Unison! A Guiding Concept
Unison! One sound, the interval of a perfect prime, the state of being so tuned or sounded; akin to union, an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one as in the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units, a uniting in marriage, something formed by the combining or coalition of parts or members, oneness, the growing together of severed parts. The "growing together of severed parts!" That line from Webster's is a shocker of sorts, but it is given in my dictionary as part of the definition of the word.
Unison, that illusive guiding principle which is the obsession of so many successful choral conductors. Unison provides the yardstick, actually a micrometer for measuring tuning, for observing balance, for evaluating blend, and for deciding the presence of ensemble or precision in attacks and releases. In short, are we together here? Or, in a very real way (for the beginning choral director), does your (soprano section, etc.) sound as one voice? If not, determine why not...that's your challenge. Develop the trust of your singers and in your kindest, most artful and skillful way, work with them to sound as one!
Once upon a time I attended a Paul Christiansen workshop at the University of Denver. Inevitably the question of vibrato or non-vibrato choral singing arose. Christiansen made it clear that vibrato wasn't the issue. Unison was the issue. He pointed out that the Philadelphia Orchestra string section didn't play without vibrato, but that they sounded as one instrument.
There is much more to be said about the use of the unison concept to guide us in choral musical endeavors, but there is even more to the concept of unison than the strictly musical. Choral directors have the unique position of being able to draw together much more than diverse tone qualities. We have the privilege of unifying hearts, spirits, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, economic classes, and people of differing political and religious beliefs. We have the most incredible and beautiful medium with which to make this happen, the one directly connected to the hearts and minds of individuals, music... made with the human voice.
Ninth grade students often enter high school choral groups with hugely disparate abilities and backgrounds. Very often the ninth grade year is the last school experience with choral music where there is little or no prerequisites or auditions required. That group is likely to be a cross section of the school population, and, for that matter, of society itself. My observation was that, especially in the last several years of my public school work, economic differences, parental attitudes about school, differing family values (or lack of a value system altogether to guide), created "classes" of students within my class which were given labels by the kids and so distinct as to be more difficult to deal with than even racial issues. This kind of class discord makes choral music making considerably more difficult and, to the easily daunted, impossible.
Yet, because the choral director seems to never give up, miracles happen. Because the music itself is so liberating, so unifying, and so emotionally satisfying, miracles happen. We endure and we deal with the, at times, overwhelming animosities, fights and near fights, and the little "soap operas" of early adolescence. I pronounce no grand solution to society's ills through choral music, but, for a moment, the sharing of something beautiful unifies spirits and enriches lives. The music draws people together like virtually nothing else can do and we know we've been part of something good. Maybe we are, indeed, part of a process which enables "the growing together of severed parts."
Some church choirs like to have a period of time during a rehearsal to share concerns and to pray together. Stop and think of the complexities, the sorrows, the hurts, the varieties of human experiences which the individuals making up such an often "homogeneous" group bring to it. Again, despite our disparate parts there is strength derived from our unison...of voices and of spirits. Many times your singers come to rehearsal grudgingly, "oh, no, another night out." Many times I went to the rehearsals of my church choir tired and wishing I didn't have to do it. Invariably, I came away elevated and spiritually renewed by the music and the music makers. Such is the glorious nature of this art. Such is the power of true unison!