The one detail that choral composers forget about: breathing
Have you ever heard of Joyce Didonato? She is an awesome, wonderful opera singer and human. In every masterclass she gives, she makes reference to this one detail that every choral composer often forget: breathing.
If you don’t know it by now, I also sing! I like to believe I am a good tenor and have had fun singing with such talented singers, conductors, ensembles. One of the most simple and best things I learned in one of my recent experiences in University of Houston Concert Chorale and Dr. Betsy Weber is that singers need to breathe.
So simple, yet so powerful!
Of course, I knew singers needed to breathe. What kind of singer I would be if I didn’t? However, as with the easiest things, I tend to forget about the basics, thus leaving out enough sections in my scores for them to do so.
They will breathe anyway, right?
Yes, singers will breathe no matter if you write it or not. However, writing too many long phrases will make the singers overachieve to make it till the end of phrase, consequently losing tone.
Another important reason to write in some breathing places (actual rests) is that if singers don’t know where to breath, they won’t be unified and will take away rehearsal time from conductors (their precious rehearsal time!).
Think like a singer. Embrace Breathing.
Happy Yellow Tree and I have talks where I come clean and say: ok, as a singer I would rock this note or phrase if I breathe before. As a composer, I might think the section would not need to breathe there. If I come back enough and think like a singer, it is easier for me to make a place for what I need.
Always keep the performer in your mind, after all, they will be the ones doing the later work!
Conductors know better
I am not saying we don’t know our piece. I usually let conductors put the breath marks they need in my piece because they know the venue where they are performing, and they know their choir!
It is that simple. They want what is best for your piece, for their choir, and their audience!
So, composers… You breathe to compose, right? Let singers breathe as well!
If you have any passage when you have doubts if a breath mark or a rest would be disruptive, snap a picture and send it to me and let’s talk about it!
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