Camerata: A Guide to Organizing and Directing Small Choruses
distinguishes itself from all other works on choral conducting by
starting at the very beginning-the conception and purpose of an
ensemble-and continuing through all other aspects of rehearsing and
organizing a chorus to performance and reception. Wenk offers basic
information on getting started, recruiting singers, planning programs,
rehearsing music, publicizing concerts, sharing responsibilities,
financing the operation, knowing the law, and finally getting better. He
also offers detailed suggestions for creating an executive group to
manage the choir as well ideas for repertoire and programming. In
addition to a step-by-step guide, Camerata provides a wealth of
supplementary material including a prospectus, a statement of goals and
means, programs, organizational documents, a singer's guide, documents
for organizing a folksong competition, a list of websites for publishers
and choral federations, and an annotated bibliography of works on choral
conducting. Wenk also includes more than twenty original Christmas
carols and carol arrangements for performance by your small chorus. This
work will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in starting a new
choral organization or improving an existing ensemble. Although the book
focuses on chamber choirs, Wenk's practical suggestions, based on more
than forty years of experience as a choral conductor, can be easily
applied to any choral organization.
