Expanding on the topic of choirs within a community; Performing music by the composers (amateur or professional) is very important. Not enough choirs do this; they are too busy performing works by Bach or Herbert or Eric Whitacre.
Choirs used to perform this service; Bach, for example, was hired to write music for his choir every Sunday and for festivals. I'm sure that they also performed other composers (I guess I could look that up and find out). Today, of course, we are able to get music from anywhere in the world; this leads to lots and lots of music to choose from. I also have nothing against this. It is fun to perform a wide variety of styles, as well as singing pieces that are on my favourite's list.
This does not excuse the fact, though, that choirs almost totally ignore the composers living in the area where the coir resides; I have seen many concerts where I live, and it is rare to hear music by local composers. If they do sing one, it is by a famous composers, and it feels it is done grudgingly, as if to acknowledge that composers are being ignored, so we have to make up for it.
Choirs should just spend a bit of time finding composers and seeing what's available. It's not hard to do; there are plenty of music chatrooms and boards online and it's easy to post notices at the schools.
Choirs used to perform this service; Bach, for example, was hired to write music for his choir every Sunday and for festivals. I'm sure that they also performed other composers (I guess I could look that up and find out). Today, of course, we are able to get music from anywhere in the world; this leads to lots and lots of music to choose from. I also have nothing against this. It is fun to perform a wide variety of styles, as well as singing pieces that are on my favourite's list.
This does not excuse the fact, though, that choirs almost totally ignore the composers living in the area where the coir resides; I have seen many concerts where I live, and it is rare to hear music by local composers. If they do sing one, it is by a famous composers, and it feels it is done grudgingly, as if to acknowledge that composers are being ignored, so we have to make up for it.
Choirs should just spend a bit of time finding composers and seeing what's available. It's not hard to do; there are plenty of music chatrooms and boards online and it's easy to post notices at the schools.
Comments