[During the time when I was
unable to update this blog, I set aside many drafts, topics, and items of interest
to write about later. Among the items I saved were responses that I had posted to
ChoralNet in response to questions from other members of that forum. Here’s one
of those Q&A items, edited slightly for publication here.]
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Question: How important/necessary is it to have an encore
prepared for a choral concert? We have a
tradition of closing our Christmas concert with a piece about peace, which is usually
fairly quiet and contemplative. I have difficulty
finding a suitable encore, and sometimes wonder if it’s really necessary. Is it perhaps better to send the audience out
with peaceful sounds, and just conclude with the applause and the presentation of
flowers, etc.? Would the audience feel cheated? What is your practice and your experience?
The
decision to perform an encore should be a carefully-considered response to the degree,
duration, and enthusiasm of the audience’s response to the program. An encore should
be offered only when an enthusiastic, steadily-maintained ovation is an
indication that the performance was truly outstanding, and that part of it is worth
hearing again. (Remember, encore means
“again,” not “more.”). In this case, a short selection from the concert program,
or an excerpt from a longer piece on the concert program, makes a nice encore. Once
the decision is made to present the encore, do it right away and without
lingering.
It
it’s traditional with your choir to offer a special “signature” piece as an encore,
and if you sense that the audience truly expects and longs for it, then by all
means, have the piece prepared and ready to sing. It’s not necessary to have a new
one every year. In fact, if it’s a tradition for your ensemble to do this sort of
thing, then singing an audience favorite might be the best choice.
If
your encore is not drawn from the concert program, be sure to announce the composer
and title from the stage.
Let
the singers know beforehand what your plans are for offering an encore, and
make sure that music is at the ready and fully rehearsed. An encore must be
performed with the same care as any other piece on the program, especially as
it is the music that will be in your listener’s ears as they leave the concert
hall.
Speaking
of ovations, it seems that audiences are very generous with standing ovations these
days, even for mediocre performances. Perhaps the standing ovation is the beginning
of the rush for the doors... I am one of those people you see sitting during a standing
ovation, unless the performance was truly
outstanding, in which case I’ll be one of the first to stand and applaud vigorously,
hoping for an encore!
More of my essays on the life of a chorister, and more about choral rehearsals and choral music, may be found here: http://quodlibet-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorister
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