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share holiday literature with others. Whenever the festival
is available, directors should avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity to participate. This is especially true for those who

are new to the profession, since it affords a great opportu-
nity to share and learn new literature by other choirs while
being evaluated in a professional environment.
Hosting a choral festival requires reasonably good
organizational skills. Often, a school will be asked by
a sponsoring organization to act as the site host. The
opportunity to invite a number of choirs to your campus
or local auditorium is at once exciting and somewhat
daunting, but observation of the mechanics of a well-
run festival and seeking the advice of former festival host
directors makes this process rewarding for your choir and all
of those choirs who choose to attend. Whether you host or
travel to a choral festival, there are few if any opportunities
that provide so many teachable moments in an hour or
two of performances. As your career develops, consider it
a responsibility to yourself and your singers to perform at
choral festivals and learn from the experience.

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