Klarinet Archive - Posting 000070.txt from 1995/09

From: Laura R Bornhoeft <lbornhoe@-----.EDU>
Subj: Gig from Hell
Date: Tue, 5 Sep 1995 22:42:39 -0400

My gig from Hell doesn't involve clarinet, but it sure was awful, and I
couldn't think of ANYTHING that would cover up the problem.

In the mid-1970's, I was attending a small church in a small city in the
Midwest with a small choir. Having a B.Mus. (in clarinet) from the local
university, I was the resident expert musician, so I got coerced into
being the choir director. I had never had a voice lesson in my life, but
had sung in a few choirs and choruses while growing up. Fortunately, the
choir members had had little vocal experience outside the choir, so I got
a little respect.

One week we were doing some typical church choir piece (whose identity is
lost to time). It went fine in rehearsal; not exceptionally wonderful,
no particular problems. When it came time to sing it in the service, we
proceeded to begin as usual. Somewhere in the middle of the piece there
was a key change. At this point, the pianist went on playing the music
as written, but the choir, as a unit, modulated into some other key!!

The piece was short enough, and the singers were amateur enough that
continuing the piece would not lead to the problem correcting itself, and
the booboo was obvious enough that anyone not totally tonedeaf could hear
it. What did I do? Stopped the music and restarted it. How could I
have foreseen it or prepared for it? I don't know.

The choir of the church I now attend (smaller church, smaller choir,
larger city) is currently without a director. Has anyone asked me? NO.
Am I volunteering? NO WAY!!

Laura Bornhoeft

   
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