While this page is a living document and subject to changes as choir needs and information shifts, it serves, for the most part, as The Answer to general yet frequently asked questions about the FPCL Sanctuary Choir.
Choral etiquette that should go without saying but we’ll say them anyway:
* Pencil markings on choir-owned music ONLY, only use a highlighter or the like on your own personal copy machine copies of your music. If you use highlighter tape please courteously remove it before you turn in your music. Do not ever glue or tape things in the music that obscures the notes. While this may seem obvious…
* As rehearsal is for rehearsing, please keep social chatting to before rehearsal begins, and only converse between seat mates and sections in very low tones, when certain that The Director doesn’t need your undivided attention. Please be aware that excessive talking slows the rehearsal for everyone.
* Choir begins with movement and stretching and then vocal warm-ups to help get the body prepared to act as a fully aligned instrument, to re-engage and wake up our sedentary selves, to reduce tensions and free up our breath so that we don’t strain anything by singing for an extended period of time. Please continue this preparation by sitting well and “tall” and singing from your diaphragm with your mouth open to accommodate your well-rounded, yawning, resonant vowels. Drop your jaw, soften your palate as if you were going to yawn, and sing! But beware the pinched, nasal, ‘errrr.’
* While organ preludes, offertories, bell choir arrangements, special musical selections, and organ postludes are generally lovely, neither they nor any other music that is not the choral anthem or congregational hymns and choruses which the choir is leading are meant for your participation. Please do not hum, whistle, or sing along. It’s difficult for some musical people to realize when they are doing this audibly and not internally, but if you hear someone humming, please check to see if it is you – and stop.
- When is rehearsal?
- What time is Sunday morning call time?
- I can’t figure out my part/I need a rehearsal recording. How do I get one?
- Can I switch robes/ What if I can’t find my robe?
- I can’t see the director/I don’t like where I’m standing in the choir loft!
- I’m going to miss rehearsal. Can I still sing on Sunday?
- If we don’t want to store our robes downstairs and/or robe up in the robing room, where can we put on/put on our robes?
– Rehearsal: 7:15pm currently (until May 23, 2026), otherwise 7pm, Thursday nights.
– Call time for the 10:30 AM “Traditional” service is 10AM Sunday morning, UNLESS the Traditional service is a combined service that week with myriad moving parts and additional musicians. Then, Call Time Sunday morning will be at the discretion of The Director. See the main page for that information, it will be posted.
ASK. If you’re struggling, please don’t complain to your neighbor or suffer in silence, ask for help.
Please talk to Sherry McCarthy, our Robes Mistress. If you don’t know her, ask The Director to point her out.
Please speak to The Director. She will want to know if you cannot see and need an adjustment. Please do not attempt to make your issue a problem for other singers or encourage them to move for your convenience. Where singers stand is the purview of The Director.
Singers who miss rehearsal(s) may only sing Sunday mornings at the discretion of The Director; please ask and don’t assume.
Singers who cannot manage the stairs have other places to store their robes; please see Sherry McCarthy for suggestions to help accommodate this. Please DO NOT put your robe on while on stage after warm-up Sunday morning, at the request of The Director. It looks, in a word, “tacky.”