help with older gospel choir

[diverse379]

I need help with this choir

there are a few issues so here they are

they are a gospel choir they like singing gospels like albertina dotie peoples etc

! they used to be one of the best choirs in manhattan (back in the day)  80 strong and they would go out every week split up so they would hit 5 churches in a sunday and meet up at an agreed upon church and turn it out

well that was then now they have maybe 12-14 members

they are all peretty old the average age is 60 siome older some a little younger


they dont open their mouths in rehearsal you can bareley hear them

they at first didnt think i could play then after they see how i work with the other choirs now they say well he is good for them but not for us

I first learned some songs that they sing but they dont know the names or even the artists of most of their songs so they want me to try to learn from them singing the song
but they dont sound like anything when there is no music so trying to pick them up is next to impossible so that creates a big problem i have a hard time learning a song from them and since they dont know the names or artists of some songs they sing it is difficult

during performances i hear them they sing out

but in rehearsal you can barely hear them
I taught two songs last saturday It wont be long wjhich timing wise can be a little tricky but pretty much not to difficult

and norman hutchins jesus on the main line

very easy

they sing next sunday and they dont want to do two new songs they say it is too difficult
and they feel without a director they cant do the songs

My belief is that a choir should be able to learn two easy songs in two rehearsals

the other choirs are starting to floursh since I got here three months ago but this choir just seems to stumble along and they are very resistant i have the president on my side but some of the members still doubt me

which is really funny since they cant learn jesus on the main line

I think they are passing the blame on me to make up for their deficiencies


do you think I shoiuld do more songs that they know inorder that we get on the same page and not teach anything new for a while i would be willing to but how can I if they cant get me at least the name of the songs or artists so i can look them up



any advice will be more then welcome

[bishopcole]

D379, you are doing the right thing. I would start by letting them do the song or songs that they know. Just take those songs and polish them up to prefection, then you can start teaching them at least one song per resh. and they will receive it better. It is sad that you almost have to "SPOON FEED" christians, but this is what you will have to do to bring them along. Now for those old songs that you don't know or they can''t give you the name of the artist, just hit up BISHOP2 and I promise you that he will know EVERY and I do mean EVERY old song that you will need. He can get it to you or give you the name of that artist. I pray that this will help you Doc!  God bless, Bishop Cole

[diverse379]

D379, you are doing the right thing. I would start by letting them do the song or songs that they know. Just take those songs and polish them up to prefection, then you can start teaching them at least one song per resh. and they will receive it better. It is sad that you almost have to "SPOON FEED" christians, but this is what you will have to do to bring them along. Now for those old songs that you don't know or they can''t give you the name of the artist, just hit up BISHOP2 and I promise you that he will know EVERY and I do mean EVERY old song that you will need. He can get it to you or give you the name of that artist. I pray that this will help you Doc!  God bless, Bishop Cole

thanks for the encouragement

bishopcole who is bishop2 ?

and are you sure he would be willing to help me

[vtguy84]

thanks for the encouragement

bishopcole who is bishop2 ?

and are you sure he would be willing to help me

Bishop2 is one of the youngest senior citizens I know.

He will be able to help pick out songs suitable for this group.  He loves music back in the MMC days.

[bishopcole]

thanks for the encouragement

bishopcole who is bishop2 ?

and are you sure he would be willing to help me

His Name is Armando and yes he would and will help you in any way that he can.  Bishop Cole