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R ehe arsal Br e ak
Rehearsal Break

Jennifer Rodgers, editor

Running a Vocally Efficient Rehearsal

by Elena Bird Zolnick

When I was growing up participating in various en- Assessing Your Vocal Use/Dose
sembles and singing solos, I frequently heard the com- First, it is important to gauge how much voice is used
ment: “You’ll be a great music teacher when you grow throughout the entire day. The following two voice us-
up!” My mother, now a retired choral music educator of age categories determine where it may be possible to
forty years, would smile and nod, and then lean toward limit and rest the voice, starting with what is likely ev-
me to whisper, “Be careful. If you become a music teacher, you’ll eryone’s most important: relationships.
ruin your voice!”
Unfortunately, many choral educators know too well a) Necessary voice use: basic human communi-
the truth in that statement. Our own vocal fatigue is dif- cation at work or home and throughout the day.
ficult to address when we are teaching five days a week Explain to your family what your vocal needs are,
and possibly also leading a church or community choir that you love to listen but may not contribute as
on the weekend. It can become an all-consuming wor- much to a conversation or need to go to bed ear-
ry, accumulating stress and fear with every utterance lier than usual. If you have children, communi-
throughout the day. That stress can seep into other ar- cate with them and your partner that under no
eas of our lives and even affect relationships, as friends circumstance can you raise your voice (barring an
and family wonder why we are suddenly less talkative or emergency), and ask your partner to hold you ac-
avoiding social occasions. countable and step in when needed. At work, let
The human voice is about much more than career your coworkers know that you will be resting your
or musical ambitions—it is largely what makes us who voice at designated times.
we are as individuals whether speaking or singing. An
approach to managing vocal use and efficiency must b) Social use: friendly conversations at work, lunch,
take this into consideration; the whole picture must be going out with friends or coworkers. Avoid talking
assessed before vocal efficiency can become a part of when there is a lot of background noise. Limit
our daily rehearsal routine. The purpose of this article is talking on Bluetooth in the car, which can cause
to help identify ways to monitor and manage your vocal the voice to become elevated. Create a positive
use while presenting creative ways to make efficient vo- mindset toward being an active listener, rather
cal use a part of your rehearsal and teaching techniques. than a top contributor, in group conversations.

CHORAL JOURNAL September 2025 Volume 66 Number 2 37