How to program a choral concert

So, you’re thinking of hosting a concert to share choral music with some lucky audience members. Whether you’re using it as a fundraising opportunity, driving awareness of your religious organization, or simply giving back to the community, this planning stage you’re in right now is vital.

Programming a choral concert has a direct impact on how enjoyable your event will be. But don’t let the pressure get to you too much — just remember a few key elements.

Focus on appropriate music selection

When planning a concert, choosing a diverse selection of music can help keep the program appealing to both the attendees and the musicians performing.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of choosing go-to standard pieces that the audience has likely heard many times before. But while these familiar pieces can help the audience connect to and engage with the music, it’s also important to showcase a variety of lesser-known tunes as well.

Focus on sharing music that represents different musical styles, tempos, and key signatures. Look for pieces that add variety, including a cappella pieces and those that include opportunities to showcase your soloists. When you have your list, go down it one by one. If you can’t identify what a piece brings to the program, don’t include it in your final music selection.

It’s also essential to make sure that the pieces you select are appropriate for the performing groups. Consider whether you’re working with a high school chorale or a concert choir that’s been singing together for years. It goes without saying that you’ll also want to think about what music is appropriate for the group size, whether that’s a smaller choral ensemble or a larger chamber choir.

Think about the music flow

When planning your choral program, starting with a piece by a familiar composer, like Bach, Handel, or Mendelssohn, may help the audience feel comfortable and engage with your singers right from the start. Once your audience is warmed up, you can move into less familiar pieces — all the while considering how the different key signatures will sound as you transition from one piece to the next.

An old programming tip? End with a show stopper just before your intermission and save a special piece of music for your last. It’s almost guaranteed to get people talking during the break, and up on their feet for a round of applause before they head home.

Plan out logistics

The physical space where you’ll be performing also plays a role in your programming. You’ll need to think about aspects like risers and building accessibility to allow your performers to move around during the performance if needed.

In some venues, you might also want to modify your program order to allow soloists to get down to the front of the stage or to accommodate specialty instrumentation or accompanists. Think carefully about how you’ll stage each piece early on to make sure that it’s a practical choice for your performance venue.

Give the audience background information

Now we’re into the more fun parts of planning: the finishing touches that make your choral concert extra special. Among all the last-minute music changes and logistical decisions, you’ll need to find some time to write up your printed program.

Detailed program notes can help audiences better understand and connect with the music, enhancing their enjoyment of the performance. Don’t forget to include the musicians’ names as well and allow them to proof the list for spelling mistakes and omissions. There’s nothing worse than leaving someone out.

Use Jotform to get organized

To make all the above a lot less daunting, turn to Jotform. Choral groups can submit their information through Jotform forms, giving you everything you need to know about their singing style and what music may be appropriate, as well as the details to include in printed and online programs and event advertisements. This also makes it easier for you to accurately and quickly populate a concert calendar.

While you can always make one from scratch, Jotform also makes it easy to customize one of over 10,000 templates to your needs — removing or including the fields that you need each choral group to complete. Once the form’s ready, you can embed it on your website or share it in an email.

When it comes to creating a quality choral concert program, good planning is essential. The earlier the music educators or directors can start working on the program, the more room there will be for any adjustments along the way. To keep track of the admin side of things, be sure to give Jotform a try. Good luck!

Photo by Thirdman