Developing the Skills Necessary to Become An Effective ...

Developing the Skills Necessary to Become

An Effective Collaborative Choral Pianist

By

Kughwa Lee, B. A., M. A.

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty

Of the School of Music

Texas Tech University

In Partial Fulfillment of

The Requirements for

The Degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

Piano Pedagogy

Approved

Lora Deahl

__________________________________________

Chairperson of the Committee

Carla Cash

__________________________________________

John Hollins

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Mark Sheridan

Dean of the Graduate School

May 2016

Copyright 2016 Kughwa Lee

Texas Tech University, Kughwa Lee, May 2016

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to express my thanks to the God who created me,

who gave me a loving and harmonious Christian family, and who allowed me to meet

excellent teachers and good people in my daily life. He inspired me to learn the piano, always

guided my path, and motivated me to research this topic for my doctoral paper. Everything I

have achieved is by God’s grace.

I give my special gratitude to my advisor Dr. Lora Deahl for her endless support of

my doctoral studies, research, and piano performances and for her caring, patience,

encouragement, and immense knowledge. She also assisted me with the research and writing

of this paper. Without her help, I would have taken far longer to complete my degree and

endured greater hardship. I could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor.

Besides my advisor, I would like to thank the rest of my thesis committee, Dr. Carla

Davis Cash and Dr. John Hollins, for their insightful comments and thoughtful questions that

stimulated me to broaden my research from various perspectives. They were always willing to

help me, and their suggestions improved the quality of this research.

I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to all who supported and guided

me while I pursued my doctoral degree in piano pedagogy at Texas Tech University and who

provided me with an opportunity to broaden my musical experiences and to develop this topic.

Last but not least, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my family,

especially to my parents and older brother, for the support and love they have given me

throughout my life. They supported me and sacrificed much so that I could pursue my dream

of earning a doctoral degree in the U.S. Without their support, help, and unconditional love, I

could never have completed my doctoral studies successfully.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................................................ii

ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................v

LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................................vi

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES........................................................................................vii

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC…………………………………………….….….1

Justification …………………………………………………………………………........1

Review of Related Literature and Methodology …...…………………………………….2

2. UNDERSTANDING THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF A CHOIR …..…..6

Organizational Types……………………………………………………………….…….6

Partnerships………………………………………………………………………….……9

The Importance of Communication Skills ……………………………………....……...10

The Interaction between the Choral Conductor and Choral Pianist………………..........15

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COLLABORATIVE CHORAL PIANIST.............20

Terminology …………………………………………………………………….………20

Learning the Voice Parts ………………………………………………………………..21

Preparing the Score ………………………………………………………………..……29

General Rehearsal Tips……………....……………............................................……….33

4. REDUCING OR REDISTRIBUTING THE VOCAL OR

ORCHESTRAL SCORE .............................................................36


iv

Strategies...........................................................................................................................37

5. CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................54

BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................................................56


v

ABSTRACT

In the past, the term “accompanist” was used to refer to the pianist who played with

the choir and who supported or assisted the choir conductor. The pianist’s role was clearly

regarded as a subsidiary one. However, today, the term “collaborative choral pianist” is

preferred because it recognizes that the pianists must possess a wide range of skills and that

they share an equal responsibility with the conductor in the task of training and preparing the

choir.

In general, most collegiate piano students or novice collaborative choral pianists

spend a great deal of time practicing solo works but often are not given enough direction with

the collaborative literature. Students who are assigned to accompany choirs are often expected

to pick up the necessary skills on their own. They are often not told about the specific

expectations of the position and become extremely frustrated. However, the ability to be a

successful collaborative choral pianist is not just a talent given to some but not others. Rather,

the specific techniques can be taught and developed.

This paper discusses the importance of close communications between the choral

conductor and choral pianist, enumerate common points of misunderstanding, and describe

the most important skills that are needed to be an effective collaborative choral pianist. It

gives practical suggestions for developing these skills, focusing on the preparation that is

needed before the first rehearsal, and on methods for reducing/arranging the vocal and/or

orchestral scores.


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

2.1. Organizational Structures of Proprietorships and Choirs……..………......……...9

2.2. Communication Flowcharts ………………………….…………..….………….10

2.3. Communication Barriers………….………..............….......………….………....12

2.4. Communication Strategies.....................................………........…..…..……...…14


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LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

Musical Example Page

3.1. Monteverdi, Laetatus sum, shifting from tenor to bass, mm. 81-86……....…......22

3.2. Giacomo Carissimi, Jephte: Plorate filii Israel, mm. 1-4……………….....……24

3.3. Giacomo Carissimi, Jephte: Plorate filii Israel, mm. 1-4, piano score format.…25

3.4. Microbeats…………………………………………………………...…...….…..25

3.5. Macrobeats………………………………………………….……………...…….26

3.6. Johann Sebastian Bach, Magnificat: Gloria, mm. 22-24………………..………27

3.7. Head motives……………………………………………………………….……28

3.8. Johann Sebastian Bach, Magnificat: Gloria, mm. 1-3………………………..…28

3.9. Head motives with piano……………………………………………….………..29

3.10. G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 52-63,............................

color coding the score...............................…….............................………….31

3.11. G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 8-14. Writing..................

measure numbers on piano score................…...........................................….32

4.1. Lars Jansson, To the mothers in Brazil: Salve regina, mm. 21-25........................38

4.2. Playing more complicated parts, mm. 21-23.........................................................39

4.3. Lars Jansson, To the mothers in Brazil: Salve regina, mm.8-9 ............................39

4.4. Rearranging rhythmic melodies, mm. 8-9.............................................................40

4.5. What child is this, mm. 43-46................................................................................40

4.6. Transposing notes into the same octave, mm. 43-46.............................................41

4.7. Chords with melodic phrases, mm. 45-46.............................................................41

4.8. Simplification, mm. 43-44.....................................................................................42


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4.9. Head motives, mm. 89-96......................................................................................43

4.10. G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 69-71.........................44

4.11. Reduction of Example 4.10.................................................................................44

4.12. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Dona nobis pacem: Dirge for two veterans...................

mm. 69-71.......................................................................................................45

4.13. Redistribution of Example 4.12...........................................................................45

4.14. Reduction of Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 25-27.............46

4.15. Monteverdi, Laetatus sum, mm. 5-11..................................................................47

4.16. Reduction of Example 4.15.................................................................................47

4.17. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Five Mystical Songs: Ester.......................................48

4.18 Reduction of Example 4.17..................................................................................48

4.19. Antonio Vivaldi, Gloria: Et in Terra Pax, mm. 76-92........................................49

4.20. Reduction of Example 4.19, mm. 78-79..............................................................50

4.21. Lars Jansson, To the Mothers in Brazil: Salve regina, mm. 25-27.....................50

4.22. Reduction and redistribution of Example 4.21....................................................51

4.23. G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 1-11...........................52


1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

In the past, the term “accompanist” was used to refer to the pianist who played with

choir and who supported, helped, or assisted the choir conductor. The pianist’s role was

clearly regarded as a subsidiary one. However, today, the term “collaborative choral pianist”

is preferred because it recognizes that the pianist must possess a wide range of skills and that

he/she shares an equal responsibility with the conductor in the task of training and preparing

successful choirs. The root of the word “collaborate” derives from the Latin, collaborare. Col

means “with” and laborare means “to work.” Thus, “collaborate” means to work together and

encompasses a larger meaning than the word “accompany.” In order to work with others,

especially a choir, a pianist needs to collaborate not only with the singers but also with the

conductor. In fact, good communication with the conductor, which includes knowing what the

conductor does with the singers and understanding what the pianist is expected to do for them,

is the most important aspect that determines the collaborative pianist’s success. This paper is

an examination of the specific skills a pianist needs to become an effective collaborative

choral pianist and offers practical suggestions about how they can be developed.

Justification

Most collegiate piano students or novice collaborative choral pianists spend a great

deal of time practicing solo works but often are not given enough direction with the

collaborative literature. However, every pianist needs to know how how to play with others,

how to listen, and how to reduce scores effectively. Therefore, as a piano pedagogy major, I


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believe that it is useful for students to learn how to become better collaborative choral pianists.

Even students who obtain degrees in collaborative playing do not always receive specific

instruction in choral accompanying. Often, students who are assigned to accompany choirs are

expected to pick up the necessary skills on their own. They are often not told about the

specific expectations of the position and can become extremely frustrated as a result. However,

the ability to be a successful collaborative choral pianist is not just a talent given to some and

not others; rather, the specific techniques can be taught and developed. Collaborative choral

pianists need to be able to read voice parts in multiple combinations and essentially acts as a

second conductor. They also need to be able to reduce both vocal and orchestral scores if

needed so they are playable on the piano and evoke the mood and sound of different

instruments.

The purpose of this paper is to help pianists develop the skills required of successful

collaborative choral pianists. I will elaborate on the importance of close communications with

the choral conductor and discuss common points of misunderstanding. I will then focus on

specific areas of critical concern, such as the preparation needed before the first rehearsal and

how to reduce/rearrange the vocal and/or orchestral score.

Review of Related Literature and Methodology

Pianist Gerald Moore (1899-1987) is known for having collaborated with many

renowned musicians and who arguably was one of the first to claim that pianists should have

equal stature with their artistic partners.1 He performed with artists such as Kathleen Ferrier,

Elena Gerhardt, John McCormack, Elisabeth Schumann, Maggie Teyte, Pablo Casals, the

1 Gerald Moore, The Unashamed Accompanist (New York: Julia MacRae, 1984), 21-22.


3

child prodigy Josef Hassid, and others. He published many important books on the subject

including The Unashamed Accompanist (1943), Singer and Accompanist (1953), his admired

memoir Am I Too Loud?: Memoirs of An Accompanist (1962), The Schubert Song

Cycles (1975), and two other autobiographical volumes--Farewell Recital: Further

Memoirs (1978) and Furthermoore (1983). In The Unashamed Accompanist, Moore claimed

that accompanists could be made better by training and that accompanying was an “acquired

art” rather than a gift or a talent.2 He also emphasized the fact that accompanists were highly

skilled and criticized those who treated accompanists as second-class musicians.

Moore elevated the status of accompanists and influenced the collaborative pianists of

the next generation. For example, Martin Katz, author of The Complete Collaborator: the

Pianist as Partner, emphasized the idea of the pianist as an equal and offered practical

strategies for playing with singers and instrumentalists and for effectively crafting orchestral

reductions. Neither Moore nor Katz specifically wrote about collaborating with choirs. Yet,

their books contain useful information for collaborative choral pianists who often perform the

same roles and who can use the same techniques as pianists who play with singers and

instrumentalists. I also found many books about choral conducting, but none of these books

talked about how pianists can develop the necessary skills to become effective collaborators

with choirs or how conductors can communicate successfully with choral pianists.

The job of a collaborative choral pianist is extremely complex. It involves working

with singers of course, but may also entail collaborating with instrumentalists, for example

when playing Baroque basso continuo parts or when performing works scored for choir,

keyboard, and instrumental ensemble. In working with singers, the choral pianist must learn

all of the vocal parts, the piano part, and the text that is being sung. In working with orchestral

2 Moore, The Unashamed Accompanist, 23.


4

or chamber reductions, he/she must also practice technically difficult spots, follow the singers

and the conductor, and share in the shaping of the interpretation. To research this topic, I

therefore consulted many books concerning the roles of the collaborative choral pianist,

general collaborative techniques, and organ choral accompaniment styles to seek out useful

techniques and practical suggestions. I also read several books about models of organizational

structure and management of large groups written by experts in the field of business

communication that were relevant to my subject. In addition, I researched this topic from the

conductor’s point of view by carefully studying Hilary Apfelstadt’s The Choral Director’s

Cookbook: Insights and Inspired Recipes for Beginners and Experts, a book consisting of

interviews of 57 prominent conductors containing valuable advice about preparation for

rehearsals and performances, techniques for managing the rehearsal setting, and descriptions

of common rehearsal sequences.3 Some other valuable books written from the conductor’s

point of view are Choral Pedagogy by Brenda Smith and Robert Thayer Sataloff and Five

Centuries of Choral Music: Essays in Honor of Howard Swan by Gordon Paine.4

It was then possible for me to think about how the choral pianist could assist the

conductor in reaching his or her goals and how pianists could learn to anticipate the

conductor’s needs during the rehearsal. I interviewed and worked with choral conductors and

teaching assistants, staff accompanists, vocal faculty, and vocal coaches at Texas Tech

University to learn their views about the wider roles of collaborative pianists, how to

encourage rapport between partners, and specific collaborative techniques. I applied the

3 Hilary Apfelstadt, et al., The Choral Director’s Cookbook: Insights and Inspired Recipes

for Beginners and Experts (Galescille: Meredith Music Publication, 2006).

4 Brenda Smith and Robert Thayer Sataloff, Choral Pedagogy. (San Diego: Singular

Publishing Group, 2000); Gordon Paine, Five Century of Choral Music: Essays in Honor of Howard

Swan (Stuyvesant, NY: Pendragon Press, 1988).


5

knowledge gained from these interviews as well as my own experiences with choral

collaboration to this paper.

Based on these investigations, I have come to realize that the skills required of an

effective choral pianist take time and effort to develop. Many novices or less experienced

collaborative choral pianists underestimate the complexities of this position and try to learn on

the job, usually at the expense of the choir and conductor. I hope this paper will help pianists

not only to understand but also to develop the necessary skills to become truly effective

collaborators with choirs.


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CHAPTER 2

UNDERSTANDING THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF A CHOIR

Collaborative work involves two or more people working in harmony together as a

group to achieve the same goal. In a successful collaboration, the value and performance of

the group is often greater than the sum of the individual parts due to the effective synergy

among the partners. Tasks can often be expedited or distributed among members so that goals

are reached more quickly. Unproductive collaborations, however, are characterized by much

conflict. To understand the collaborations that occur within choirs, I think we can learn much

from research that has been done in the field of business communication. Choirs actually have

much in common with business organizations, so I think we can parlay knowledge about

business skills into the management of choirs to achieve better success. In the business world,

it is useful for people to understand organizational types, roles, rules, and relationships in

order to work better with others. Thus, business professionals are continually encouraged to

learn about how people work in groups and how to maximize the communication among

group members.5 This chapter will describe the basic types of organizational structures and

the roles of organization members and then discuss how this information can be used to

improve the communication between the choral conductor and the choral pianist.

Organizational Types

5 Debbie D. DuFrene and Carol M. Lehman, Business Communication (Cincinnati: South-

Western College Publishing, 1999), xxv-xxx and 4-38; Carl Wiese and Ron Ricci, The Collaboration

Imperative: Executive Strategies for Unlocking Your Organization’s True Potential (San Francisco:

Cisco, 2011), 20-37.


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According to John Clow, Calvin A. Kent, and Carolyn R. Holleran, there are three

basic types of business organizations: proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. Sole

proprietorships are organizations owned and managed by one individual who retains the

losses and profits; partnership are organizations owned and managed by more than one

individual; and corporation are organizations owned by stockholders and run as independent

legal entities.6

Of the three types, most choirs fall into the category of proprietorships in terms of

their organization. In this business model, the hierarchy from top to bottom consists of the

chief administrator, the assistant administrator, and the workers. The chief administrator

makes all the decisions and takes complete responsibility for business activities. He/she

prepares business plans, carries forward an enterprise, and assumes control over the

organization of the company. Therefore, it is very crucial that the chief administrator make

clear decisions and give precise directions to the employees in order for them to understand

what to do correctly. Workers, however, occupy the largest majority of company members, so

without them the business cannot operate properly. They have to follow and act on

instructions in accordance with a higher authority. In fact, their performance is used to

measure the management ability of the chief administrator or the assistant administrator. On

the other hand, the assistant administrator supports both the chief administrator and workers

as the middle ground of the organization. He/she therefore plays a vital role in facilitating

communication between the chief administrator and the workers. The assistant administrator,

for example, tries to anticipate the needs of the chief administrator and delivers the chief

6 John E. Clow et al., Master Curriculum Guide: Economics and Entrepreneurship (New

York: the National Council on Economic Education, 1993), 46.


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administrator’s directions to the workers. In order for the business to run well, he/she must

maintain a close eye on worker performance.

Likewise, the choir is made up of a conductor, who plays a role similar to that of the

chief administrator; the choral pianist, who plays a role similar to that of the assistant

administrator; and the chorus, or the workers. The choral conductor makes all of the major

decisions. He/she selects the repertoire, prepares rehearsal plans, and conducts the choral

pianist and singers. Therefore, it is the conductor’s duty to make clear decisions and to

communicate his/her intentions through precise gestures to avoid any misunderstandings.

Similar to the business model, singers are the “workers” who implement the directives of the

conductor, but both conductors and singers are needed to perform a piece of music. The

chorus has to trust the conductor and follow his/her instructions and gestures. Thus, the choral

conductor and chorus have an inseparable relationship. Meanwhile, the collaborative choral

pianist acts like an assistant conductor or a second conductor, or, as I have stated previously,

like an assistant administrator. The choral pianist addresses the shared musical interpretation

and has to trust and follow the conductor’s gestures, as do the choral singers. He/she also

supports the conductor in his/her efforts to teach and inspire singers to work together and to

make every choral rehearsal an effective one. However, if there are any issues that seem to be

unclear or ambiguous, the collaborative pianist must ask the conductor for clarification so that

they can use the rehearsal time more efficiently. The organizational strucures of

proprietorships and choirs are shown in Figure 2.1.


9

Figure 2.1. Organizational Structures of Proprietorships and Choirs.

Partnerships

Because a choir does not belong to a single person and because the quality of a

choir’s work is not the responsibility of one person, everyone needs to understand his/her role

in the organizational structure and share a sense of ownership of the group. In the past, leader-

run organizations were the most popular model for both businesses and choirs.7

Communication flowed from top to bottom, so workers in a company often felt a lack of

ownership. This made employees feel less important and limited in their job roles. On the

other hand, today, in the world of business, partnerships have proven to be an effective

paradigm. Like businesses, choirs have evolved in terms of how they are run. The work of a

7 The term, “leader-run” is taken from Gerald Klickstein, The Musician’s Way: A Guide to

Practice, Performance, and Wellness (New York: Oxford, 1998), 116.


10

choir is seen as more of a shared activity, and therefore the choral pianist and the individual

choir members are treated and regarded as collaborators rather than subsidiary members.

While the conductor is still the leader of the ensemble, choral pianists and choir members are

encouraged to think of themselves as partners so they will be motivated to perform their duties

and participate more actively in the work of the choir. In Figure 2.2, the leader-run

communication model is shown on the left side; the partnership communication model is

shown on the right side.

Figure 2.2. Communication flowcharts.

The Importance of Communication Skills

The development of good communication skills contributes to productive and

effective group work environments because it promotes the morale of an organization and

helps to diminish emotional barriers and friction. Adopting appropriate communication styles


11

will result in a higher level of synergy as well as increased professionalism within the

organization. The integrity, reliability, and effectiveness of the group will thus be maximized.8

Therefore, it is necessary for collaborators to learn how to communicate with people

appropriately. Debbie DuFrene and Carol Lehman, authors of the book Business

Communication, identify common barriers to effective communication as shown in Figure 2.3,

many of which can be applied to choir settings.

8 DuFrene and Lehman, Business Communication, 4-38 and 46-77.


12

Common Barriers

1. Physical distractions Noise

Interruption

Uncomfortable setting

2. Differences between sender and

receiver

Education

Age

Culture

Background/experience

3. Sender/Receiver hindrances Various interpretations of verbal/nonverbal

messages

Lack of trust

Lack of feedback (verbal and nonverbal)

Intimidation or fear caused by position/status of

sender

4. Mental distractions Miscommunication between sender and receiver

and/or different in understanding messages that

are received or sent

Preoccupation with other matters

Developing a response rather than listening

Inappropriate timing

5. Sender characteristics Unclear, nonspecific message

Lack of sympathy for listener

Distracting appearance, mannerism, voice,

expression

Suspect motive (coercive or brown-nosing)

6. Receiver characteristics Poor listening habits

Unreceptive to new and different ideas

Lack of empathy for sender

Negative feelings about the speaker

Low interest level

Unwilling to concentrate

Figure 2.3. Communication barriers.9

9 The chart is reproduced from DuFrene and Lehman, Business Communication, 9.


13

In Figure 2.4, I have applied principles of business communication to the choir setting

and developed strategies for overcoming communication barriers and for optimizing

communication among the organizational members. The column on the left shows

communication strategies for the sender/speaker (leader, conductor, choral pianist); the

column on the right shows communication strategies for the receiver/listeners (workers,

singers, choral pianists). At the bottom are strategies shared by both groups. If both sides

clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, then work performance will improve and

get better results.


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Communication Strategies

Sender/Speaker

(Leader, Conductor, Choral Pianist)

Receiver/Listener

(Workers, Singers, Choral Pianist)

1. Give clear messages that match with

nonverbal cues.

Pay full attention to the speaker’s words

and nonverbal cues.

2. Provide comments about actions or

issues and give specific and useful

suggestions.

Listen to suggestions for improvement

with an open mind.

3. Take care of receivers. Accept a caring attitude.

4. Feel empathy for receivers. Feel empathy for senders.

5. Speak with an appropriate

conversational pace and tone, and allow

the receiver enough time to take in and

respond to verbal commands.

Act on suggestions for improvement and

seek clarification if the issues persist.

6. Accept responsibility if appropriate.

7. Control emotions in conversations.

8. Take notes on important information.

9. Turn off electronic devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and watch alarms.

Figure 2.4. Communication strategies.10

10 Ideas about communication strategies are taken from DuFrene and Lehman, Business

Communication, 8-9 and A.C. Krizan et al., Business Communication (Mason, OH; Thomson Higher

Education, 2008), 376-378.


15

The other point that I wish to make is that digital tools such as email, cell phones,

Facebook, Twitter, and recording devices have become important modes of communication.

Further research needs to be done to investigate the practical and behavioral ways in which

technology can be used to enable group members to communicate more clearly and

effectively.

The Interaction between the Choral Conductor and Choral Pianist

Researchers in business communication often state that understanding the “three

R’s”—roles, rules, and relationships among organization members—is important to running

an effective organization.11 Applying this line of thinking to choirs, the choral conductor and

the choral pianist function as leaders while the singers function as followers. The conductor is

the main teacher, and the choral pianist acts like the teaching assistant. Thus, because the

choral conductor and the choral pianist lead the rehearsals, it is crucial for the choral pianist to

communicate well with the choral conductor. The pianist needs to understand how the

rehearsal will be run, how to prepare properly for each rehearsal, and how to be an active

collaborator by trying to anticipate the needs of the choral conductor and the chorus during the

rehearsals.

Before meeting with a conductor and/or before the rehearsal, the collaborative choral

pianist should try to proactively engage the conductor in a positive way to make sure he/she

already has:

Scores of the music that should be of high quality and easy to read (If not, better

copies should be requested before the first rehearsal.)

11 DuFrene and Lehman, Business Communication, 36.


16

Recordings of the music that reflect the conductor’s interpretation

A weekly schedule listing all of the repertoire that will be rehearsed at each session,

acknowledging that small modifications will sometimes have to be made to the

rehearsal repertoire and/or schedule

There are common points of misunderstanding between the conductor and the

collaborative pianist that limit the musical effectiveness of the collaboration. From the

conductor’s point of view, a choral pianist can be seen as unprepared, unprofessional, or

incompetent when:

The pianist does not arrive on time for rehearsals, forgets the music, or does not have

a pencil. To get off to a good start, it is very important for the choral pianist to show

up on time at every rehearsal. The pianist might miss important information that is

given out, and it can be disruptive for the pianist to walk in late.

The pianist repeatedly plays many wrong notes or plays the notes without expression.

Playing wrong notes can result from a lack of practice, but it also can happen when

the pianist tries to play passages that are unplayable on the piano because he or she

does not understand that reducing and/or redistributing the score is a perfectly

acceptable practice. However, the choral pianist must not play wrong notes because

choir members easily learn their parts from the choral pianist. This includes not only

pitches but also musical expression and dynamics. Therefore, it is extremely

important to reduce the score to something that can be played perfectly but which still

conveys the appropriate mood/characteristics of the music.

The pianist does not follow the conductor’s beat. The pianist needs to develop

peripheral vision in order to be able to see the conductor and read the music at the


17

same time. On the other hand, this situation can develop if the pianist does not have a

good view of the conductor or does not receive clear gestures.

The pianist is not able to play SATB parts in every possible combination, whether or

not the music is complicated.

The pianist is not able to evoke the orchestral sound and/or sound of the different

instruments in the orchestral parts.

The pianist disturbs the rehearsal process by stumbling over difficult passages.

The pianist does not understand the conductor’s movements, including upbeats,

attacks, releases, or interpretive gestures.

The pianist does not have a good sense or knowledge of the structure, words, or

interpretation of the piece.

However, from the pianist’s point of view, misunderstandings can occur and

conductors may share the blame if:

The pianist is not told the exact repertoire for every rehearsal, especially if the music

demands many hours of preparation and is not given to the pianist ahead of time.

The pianist is given scores that are difficult to read because they are handwritten, are

poor-quality photocopies, or do not have bar-lines or measure numbers.

The pianist is not provided with CDs or audio files of the repertoire that reflect the

musical preferences of the conductor.

The pianist is not provided with an orchestral score when needed. For example, the

pianist may need to look at a full-orchestral score when the orchestra reduction

provided in the rehearsal score is unplayable, poorly made, or needs to be rearranged.

The pianist is not told about the tempo and/or stylistic preferences of the conductor.


18

The pianist is not told the protocol for starting or does not receive clear gestures.

Pianists should be told how many preparatory beats will be given, what the unit of

beat will be, and what kind of a gesture or conducting pattern the conductor will give

at the starting point.

The choral pianist cannot see a conductor’s gestures clearly. Pianists’ sightlines

should not be blocked.

The pianist does not have a page tuner when needed.

The pianist is not told if a section will be repeated, especially if the repeat is over a

page turn.

The pianist is given a different edition or arrangement of the score than that used by

the conductor and singers, leading to confusions about rehearsal numbers or other

editorial content.

The pianist is not told when the conductor decides to change something, such as the

interpretation, dynamics, articulations, and/or instrumentation.

The pianist is not told when he or she will not be needed, for example, when his or

her part is arranged to be played by other instruments.

The pianist is treated as a subordinate instead of a partner.

Borrowing ideas from the field of business communication that were explained earlier

in this chapter, in order to function as a successful team, pianist and conductor need to:

Establish a reliable method of communication.

Communicate with each other in a trusting and non-judgmental way.

Listen to the other person’s point of view carefully and attentively.


19

Understand that differences and disagreements may arise because of different cultural

backgrounds, learning styles, and musical experiences.

Share in the interpretation of musical ideas. Dialogue drives the productive

collaborative process.

Understand that creative challenges and imaginative results come from the

collaborators responding to unexpected situations and/or different cultural

perspectives.

Try to maintain a good relationship and strong emotional connection in order to boost

the creativity and motivation of the group as a whole.

In conclusion, conductors, choirs, and choral pianists have to collaborate together as a

team to be successful. Musicians can learn much from the business world in terms of how to

better manage complex organizations like choirs and maintain communication between

collaborators. To establish a good rapport, adequate comprehension of the roles, rules, and

relationships among the various parties will help them to perform in a professional and

collaborative manner. Communicating well means developing the discipline and collaborative

skills to help each member of team to stay on task. Treating others with courtesy and respect

and maintaining an open-minded attitude will preserve the partnership and generate the kind

of synergy that will allow the organization to prosper.


20

CHAPTER 3

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COLLABORATIVE CHORAL PIANIST

The “culture” of an organization refers to its values as well as to the expected

behaviors and job responsibilities of individual members. 9 It is thus important for all

participants to have a deep understanding of an organization’s culture so they can collaborate

to achieve shared goals. In other words, without understanding the organizational culture,

members may have difficulty performing their jobs effectively. Similarly, choral pianists,

even those who are technically proficient, can struggle if they are unfamiliar with the culture

of choirs. They can be slow to anticipate the needs of the conductor and singers and disturb

the momentum of the rehearsal. They may even feel like foreigners or outsiders. Therefore, it

is necessary for the choral pianist to be aware of the particular “culture” of the choir he/she

performs with to become an effective partner. This chapter addresses the basic responsibilities

of the collaborative choral pianist and the jobs he/she must perform to ensure the success of

the choir.

Terminology

The following terminology will be used throughout this document and is presented here for

better understanding of its content.

Vocal score format, vocal parts, or open score: choral music showing the voice parts

notated on individual staffs—soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T), baritone and/or bass

(B)—or SATB

9 Wiese and Ricci, The Collaboration Imperative, 31-35.


21

Piano score format or piano score: the piano part, usually notated below the voice

parts, where all or almost all the choral parts are consolidated and written down on the

grand staff

Orchestral reduction: a reduction of the original orchestral part provided below the

choral parts in the pianist’s rehearsal score

Vocal reduction: an arrangement or reduction of the vocal parts, especially when there

are many parts or when the parts are very complex and difficult to play

Playable score or piano reduction: a reduction or arrangement of the orchestral

reduction that appears in the choral pianist’s score

Learning the Vocal Parts

One of the most important expectations of choral pianists is the ability to read open

score, that is, to read at least four vocal parts from their corresponding staffs at once. They are

also expected to play all possible combinations of the vocal parts and to assist choir members

who are just beginning to learn a new piece of music. They must also be able to emphasize or

voice any part or combination of parts. Open score reading is a skill that can be developed

through practice. Because choral conductors practice reading open scores and reading

combinations of vocal parts, it is necessary for choral pianists to practice this skill as well.

To gain proficiency in this skill, pianists should first practice each voice part

separately, singing each part and then playing each part on the piano. It is crucial to pay

special attention to the tenor part, which is written in treble clef and must be transposed down

an octave. In Example 3.1, measure 81 shows the note G4 in the tenor parts, which would be

sung as G3. In the very next measure, however, the presence of bass clefs is a signal that

basses 1 and 2 will take over for the tenors and that the parts no longer need to be transposed.


22

Example 3.1. Monteverdi, Laetatus sum, mm. 81-86, shifting from tenor to bass.10

The pianist needs to be extremely careful to learn the notes and rhythms accurately,

because novice choirs sometimes learn wrong notes and/or rhythms played by the choral

pianist. Correcting such errors would take unnecessary time and effort on the part of the

conductor. The choral pianist should then practice all possible combinations of the voice parts

and be ready to play these combinations at the conductor’s request. First, he/she can practice

10 Unless indicated, all examples are taken from Ray Robinson, Choral Music: A Norton

Historical Anthology (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1978).


23

soprano and alto parts together followed by tenor and bass parts in combination. Following

that, pianists can continue varying the combinations of voices practiced together (e.g., soprano

with bass; alto with tenor, etc.). Practicing the soprano with the bass might take extra effort

because the parts are so widely separated. Playing the alto with the tenor is also difficult

because the tenor is written in treble clef and needs to be transposed down an octave. Voice

crossings between tenor and alto often occur, so the choral pianist needs to decide which

note(s) will be played by the right hand and which by the left.

When the choir is ready to put all the voice parts together, the choral pianist must be

able to play enough of the vocal parts to assist the singers. In addition, unless directed to do

otherwise, the choral pianist is expected to give the starting pitches from bottom to top (bass

to soprano) slowly so that the singers can identify their starting pitches and hear the harmony.

The rhythm and tempo must be accurate, steady, and consistent regardless of whether the

music is complicated or not. Example 3.2 shows a homophonic six-part texture; the parts of

soprano II and alto cross in measure 3. It is crucial for the choral pianist to be aware of which

notes are in unison and how the voice parts move, especially when the texture has more than

four voices.


24

Example 3.2. Giacomo Carissimi, Jephte: Plorate filii Israel, mm.1-4.

Example 3.3 shows what the pianist should play once the chorus members have

learned their parts well or while the chorus is “count singing.” This is a procedure commonly

used to practice pitches and rhythms simultaneously, where the chorus sings their parts

substituting numerals or “nonsense” syllables for the text. Soprano I and II and alto are played

with the right hand, and tenor I and II and bass are played with the left hand. Note the E

octave on the first beat of measure one. Even though the bass part comes in alone on a low E

at the start, it is in a low range and the tenor enters on the same note up an octave two beats

later. Playing an E octave will give support to the bass, help the chorus feel the downbeat

more strongly, and give the tenors their starting pitch.


25

Example 3.3. Carissimi excerpt in piano score format.

To facilitate the singers’ count-singing exercise, it is helpful for the choral pianist to

play microbeats, or subdivisions of the basic beat, in order to help the singers experience the

underlying pulse and develop a feel for the longer musical line or phrase. In Example 3.4, the

pitches of the soprano I/II, alto, and tenor I/II parts can be played in the right hand, and the

left hand can play the bass part in quarter-note octaves. The rhythm of the bass can even be

subdivided into eighth notes if desired.

Example 3.4. Microbeats.

By contrast, the choral pianist can play macrobeats when the choral conductor is

working with singers on musical lines, phrase shapes, and forward directional movement,

because macrobeats, or larger pulses, help singers to hear the big picture of the music. In

Example 3.5, the left hand plays macrobeats so singers can feel the larger pulse; the right hand


26

plays the other voice parts with a sustained legato in order to help singers shape the musical

phrases.

Example 3.5. Macrobeats.

In contrapuntal works, singers often need help finding their starting pitches. Example

3.6 shows a fugal section with soprano I/II, alto, tenor, and bass parts. As seen in this example,

altos and tenors enter first in measure 22 and the sopranos and basses follow in measure 23.


27

Example 3.6. Johann Sebastian Bach, Magnificat: Gloria, mm. 22-24.11

Because of the rapid tempo, it is better to play just the head motives, in other words

the first few notes of each entry. In example 3.6, pianists might play the alto and tenor parts in

measure 22 and shift to the soprano I/II and bass in measure 23, leaving out the alto and tenor

parts. This is shown in Example 3.7.

11 Johann Sebastian Bach, Magnificat: Gloria, edited by Herman Roth and Karl Straube

(Leipzig: C.F. Peters, 1910).


28

Example 3.7. Reduction of Example 3.6.

Example 3.8 provides another example of an imitative work. This time the statement

of the theme in the bass part is followed by overlapping successive entrances of the tenor, alto,

soprano II, and soprano I.

Example 3.8. Johann Sebastian Bach, Magnificat: Gloria, mm. 1-3.12

12 Ibid.


29

The choral pianist can use the right hand to play the first six notes of all five voice

parts and leave out other notes, as shown in Example 3.9. The left hand can add the tremolo

taken from the piano score. This reduction helps the chorus to hear the entrance of each voice

as well as the pedal point in the bass.


Another important attribute of a good choral pianist is the ability to anticipate trouble

spots for the choir, such as difficult leaps, voice crossings, and dissonant harmonies, and find

ways to help. The choral pianist needs to listen to the chorus even while playing in order to

understand problems that may disrupt a rehearsal. The pianist may provide assistance by

bringing out a part if singers are having trouble finding pitches, or play a part more softly if it

is drowning out another. Additionally, a choral pianist should develop good sight-reading

skills because choirs and pianists, especially church or amateur choirs, are often not given

their music until the first rehearsal. Sight-reading encourages a pianist to scan ahead, pre-hear

the music, and see the notes in terms of patterns rather than individual pitches.

Preparing the Score


30

The collaborative pianist should mark the score to make it easier to read in rehearsal.

For example, he/she might:

Mark the unison vocal parts, difficult sections, fingerings, and dynamics.

Mark the location of the piano parts. This helps the choral pianist to find the piano

part when many orchestral and vocal parts are in the score or if the piano parts are

irregularly placed on a certain page.

Color-code the voice parts and clearly mark off the system breaks. Some choral

pianists like to color code each voice part (SATB) and/or the piano part by using a

different color for each. However, if the parts are split (soprano I and II, alto I and II,

etc.), seeing so many colors can be visually confusing. In these instances, I prefer to

mark the alto and the piano part, using one color and the tenor part using a different

color. The choral pianist needs to experiment to find a way that works for him/her.

Example 3.10 shows my system of color coding the voice and piano parts. I find that

this helps me to easily differentiate the piano part from the voice parts.


31

Example 3.10. Color coding the score, mm. 52-63.13

Check to see that the measure numbers or rehearsal numbers in the pianist’s score are

the same as the conductor’s and the singers’ scores. Example 3.11 shows a musical

score with only one or two measure numbers on each page. There is no measure

number indicated for the first measure at the top of the page, and there are no

measure numbers at the beginning of every system in the piano part. Writing in the

13 This example is from G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, edited by John

Castellini (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1983).


32

measure numbers helps the choral pianist to quickly locate specific measures

indicated by the conductor.

Example 3.11. Writing measure numbers in the piano score, mm. 8-14.14

14 G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, edited by John Castellini (St. Louis,

MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1958).


33

If possible, cut and paste the score to minimize the number of page turns. At the

bottom of the page, either write down the chords, patterns, or notes that are at the top

of the next page or cut and paste in a copy of the first measure of the next page.

Write down the letter names of some of the notes if they overlap with another voice

part and you need to play all the voice parts together.

Read the text, understand its meaning, and write the translation of important words in

the score. The conductor should either provide diction recordings or be willing to

speak unfamiliar foreign-language texts in private consultations with the choral

pianist.

General Rehearsal Tips

When a choral pianist has prepared properly for the rehearsal by practicing the score,

learning the vocal parts, marking the score, and reviewing the text, he/she still must be

prepared for how the rehearsal will be run. Here are some suggestions:

First, pay attention all the time during rehearsals.

Be ready to give the first pitches of the voice parts in the section that is being

rehearsed. Usually, the conductor asks for the pitches to be given from the bottom

to the top slowly and loudly so that the chorus members can hear them clearly.

Some conductors like pianists to release these pitches after they are given;

however, other conductors prefer that pianists sustain the given pitches until the

chorus enters. Repeat the pitches if the conductor requests. If the piece is fugal,

then give the starting pitch of each entry in order of entrance.


34

If the conductor stops the choir to make a correction, try to determine the reason

and anticipate his/her next move. For instance, if the tenors are singing the wrong

notes, the choral pianist can give special emphasis to the tenor part.

When asked to play a single voice part, some conductors prefer that pianists

double the pitch one or sometimes two octaves higher or lower so that the singers

can hear the pitches more clearly. Clarify this point with the conductor.

When the conductor gives special instructions to the choir, the choral pianist

should always mark the conductor’s instructions on the score in pencil.

It is necessary to keep going even if difficult spots are encountered and mistakes

are made. In these instances, the pianist should maintain the bass line of the vocal

part or the piano part and keep a steady pulse.

If the singers have rests or pauses, it is important to play the intervening orchestral

or piano parts so the singers can become familiar with how they sound.

If the choir is rehearsing an a cappella piece with many voice crossings, transpose

either the soprano or the tenor up an octave so each part can be heard more clearly.

If the a cappella piece is very complex, it might even be useful to make a piano

score using Finale or to write the notes out by hand on score paper.

If the music is for a cappella choir, the choral pianist usually sounds the opening

chord and then plays the individual pitches of the chord one at a time. Sometimes,

the choral pianist needs to be able to transpose the piece up or down a half or

whole step into a key that is easier for the choir to sing. It is helpful to write down

the notes of the transposed chords at the beginning of each section and/or at the

cadential points in order to be ready to give the correct pitches or chords to the

choir during the rehearsal.


35

When the choral pianist needs to play difficult and unpianistic reductions of

orchestral parts on short notice, focus on practicing orchestral sections where the

choir is silent. The singers will need to know how these sections sound once the

dress rehearsals begin, and usually they will have only one or two opportunities to

rehearse with the orchestra before a concert.


36

CHAPTER 4

REDUCING OR REDISTRIBUTING THE VOCAL OR ORCHESTRAL SCORE

The orchestral or vocal reduction that appears in the choral score may be unpianistic

or impossible to play, especially if it replicates too many elements of the original score.

Because choral pianists may disagree with an editor’s choices, it is best to listen to several

recordings of the piece with a full orchestral score in hand in order to become acquainted with

the instrumentation of the piece and to see whether important parts are reflected appropriately

in the piano part. Additionally, it is more important to capture the musical mood and texture

and to keep the tempo going than to play all the notes as written. Thus, it is necessary for the

choral pianist to fully understand the music in order to determine a more playable version that

still evokes the orchestral sound. In this chapter, I will discuss some useful strategies for

reducing or redistributing vocal or orchestral scores.

According to Martin Katz, there are four common situations that indicate when a

pianist needs to make changes to an orchestral reduction provided in the piano score:

Some spots are technically risky and unplayable on the piano.

Some spots are playable, but do not adequately replicate the orchestral sound.

Some reductions can be improved upon. For example, pianists might choose to highlight

a different orchestral part or add notes to increase the dynamic level or density of the

sound.

Some spots sound orchestral and playable, but require many hours of practice to

master.15

15 Martin Katz, The Complete Collaborator: The Pianist as Partner (New York: Oxford,

2009), 190.


37

Similarly, collaborative choral pianists may need to modify orchestral or vocal reductions if

the reductions are too difficult, impractical, or musically unsatisfying.

Strategies

There are no standard rules of right or wrong in preparing a playable piano reduction.

Instead, a wide variety of approaches will work, depending on the level of the choral pianist’s

skills and on the amount of time available for preparation. However, I can offer some general

guidelines for novice collaborative choral pianists about how to reduce or redistribute the

notes in an orchestral reduction. For example,

Redistribution between the hands is a valuable strategy for making risky and

uncomfortable passages playable on the piano.

Comparing three to four different editions of the same work may provide choral

pianists with good ideas about how to make or choose a reduction that is not only

more pianistic but that also yields a similar interpretative effect as the original.

When playing a complicated open score with many voice parts, a possible solution is

to leave out the main melody, which the choir learns very quickly, and instead play the

other parts.

A choral pianist should focus on playing parts that the choir will have difficulty

learning. Example 4.1 shows an excerpt containing a simple melody in the soprano and a

repetitive tenor part. These parts will be easy to learn. However, the alto and bass parts are

split, move in contrary motion, and contain many dissonances. More work will be required in

these parts for singers to learn the right pitches. The choral pianist should therefore leave out


38

the soprano and tenor parts and play the alto and bass parts. This result is shown in Example

4.2.

Example 4.1. Lars Jansson, To the mothers in Brazil: Salve Regina, mm. 21-23.16

16 Lars Jansson, To the Mothers in Brazil: Salve Regina, arranged by Gunner Eriksson

(Chicago: Walton Music Corporation, 2007).


39

Example 4.2. Playing more complicated parts, mm. 21-23.

In works with complex rhythmic patterns, another possible approach is to play the

syncopated melodies but to supply an accompaniment that provides rhythmic stability by

defining the subdivisions of the beat. In Example 4.3, soprano, alto, and tenor parts have a

complex syncopated melody but the bass part is not as difficult.

Example 4.3. Lars Jansson, To the mothers in Brazil: Salve regina, mm. 8-9.


40

Example 4.4 shows how the choral pianist can play the syncopated melody in the

right hand along with a rhythmically simplified left-hand accompaniment that provides a

steady eighth-note beat.

Example 4.4. Rearranging rhythmic melodies, mm. 8-9.

If a part is very complex or has many leaps, it may be altered, transposed, or

reordered as long as the pianist can still communicate the mood and rhythm of the passage.

For example, measures 45-46 in Example 4.5 contain arpeggios in both hands that are difficult

to coordinate because of the shifts.

Example 4.5. What child is this, mm. 43-46.17

17 Donald McCullough, arranger, What Child is This (Chapel Hill, NC: Hinshaw Music Inc.,

2000).


41

The choral pianist can transpose selected notes up or down so that all the notes of the

arpeggio remain in the same octave, eliminating the shifts entirely. This is shown in Example

4.6.

Example 4.6. Transposing notes into the same octave, mm.43-46.

If the choral pianist needs to further simplify the passage, he/she can play the

arpeggiated notes in the left hand as block chords (Example 4.7). This may be a superior

choice because it accentuates the harmony and downbeats.

Example 4.7. Playing the left-hand part as block chords, mm. 45-46.

Alternatively, the choral pianist can play a simplified version of the figuration that is

already in the score. This version maintains a constant stream of sixteenth notes and gives the

accompaniment a more fluid feel shown in Example 4.8.


42

Example 4.8. Simplifying the left-hand arpeggios, mm.43-44.

While the choral conductor may adjust the tempo up and down to accommodate the

choir, especially when it is experiencing technical difficulty, the choral pianist is expected to

play the music accurately and consistently regardless of the tempo. This can be especially

problematic in fast contrapuntal works. As mentioned earlier, an effective strategy in these

cases is to play just the head motives of the themes to help the singers find their starting

pitches. Example 4.9 shows how the choral pianist can skip between thematic entrances: the

red arrows indicate the main subject and the green arrows indicate the countersubject.


43

Example 4.9. Arrows indicate….Head motives, mm. 89-96.

When two or three voice parts move together to form vertical chords, it is acceptable

to leave out a part or just play the chords on the downbeats. This is a viable strategy especially

if the rhythmic patterns are tricky or the tempo is rapid. In Example 4.10, the alto, tenor, and

bass parts form chords that accompany the soprano melody.


44

Example 4.10. G. B. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 13-14.

As shown in Example 4.11, the choral pianist can play the melody notes, which are

circled below, and can leave out the tenor part if needed.


For consecutive repeated notes or chords, the choral pianist may wish to substitute

Alberti bass figures, intermittent chords, octaves, or tremolos when the tempo is rapid. In

Example 4.12, there are thick sixteenth-note chords in both hands. Technically, the tempo in

this example is slow, so the chords are not difficult to play. However, the choral conductor


45

will sometimes have singers practice a piece at a faster tempo so that they can feel the overall

line of a phrase. In that situation, a choral pianist may experience technical difficulties.

Example 4.12. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Dona nobis pacem: Dirge for two veterans, mm. 69-71.18

To play fast repeated chords, it might therefore be advisable to reduce or redistribute

the notes. In Example 4.13, the sixteenth notes in measure 69 of Example 4.12 are changed to

quarter notes, and the repeated sixteenth-note chords in mm. 70-71 are played in a tremolo

style. In the original orchestral score, the sixteenth notes are played by the strings. By using

this strategy, the choral pianist can better replicate the orchestral sound.

Example 4.13. Redistribution of Example 4.12.

18 Ralph Vaughan Williams, Dirge for two veterans from Dona Nobis Pacem (New York;

Oxford University Press, 1964).

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjmg4PDurXLAhXhyIMKHeVBA5cQFggjMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRalph_Vaughan_Williams&usg=AFQjCNG1-5qL7IcIhg7i3Hx2tr_NpSlGXw&sig2=BLUvl9MOy-iD9SHh8wleMQ



46

Where there are passages of parallel intervals, such as double sixths or octaves,

another practical strategy is just to play the upper line and leave out the bottom notes. In

Example 4.14, the original piano score is shown on top, and the suggested reduction is shown

below it. In the reduction, the right hand plays just the top note of the passage of double sixths.

Example 4.14. Reduction of Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 25-27.19

In Baroque scores, the choral conductor often asks the choral pianist to play the bass

of the basso continuo part along with the voice parts. In that situation, the pianist usually plays

the left-hand part in the piano music and then plays the most prominent melodic parts.

However, Example 4.15 contains fast parallel thirds sixteenth notes that are technically

challenging for the choral pianist to play.

19 Martini, Domine ad adjuvandem me festina (1983).


47

Example 4.15. Monteverdi, Laetatus sum, mm. 5-11.

In that situation, the choral pianist can leave out some of the lower notes as shown,

adding the thirds back in to reinforce the cadences in measures 3-5. In measure 6, the choral

pianist can also leave out selected notes to improve the technical ease of the passage. This

method can be applied to the similar passages in this work if it is appropriate.


If the score has long octave passages, the choral pianist can choose to play only single

notes, depending on the volume level and tempo. In Example 4.16, long octave passages in

the left hand can be extremely fatiguing.


48

Example 4.17. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Five Mystical Songs: Ester, mm. 63-67.20

Example 4.18 shows how the choral pianist can play only the bottom notes of the

octaves in the left hand and the top notes in the right hand in measures 63-64. Then, when the

dynamic changes to ff, he/she can play the left hand octaves as shown to produce a more

dramatic effect.


As stated previously, for fast repeated chords, the choral pianist can substitute broken

chordal patterns, Alberti bass, and/or tremolos. Example 4.19 shows a reduction of the

orchestral part from Vivaldi’s Gloria. In measures 78-88, the long passages of repeated chords,

which are supposed to replicate the sounds of the string section, can be tiring to play at a fast

tempo.

20 Ralph Vaughan Williams, Ester from Five Mystical Songs (New York: Galaxy Music

Corporation, 1911).




49

Example 4.19. Antonio Vivaldi, Gloria: Et in Terra Pax, 76-92.21

Example 4.20 shows how the chords can be broken up into chordal patterns that are

more comfortable to play. Octaves can be added in the left hand to give support and

accentuate the basic pulses.

21 Antonio Vivaldi, Et in Terra Pax from Gloria, ed. and trans. by Clayton Westermann (Boca

Raton, FL: Kalmus, 1967).


50

Example 4.20. Reduction of Example 4.19, mm. 78-79.

Scores with difficult rhythmic patterns should also be simplified. The piano score in

Example 4.21 contains a reduction of the vocal parts at the bottom in the piano score, but the

rhythm in the bass part in measures 25-26 and in the sopranos in measure 27 is very difficult

to play at a fast tempo.

Example 4.21. Lars Jansson, To the Mothers in Brazil: Salve Regina, mm. 25-27.


51

In this situation, it is possible to modify the rhythm by converting the thirty-second or

sixteenth notes to eighth notes. In addition, the choral pianist can play repeated notes as

broken octaves and/or chords for a more orchestral atmosphere. In Example 4.22, the C of the

right-hand part is redistributed into the left hand in measures 25-26. In measure 27, an F is

added to the bass for greater emphasis, and some notes are dropped from the right hand.

Example 4.22. Reduction and redistribution of Example 4.21.

If the work involves combinations of vocal and instrumental groups, choral pianists

may have to play different roles during the rehearsal as opposed to the performance. For

example, in a work for choir, chamber ensemble, organ, and continuo, the conductor may ask

the choral pianist to play the voice parts to help the singers learn their parts for the first few

rehearsals, to play the organ part after the singers have learned the pitches and for the final

performance, and to play a reduction of the chamber ensemble part before the dress rehearsals

to acquaint the choir with the orchestral tuttis. In Example 4.23, the full score is shown on top.

In the dress rehearsals and final performances, the choral pianist will play only the organ

continuo that is circled in red. The rehearsal score is shown on the bottom. It contains

reductions of both the choral and orchestral parts. The choral pianist will use this score in the

early rehearsals to help choir members learn their parts and to acquaint them with the sound of

the chamber ensemble that plays when the choir is silent.


52

Example 4.23. Martini, Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, mm. 1-11.


53

In conclusion, it may sometimes be necessary for the choral pianist to make more

playable versions of the accompaniments or vocal reductions that appear in rehearsal scores. I

have described some practical strategies that have been proven to be effective, and I hope that

these suggestions will help novice choral pianists to do their jobs more successfully.


54

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

Few musicians understand the complexity of a choral pianist’s position. He/she must

be able to communicate effectively with the choral conductor, know how to read open scores,

and be able to reduce unplayable and/or difficult orchestral or vocal parts. By doing so, the

choral pianist aids the singers in learning the notes, helps acquaint singers with the orchestral

parts, and maintains the forward progression of the rehearsal. He/she must also know what to

expect in and how to prepare for a choral rehearsal. I have provided many examples of

effective strategies in this paper. However, there are no standard rules of right or wrong.

Instead, depending on the level of the choral pianist’s skills, a wide variety of approaches will

work. Therefore, every choral pianist will need to experiment with numerous approaches and

determine which ways work better for him or her.

Learning to become a better choral pianist is a worthwhile activity for all pianists. It

builds strong listening and collaborative skills, teaches the ability to work and to communicate

with others as a team, develops problem-solving skills, and gives performers the strength to

handle and respond to a wide variety of musical situations that will help them become not

only good collaborative choral pianists but also good musicians.

Louis Pasteur reportedly stated that “Chance favors only the prepared mind.”

Similarly, pianists should prepare for positions as collaborative choral pianists by

understanding the organizational characteristics of choirs and by becoming acquainted with

conductors’ expectations of choral pianists. They need to know how to prepare for rehearsals

and how choral rehearsals usually proceed. In addition, as a member of a team, they need to

know how to communicate with their collaborators, especially with the choral conductor.


55

Proper communication is key to creating a positive energy and synergy among the choir

members so all can work together to produce the best possible performance

There are many specific skills a choral pianist must learn. However, many piano

teachers and students mistakenly believe that they can immediately step into positions as

choral pianists just because they can play solo piano pieces well. They may become

discouraged when they find themselves struggling to play vocal scores or orchestral

reductions. Therefore, I believe that piano teachers should be open to guiding students to

develop the skills necessary for becoming effective pianists in different situations, including

in choir settings. I hope that the practical strategies discussed in this paper will help novice

choral pianists to develop the necessary skills to become effective collaborative choral

pianists.

I intend to pursue further research on this topic. One subject I am extremely interested

in is how digital tools, including voice recorders, video cameras, email, Youtube, Facebook,

and Twitter, affect communication among choir members and/or influence musical activities

in choral rehearsal settings. I would like to pursue in-depth case studies of successful choral

pianists to uncover additional skills that should be developed. Finally, I am interested in

investigating how sight-reading skills are used in choral rehearsal settings and how they can

more effectively be taught and developed in pianists.


56

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