A dress rehearsal that merely “runs the program” usually produces a concert that also merely runs the program. The hour is too expensive for that.
Use the dress to rehearse the event: how the choir enters, how it stands, how it recovers from a missed cue, and how it leaves the room without breaking the spell. The music has already been taught. What remains is composure.
Listener Question
“Our dress rehearsals always run long, and the choir is tired before the concert. What should I cut?” — a high-school director in Missouri
Cut talking. Keep singing. Announce the order in writing before anyone arrives, then speak only when the room cannot solve the problem by doing it again.
Today’s Inspiration
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge — a work that rewards a choir that can wait, listen, and arrive together.
Practical notes
- Begin on time even if the room is not full. Lateness is a rehearsal problem, not a traffic problem.
- Rehearse applause, page turns, and the first breath of each piece.
- End while the sound is still beautiful. Send the choir home wanting the concert, not surviving it.