---
title: Chorus Chatter - The Facebook Dilemma
description: In choir management, member-to-member communication is absolutely vital. But managing this aspect of an organization is a struggle. Find out more!
---

[Blog — Chorus Connection](https://blog.chorusconnection.com)

# [Chorus Chatter - The Facebook Dilemma](https://blog.chorusconnection.com/blog/2015/5/7/chorus-chatter-the-facebook-dilemma)

 Written by [Jacob Levine](https://blog.chorusconnection.com/author/jacob-levine) | May 08, 2015

This morning I received 2 simultaneous notifications on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/chorusconnection). The AIDS Walk captain for the NYC Gay Men's Chorus had an announcement about the upcoming walk, so he posted it on 2 of our internal Facebook groups.

Getting simultaneous notifications like that is actually quite common for me. Our chorus has 3 active groups on Facebook right now - a testament to how difficult it is to effectively manage internal communications (and satisfy everyone) in a group of 260 singers - and it's not uncommon for people to post the same message in all 3 of those groups.

For the AIDS Walk, I don't mind. But there's a pretty constant stream of announcements for cabaret shows, social outings, housing, jobs, etc. At times, this can get confusing and more than a little annoying.

## The Struggle (Is Real)

The problem is that for heavily social, member-driven organizations, like choruses, member-to-member communication is absolutely vital. The social component is a large part of what makes choruses into families. But managing this aspect of an organization is a struggle for almost every chorus I know.

The key issues all choruses face are:

- How do you create a safe space where members can interact with one another and feel heard?
- How do you effectively moderate communication to make sure that if/when people do talk about official chorus business (e.g. logistics, call times, or concert attire), correct information gets disseminated?
- How do you make it easy for singers to opt in or out, so that people can participate in this unofficial chatter at their own comfort level?
- How do you manage all of this in a way that doesn't overwhelm the already overworked volunteers and staff running these organizations?

## The Solutions

As with every aspect of choir management, there are a variety of solutions out there. Here's a sample:

 

***Facebook groups***

Like NYCGMC, many organizations have one or more Facebook groups for internal communications.

Pros:

- Many people already use Facebook on a regular basis
- Built-in, effective notification system

Cons:

- Not everyone is on it
- Often mushrooms into multiple groups, which can become confusing and frustrating
- Some choruses worry that if singers share video footage of rehearsals or performances that include copyright-protected materials, this might present a legal risk to the organization (even in a closed group)

 

***Google/Yahoo groups***

Some organizations use group email lists like Google or Yahoo groups for this purpose.

Pros:

- Many people already use email on a regular basis
- Inclusive of non-Facebook users

Cons:

- Yet another email list to manage
- Can be quite cumbersome for admins

 

***Chorus management software***

Chorus management tools like Groupanizer, Musetta, and Chorus Connection have all attempted to solve the problem of internal social communications (you can see more about Chorus Connection's solution [here](https://blog.chorusconnection.com/blog/2015/4/28/introducing-chorus-connections-bulletin-board)). The specific pros and cons differ between these solutions, but there are some commonalities.

Pros:

- Internal social communications live in the same place as all other chorus information (directory, calendar, music files, etc)
- Inclusive of non-Facebook users

Cons:

- These tools are typically not a part of singers' day-to-day life, so people have to be trained to use them

 

None of these solutions are perfect, but they all seem to strike a decent balance. What about you? Has your chorus found an effective way to manage internal social communications?

[View full post](https://blog.chorusconnection.com/blog/2015/5/7/chorus-chatter-the-facebook-dilemma)

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