The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-01
The Children's Chorus.

1
\ In the face OF much opposition and
! with general prediction of failure, bus
| with an abiding faith in the ability Of
lschildren on the part of their director, the
| Chidren's Chorus was organized by him
a little over seven years ago, and the
| children have now given their seventh
annual concert. with what success the
general public knows.
The forming and training OF chorus
ttf children for concert such as has
just been given by the "Wednesday CLUB
Children's Chorus is task that few
can appreciate WHO have not been
through this experience 4aere are many
| difficulties to be overcome beside the
| most important one OF teaching the chli-
dren the music correctly. Many children
Happily for membership who are too
| young, some who cannot sing tune and
a great many who wish to attend and
sing in the festivals, but who do not
care to attend rehearsals and go through
| the hard work necessary for u successful
| performance.
In organizing chorus every voice Is
tried. but there are very few children
| rejected on this account, and any child
| over eight years old who can sing tune
|. lis accepted until our limit OF go is reach
ed. The old members are enrolled first,
and then whatever vacancies there may
be are filed from the best of new APP
pl!carts One of the greatest ditficul-
| ties met with is the selection of music
suitable for children, music that is good
and yet within the range of these young
voices.
I -t,1or ofy lie var
an Immense of amount of research ard
| labor is necessary to get what is needed.
WHO, but an enthusiast, do you think
would dare to have children sing COM
plete act of grand opera If he had any
great field of music to select from?
! Yet we must have good music and there
| is nowhere else to get 1t except from
that composed for adult voices
Another difficulty and one that can
never be overcome Is that the personnel
OF the chorus is changing constantly,
they are growing older and advancing
to the adult chorus, and new and mex
Ipcrienced children must take their places.
Organization completed. rehearsals are
begun at once, and each child is furnish-
I ed with a slip on which the words only
/ OF the music to be taught nre printed.
The children are taught entirely by imi-
| tation or "rote,'
The music is first played over that
ithey may hear the tune complete and
then taken. part by part, and sang over
and over again, and then until they can
lcntcl the melody. What hard work this
| is no one knows who has not tried it.
and il sometimes seems that 1t will never
be accomplished, but an unlimited
amount of patience and cast iron
throat that will finally bring about the
desired results and the melodies begin
to take on some shape This work must
be done In such way as not to become
irksome 10 the children, and their inter-
est must never bo allowed to dlmlhisil
| in tho slightest degree, nor must they sing
too long at q time. but must rest ire
quently.
In the meantime they are often put
through a series OF Socal EXERCISES ' = "
help them In the proper tone production,
hut this training is made TO appear to
them as a little fun rather than work
n is of the utmost Importance that
eecb and every child should be made to
feel then, responsibility for the success
OF the work not to feel that he or she Is
ono of n chorus of two hundred and tiity
voices. but that tho responsibility or thc
whole matter rests on nel' Gnu thht
tho slightest ncgect OF tln.se sa ,i., on
her part Will result III p'i'"'' t'''t"iN W
the whole chorus
Children generally take the greatest
interest in their work and ! have known
them often to give up some great pleas
,ro rather than miss rehearsal,
Tho secret Of sseGesg ,fnst Y ,tnnw WIN I'M
children is that they mus h'toM ~
m,,sic narfectly and be able to sing II
Without hesitation or fear Of making
mistake, and that they must nus, have aDso-
lutte confidence in their director
In the ewes of those children am
absolutely infalllble, and any nstrlo-
lion given them is followed without cues
ton. t.at,,
Ing Of how TO follow director, ana I'M
dersand perfectly ey iys ay pnrety lha az
evnrassinn 10 tho music that | indicate
70 them and could readily Z, render reno. e., the
Hat ,be director should have confidence
ne aey !. e ns s GaGgq Il 81 'he any Wax as
iaya MAYER for a moment doubted
their ABILITY to render perfectly any sons