Sunday morning liturgy. This certainly requires a more focused approach and good time management. However, it also permits last-minute changes to the music programme to align with forces actually present and, as an outcome, it should result in a more effective offering by the choir in supporting the liturgy.

A rector of a church in the inner Dublin suburbs, currently seeking a musician, tells me that he may offer a pre-Sunday service rehearsal slot as part of the job profile. He hopes that potential applicants may find this more attractive than a weekday rehearsal. When asked to discuss the Sunday morning rehearsal idea, singers usually recognise and agree with the logic but reject the idea for practical reasons: an unacceptably early start on a Sunday morning and the logistics of families having to travel to church in two batches. Nonetheless, I believe that singers are beginning to see the benefits, on balance, of the Sunday morning solution and experience in other countries also points in this direction.

Change is good

Promoting church choirs in the wider community and altering rehearsal times involve change. Change is often threatening and is frequently resisted. If it is to be successful, all involved must agree to and take ownership of what is happening. We must emphasise that, while change may mean moving away from former methods, it invariably leads to growth and achievement. Choir directors need to communicate their vision positively with cheerful optimism. Whether it is recruiting singers or managing choirs, we have to be hugely imaginative, at times must ‘think the unthinkable’, as we work to maintain and strengthen our teams of committed singers who offer their voices Sunday by Sunday in leading worship.

David McConnell is organist and choir director at Zion Church, Rathgar, chairperson of the Dublin International Organ and Choral Festival and a member of the Diocesan Church Music Committee.

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