When I ran community choirs, I used to insist that singers stood during rehearsals. But some complained that their legs ached by the end of the evening.
Now I usually get people to sit for singing sessions. But recently some singers have complained because they prefer to stand! Is there a middle way to keep everybody happy.
I’ve always believed that standing to sing is best (see Standing up for your choir — or do you use chairs and sit down?). But what about when learning a song?
I used to insist that people stood for the whole session. But in recent years, as my singers have aged, I’ve usually allowed people to sit whilst learning.
I always make the point at the beginning of any singing session that people can sit down as much as they like if they need or want to. I also say that if people want to stand all the time, that’s also fine.
However, if we begin with everyone seated, peer pressure can make it hard for a singer to stand when nobody else is — especially if they’re in the front row.
Some people who prefer to stand make sure that they’re at the back so they can stand and move about as much as they like.
The downside to this is that those standing will be singing over the heads of those sitting and won’t be able to hear them as well.
Is there a way to satisfy everybody’s needs?
One solution is to begin with everyone seated while learning a song, then ask singers to stand once the song has been learnt. But that involves a lot of getting up and sitting down — and sometimes I forget to ask people to stand.
Another possibility is to have two rows of singers: those in the front seated, those behind standing. But there’s still the problem of singing over people’s heads. And what if only a small minority want to stand, rather than half the group?
So I’m open to suggestions. Does anybody have a simple solution that will satisfy both camps?
I’d love to hear from you. Do leave a comment and let us know your own experiences, whether as a singer or choir leader.
You might also like: How to stand and sing without getting backache
Chris Rowbury
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