9.1 The rehearsal room and selecting an accompanist  (Page 2/2)

During the audition, direct the accompanist in a choral piece to see how well he follows your direction. When possible, select two accompanists. They can divide the accompanying responsibilities. If they both sing, this will give them an opportunity to sing in the choir as well as to accompany it.

Once you have chosen the accompanist(s), set a time several days prior to the first rehearsal when you can spend approximately thirty minutes explaining the role of an accompanist in your rehearsals. This is the time when you should give the accompanist a copy of each piece that will be used in the first rehearsal. Comment on each piece regarding tempo, when you want parts played, and the place of each piece in the format of the first rehearsal.

The following items should be discussed with the accompanist.

1. Write out the exercises that you will use during the first rehearsals and have the accompanist practice them with you. Let him know how high or low you wish the exercises to go and what signals you will use to indicate a change of pitch direction.

2. The accompanist should give all pitches, in order, from the lowest part to the highest part. When chords are given in this manner, the root of the chord will be heard sooner (since it is often the bass). This allows singers to more readily associate the entire chord with their pitch as it is given.

3. Ask the accompanist to pay close attention to your directions so he can anticipate the place in the score at which you want to start.

4. Impress upon the accompanist that he can save valuable time in every rehearsal and that the time is important. An ineffective accompanist can continually halt the flow of a rehearsal. This can be very annoying to the choir and to the director.

5. Instruct the accompanist that, when playing separate parts, to play from the vocal line rather than to continue to play from the piano reduction. The reduction will not include the proper voice leading. In works without a piano reduction, either have the accompanist write out the parts or have two pianists combine to play all the lines, when necessary.

6. The accompanist should be at the piano as quickly as possible at the beginning of the rehearsal. You will want to begin rehearsals when most of the students are seated.

7. Let the accompanist know that his position is very important. Ask him to have you notified if he is ill, and notified in advance, of any scheduled trips that will take him from rehearsals. It is very distressing to elaborately plan to rehearse a work that needs an accompanist, only to find, after the rehearsal begins that the accompanist is ill that day, or worse, that he is on a field trip that was planned a month in advance.

8. If the accompanist is capable, try to include at least one accompanied work in each concert that will give him an opportunity to play in public.

If student accompanists are not available, it may be necessary to hire an adult to play for rehearsals. This may require you to convince the administration that the expenditure is necessary. Make every effort to convince them that if the ensemble is to advance musically, you need a capable accompanist.

If the accompanist is a singer, every possible opportunity should be provided for him to sing. When possible it is best to alternate accompanists so each has the chance to sing in the choir.