Time to Get Back to Work

Since most groups take summer breaks, early fall can feel like back-to-school time. Come September, many of us are ready to get going, see friends that we haven't seen all summer and start challenging ourselves again. At the same time, it can be hard to amp up the energy and get back into full work mode, especially after having a summer full of free evenings.

Setting a few personal goals can help, even if singing is something you do purely for enjoyment. Goals need to be meaningful only to you. They could include such things as

• Improve sightreading skills. For example, as someone who finds working with numbers a challenge, tricky beats and rhythms give me ongoing opportunities to work on this particular aspect of reading music.
• Learn to enjoy music from unfamiliar genres. During rehearsals for the 2014 Christmas concerts, I was surprised to discover that my two favorite pieces turned out to be what I'd call contemporary, which was a switch for me.
• Make 1-2 new friendships or, if it's a small group, get to know everyone in your section on a neighborly level.
• Try out for small ensemble work if your director or chorus offers this opportunity. For me, one of last year's high points was being able to participate in a smaller group doing Benjamin Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia. It was like musical boot camp - the hardest project I'd had in years, but very rewarding. 

If you use goals to turn up your level of engagement and enjoyment rather than merely adding another "should" to your to-do list, they'll ease the transition into the busy season.