Although the calendar year begins on January 1, the “choral year” usually begins in August of September. School choirs, church choirs, and community choirs across our country are all beginning a new season of music making right about now. With that in mind, I’d like to talk about a quality I think we should bring to this new year of singing, and in fact, to each rehearsal of the year. That quality is energy, and I believe it to be a key ingredient of good singing. 

Consider the fact that the voice is a “living” instrument and that energy is the foundation of the sound created by that instrument. One of the essential differences between an excellent choir and a merely average choir is the energy the excellent choir brings to its performance. Realizing that a choir is made up of individuals will remind us of our personal responsibilities in creating choral energy. If each singer enters the rehearsal room with an attitude of enthusiasm and motivation, there will be a much better chance that choral energy will be achieved in the rehearsal.

Here are some synonyms for energy: animation, drive, intensity, spirit, vitality, and zeal. Here, also, are several antonyms for the same word: idleness, inactivity, laziness, lethargy, and tiredness. Which set of words would you wish to be used to describe a choir in which you sing? I would expect it to be the synonyms for energy, rather than the antonyms. Let’s make it our goal to bring energy to every rehearsal!