Postcards to Our Conductor - A Singer's Summer Wishlist

Summer is a wonderful time for singers. We catch up on neglected gardens, neglected closets, neglected sleep, and the promise that this year we will absolutely keep vocalizing every day. (Some of us even mean it.) But somewhere between the final concert of the season and the first rehearsal of the next, we find ourselves thinking about choir.

Not just the music. The little things.

The things we notice.

The things we wonder about.

So imagine these as postcards from your choir—not complaints, not critiques, and definitely not a rehearsal-room rebellion. Just the kinds of conversations we might have if rehearsals ended early, someone suggested coffee, and we had a chance to share what helps singers do their very best.Because here is the truth: Conductors and singers want the same thing.

• A beautiful sound.
• A unified ensemble.
• A meaningful performance.
• A room full of people who feel the magic of becoming one instrument.

These are simply a few postcards from the people standing on the other side of the podium.

One quick note about “Dear Maestro”: We’re using it as a playful nod to tradition, while recognizing that conductors are people of all genders—and not everyone uses the title maestro or maestra. These postcards are meant for every conductor, no matter their title.

POSTCARD 1
Warm-Ups: Please Tell Us Who’s Responsible

Dear Maestro,

Greetings from parking lots, carpools, and kitchen counters everywhere.

Some of us have already warmed up. Some of us have sung scales in the car. Some of us have practiced lip trills at stoplights and discovered that strangers have strong opinions about unusual facial expressions.

We have one small request: Could you let us know what you expect?

If arriving warmed up is our responsibility, we promise to take that seriously. If the rehearsal warm-up is intended to help us find the sound you are looking for, we are equally grateful.

Because a warm-up is not just about waking up individual voices.

It is about waking up the choir.

It helps us discover the vowel, the resonance, the blend, the breath, and the sound we are creating together.

A singer can arrive warmed up.

A choir has to become warmed up.

POSTCARD 2
Blend: We Found Our Section…Now What?

Dear Maestro,

Good news! The altos finally sound like one magnificent alto section. The sopranos have achieved the same miracle. The tenors are celebrating.

The basses are wondering why everyone is looking at them.

And then we all sing together. Suddenly, section blend becomes choir blend.

A section that sounds beautiful by itself does not automatically create a unified ensemble. Sometimes we need help hearing across the aisle.

Sometimes we need to adjust our vowels, resonance, volume, or color—not because anyone is “wrong,” but because the beautiful sound we create individually has to become something larger.

After all, a choir is not four excellent sections. It is one instrument with four personalities.

POSTCARD 3
Straight Tone: It’s a Color, Not a Lifestyle

Dear Maestro,

We understand. Really.

There are moments when straight tone is exactly the right artistic choice. We can do straight tone. We promise.

We simply ask that everyone remembers it is a color—not a permanent lifestyle. Because “straight tone” can mean many things.

It can mean stylistic purity.

It can mean avoiding excessive vibrato.

But it is not the same thing as singing with too much pressure.

It is not the same thing as losing support. It is not the same thing as an unsupported tone or a voice that naturally has more movement because of age.

A choir is made up of human voices. Beautiful, individual, living instruments.

The goal is not to erase those voices. The goal is to help them work together.

POSTCARD 4
The Laws of Choral Physics Still Apply

Dear Maestro,

We (sopranos) promise we are not trying to overpower the tenors. There are simply fifty of us.

And there are ten of them.

We have done the math.

We understand that balance is part of the conductor’s art. We know you are constantly listening, adjusting, and shaping.

But sometimes the laws of choral physics win.

If one section has five times as many singers as another, asking the larger section to simply sing less may not always be the complete solution.

Sometimes balance begins before the first rehearsal—with thoughtful auditioning, recruiting, and maintaining an ensemble where every section has the opportunity to contribute.

And to our tenors:

We see you.

We hear you.

We promise we are not ignoring you.

POSTCARD 5
Pianissimo Has an Address Change

Dear Maestro,

We have mastered the most beautiful pianissimo. We discovered it in the rehearsal room.You were six feet away.

The acoustics were friendly. The coffee machine was the loudest thing in the building.

Then we arrived at the concert hall. Suddenly there were seventy-five instruments between us and you.

There was a balcony.

There was an audience.

There was an acoustic environment that apparently had opinions.

We would love opportunities to rehearse the difference between rehearsal-room dynamics and performance-hall dynamics.

Because the quietest sound we make in rehearsal is not always the quietest sound that will reach the audience.

POSTCARD 6
Evidence That We’re Occasionally Getting It Right

Dear Maestro,

Choir members are remarkably resilient. We can survive:

“Flat.”

“Sharp.”

“Late.”

“Wrong vowel.”

“Wrong entrance.”

“Again.”

We understand. We need information.

We need correction. We want to improve.

But we confess: There are three words that can sustain a singer through many rehearsals.

“Exactly what I wanted.”

Those words are powerful.

A little positive feedback does not make us complacent. It helps us recognize the destination.And sometimes knowing what worked is just as valuable as knowing what needs fixing.

POSTCARD 7
Sectionals: Helpful…And Sometimes Magical

Dear Maestro,

We would like to formally announce that many singers would happily accept more sectionals. Not because we dislike singing together. We love singing together.

But sometimes a sectional is where the mystery gets solved.

A rhythm that sounded fine with 100 voices suddenly reveals itself.

A repeated wrong note becomes obvious.

A vowel problem can be corrected before it becomes a choir-wide habit.

And sometimes the person who has been wondering, “Am I the only one doing this?” discovers that, yes…They were.

Sectionals cannot replace full rehearsals. They cannot create the final ensemble sound.

But they can be an incredibly efficient way to build the individual pieces that create the whole.

POSTCARD 8
Auditions: Help Us Audition for Your Choir

Dear Maestro

We promise we are not mind readers. (Some of us cannot even remember where measure 127 begins.) If you are looking for a specific kind of singer, please tell us.

Are you looking for a particular style?

A certain vocal color?

A strong sight-reader?

A singer comfortable with extended range?

A particular language skill?

A special musical ability?

The more we understand your vision, the better we can prepare. Most singers would rather know what you are hoping to find than accidentally audition for a choir that exists only in our imagination.

POSTCARD 9
The Parking Lot Shouldn’t Be Choir Headquarters

Dear Maestro,

We have noticed something about choirs.

When information is missing, singers become remarkably creative. Unfortunately, creativity is not always accuracy.

The parking lot becomes the unofficial communication department. The rehearsal break becomes a rumor exchange.

The question, “Did anyone hear what’s happening next week?” becomes a group activity.

We know you are busy. We know there are countless details behind the scenes.

But regular communication—even brief communication—helps everyone feel connected and prepared.

POSTCARD 10
One Last Postcard of Gratitude

Dear Maestro,

Thank you. Thank you for studying scores long before we ever open our folders. Thank you for hearing possibilities we cannot yet hear.

Thank you for believing that a room full of individuals can become one voice. Thank you for the patience it takes to shape, teach, correct, encourage, and inspire.

These postcards are not written because singers think they know your job better. They are written because we love this thing we do together.

We know the conductor’s podium is not an easy place to stand. We know the rehearsal room is a partnership.

And we hope these postcards bring a smile, spark a thought, and remind you that the people standing in front of you each week are not just voices.

They are your musical partners.

See you at the first rehearsal. We’ll be the ones with sharpened pencils…

…and still wondering:

“Are we supposed to arrive warmed up?

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I wrote this article as a companion piece to one I published last year, encouraging choristers to prepare thoughtfully for the start of a new season. Having had the privilege of singing under many gifted conductors over the years, I’ve gathered this wish list from the best practices I’ve experienced along the way. Happily, I find that the vast majority of conductors already employ many of these wonderful approaches to help their choirs sing at their very best.

If you have experienced other rehearsal practices that have inspired, encouraged, or helped you grow as a singer, I’d love to hear about them in the comments. After all, we’re all still learning from one another.