Reinventing the Concert Experience: Investigating the Effect of Staging on the Performance of Choral Music
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Reinventing the Concert Experience: Investigating the Effect of Staging on the Performance of Choral Music A document submitted to The Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTORAL OF MUSICAL ARTS In the Ensembles and Conducting Division of the College-Conservatory of Music Choral Conducting March 4, 2020 by Molly Ann Getsinger B.M.E., Shepherd University, 2012 M.M., Westminster Choir College, 2017 Committee Chair: Dr. L. Brett Scott, D.M.A. Committee Member: Dr. Earl Rivers, D.M.A. Committee Member: Dr. Quinn Patrick Ankrum, D.M.A. ABSTRACT This document will explore the current practice of the addition of staging in choral performance. In an effort to counteract the current trajectory of decreasing attendance figures for classical music performances, artistic directors and ensembles are seeking to redefine the concert experience. The addition of staging is becoming an increasingly popular option within choral music performance. Seeking to both enhance the dramatic narrative of a work and engage differently with modern audiences, conductors are adding staging to choral works that were not originally conceived or intended to be performed with theatrical elements. Choral ensembles (professional, collegiate, and volunteer alike) are collaborating with dance companies, hiring actors, or choosing to incorporate movement for the singers themselves. Dramatic staging of traditional choral literature as discussed in this document is a comparatively recent phenomenon within the history of choral music. As a result, there is relatively little published research or writings on the subject. The aim of this study is to provide a framework for interpretation as to why the trend has emerged and its potential future applications. The first two chapters will examine the current practice of staging choral music, providing general background and motivation. The third chapter will survey cases of previously staged performances from both collegiate and professional choral ensembles. The fourth chapter will explore opposing views for and against the use of staging in choral performance. The fifth chapter will seek to outline logistical aspects of staging for conductors who are interested in exploring the practice with their own ensembles. The final chapter will consider the future of staging in choral music and the more general concept of innovation in live classical music performance. ii Copyright © 2020 by Molly Ann Getsinger All rights reserved iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank my advisor, Dr. Brett Scott, for his guidance and patience throughout the preparation of this document, as well as his willingness to be a sounding board whenever I’ve needed it during my time at CCM. I would also like to thank Dr. Earl Rivers and Dr. Quinn Patrick Ankrum for their help in preparing and editing this document, and for their support and guidance throughout the degree process. Thank you to Dr. Joe Miller, John LaBouchadière, Audrey Chait, Shane Thomas, Dr. Marie Bucoy-Calavan, Rod Caspers, Matthew Coffey, Sam Brukhman, Dr. Donald Nally, and Kathleen Kelly for their willingness to participate through interview questions and answers. Thank you to my graduate study conductors and mentors Dr. Joe Miller, Dr. Amanda Quist, Dr. Brett Scott, and Dr. Earl Rivers. Your mentorship throughout my time at both Westminster and CCM has had an impact on my life and career that I will always be grateful for. Thank you to my friends and CCM colleagues, particularly Kevin Coker, Trevor Kroeger, Matthew Coffey, and Shane Thomas. Your friendship has provided much needed moral support and comical relief over the past three years. Last, but not least, thank you to my family for your love and constant support. It means more to me than I can ever express. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ii AKNOWLEDGMENTS iii CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2 Defining Choral Theater 4 Introduction 4 Motivation for Research 5 Review of Literature 7 CHAPTER 3 Case Studies 13 Introduction 13 Westminster Choir 14 University of Cincinnati, CCM Chorale 24 University of Akron Chamber Choir 27 Verdigris Ensemble 31 Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble 36 The Crossing 40 CHAPTER 4 Opposing Viewpoints 49 CHAPTER 5 Considerations for the Conductor 55 Introduction 55 Conductor Preparation and Logistical Considerations 55 CHAPTER 6 Conclusion 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY 67 APPENDIX 77 v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION “Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse.” – Winston Churchill In an effort to counteract the current trajectory of decreasing attendance figures for classical music performances, artistic directors and ensembles are seeking to redefine the concert experience. The addition of staging is becoming an increasingly popular option within choral music performance. Seeking to both enhance the dramatic narrative of a work and engage differently with modern audiences, conductors are adding staging to choral works that were not originally conceived or intended to be performed with theatrical elements. Choral ensembles (professional, collegiate, and volunteer alike) are collaborating with dance companies, hiring actors, or choosing to incorporate movement for the singers themselves. Staging for the choir can range from small, subtle movements of the head or arms, to complex motions and blocking (which should be distinguished from that of synchronized choreography) requiring the singers to be both musically and physically adept performers. As this trend continues to gain momentum, a debate has emerged as to the validity and necessity of such theatrical elements in the choral art form. Does the movement and other visual elements help to enhance the performance, or does the movement detract from the music itself? Traditionally, the performance of choral music has been a purely aural experience. Any visual considerations have focused primarily on a sense of uniformity between members of the ensemble and the conductor as the focal point. Naturally, most classical music professionals find inherent value and satisfaction in this traditional concert formula. Many of us became lovers of 1 classical music because of its aural characteristics, drawn to works that were composed to stand on their own in either sacred spaces or within concert halls. Johan Idema, an arts consultant who specializes in “innovation management,” attributes the decline in concert attendance and retention to the ritualized and highly formal nature of the classical music concert, with the notion that “the imagination and drama of the music is often at odds with the presentation.”1 The classical music world habitually turns first to the repertoire as a source of modernization and diversity within concert presentation. Innovation and change within the music itself, in response to changing times, is one of classical music’s strengths. While this is a necessary and valid endeavor, it is perhaps not only the music itself that needs renovation. Idema directly challenges this fixed mindset: How many of us – composers, performers and presenters – truly look beyond the music to think about how we should offer this music to our audiences? Most of us have come to regard the way of the standard concert formula as the only way. This is remarkable, since this is the very attitude we must directly challenge if we want to reinvigorate live classical music.2 Though there are numerous standards and traditions within the classical music world that need to be challenged and assessed in order for us to move forward (including inequities which have become ingrained in the now centuries old tradition), the following research will focus solely on the role that diversifying the concert format/presentation of a choral concert through staging can have on its ability to attract and retain a more diverse audience. The intention of this paper is not an attempt to offer a definitive answer as to the validity of staging in choral performance, but rather to begin to examine what is currently taking place within the field. Interviews with conductors and stage directors will investigate examples of previously staged performances from both collegiate and professional choral ensembles. In addition, a survey of 1 Idema, Johan. Present!: Rethinking Live Classical Music. Muziek Centrum Nederland, 2012, p. 42. 2 Idema, Johan. Present!: Rethinking Live Classical Music. Muziek Centrum Nederland, 2012, pp. 40-41. 2 logistical considerations will provide a guide for conductors interested in exploring this method of presentation with their own ensembles. Visualization can be a method of allowing performers to bring the music to life in new ways and further connect audiences with their intended vision. As professionals, many of us would argue for the mass appeal of classical music and its continued value in today’s society. How then do we go about exposing this repertoire to new audiences and, perhaps even more importantly, how do we ensure that our patrons find a source of connection to what we do, and in which they are willing to continue to invest? “If we want to (re)connect audiences with classical music, we need to consciously include and design all of the building blocks that make for a compelling and ultimately memorable experience.”3 – John Idema 3 Idema, Johan. Present!: Rethinking Live Classical Music. Muziek Centrum Nederland, 2012, p. 44. 3 CHAPTER 2 DEFINING CHORAL THEATER Introduction The presentation of choral music within a concert setting is inherently a performative act. It may therefore be beneficial to take a step back and define staged choral performance (as distinct from traditional choral performance), which can be described as: the inclusion of such things as blocking (varied positioning of actors on stage using gestures and movements), scenic background, props, costumes, and lighting. Vince Peterson, artistic director of Choral Chameleon, a Brooklyn-based ensemble, uses the broader terms choral theater, or choral storytelling, to describe the method of performance.4 The term “Choral Theater” can be useful (for the purposes of this discussion) in differentiating the practice from other forms of choral singing and movement.