Welcome to Knollwood

CHANCEL CHOIR HANDBOOK

Welcome to the Chancel Choir of Knollwood Baptist Church!  The Chancel Choir is a dedicated group of singers who love church music, who love to sing, and who love singing together.  We care about each other and are ministers to one another.  There is a high level of friendship and camaraderie among us. Rehearsals are generally relaxed and always enjoyable.

In addition to our love for each other, we share a commitment to the highest possible level of choral performance.  This requires work—90 minutes of musical refreshment each Wednesday evening—but many of the choir members feel that this “work” is a very refreshing part of their week

Mission Statement:

The Chancel Choir of Knollwood Baptist Church has as its primary mission the musical leadership of worship, through the presentation of anthems, cantatas, and other choral music, and the leadership of congregational hymn singing.  The choir likewise serves as a caring Christian community, sharing in one another’s joy and sorrow.

I.  GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR NEW CHOIR MEMBERS

1.     The robe chairman/section leader will assign you an appropriately sized robe.  There are two numbers in your robe.  The red number is the size (i.e., robe length in inches).  Several robes of the same length would, therefore, have the same red number.  The black number is the robe number.  Our robes are numbered according to height; that is, our shortest robe is black #1, and our longest robe is black #65.  Your robe number is also your folder number, your hymnal number, and your cubby number.  When you are assigned a robe, then, you automatically have that cubby, folder, and hymnal number.

 2.     The numbered cubbies are located on the wall on the right when you enter cubbie room from the hallway, just outside the Minister of Music Office. They are for the storage of your folder and your hymnal. Please return your hymnal and folder to your cubby after each use.

3.     The librarian will assign to you a hymnal and music folder for your use at rehearsals and services.  As mentioned above, the number of your folder, your hymnal, and your cubby is the same as your robe number.  You are encouraged to mark your scores (with a pencil, not a pen).  You are likewise asked to pencil your name on the anthems (or scores) that you use.  When the scores are used at a later time, please thumb through the stack to pick out the copy with your name.  Please do not take an anthem or score with someone else's name. If no “unnamed” scores are available, check with the music librarian.

4.     You may take your folder home for study.  Please return the folder each week for rehearsal, being sure to turn in music which has already been sung. A listing of music currently in your folder is published each week in the choir newsletter that is e-mailed each Thursday.

II.  REHEARSAL PROCEDURES

1.     Rehearsal time:  Rehearsals are held each Wednesday evening, 7:15-8:45, in the choir room.  A nursery is provided on the first floor of the Christian Education building (just below the choir room). Let the Minister of Music know if you need nursery care. The Sunday morning pre-service robing begins at 10:30.  Choir members are encouraged to be robed in time to begin singing at 10:35.  Choir members with Sunday School responsibilities are expected to fulfill their Sunday School responsibilities first, and then robe and join the other singers as they are able. Sunday School teachers are encouraged to complete their class responsibilities. Joining the choir at the last minute on Sunday morning is acceptable.

From time to time there are extra rehearsals: 

•During Thanksgiving week we rehearse on Sunday evening instead of Wednesday evening. This rehearsal is held jointly with the youth choir in preparation for the Christmas Festival.

•On the Saturday before the Knollwood Christmas Festival we have a dress rehearsal, 10:00-12:00 a.m. Our program is usually the second Sunday of December, with the extra rehearsal on the Saturday before the festival. Our Sunday evening festival begins at 5:30 and is about 75 minutes in length.

•During Holy Week the choir rehearses at our regular time in preparation for Easter, even though there are no other Wednesday evening activities that week. 

2.     About your music. Just outside the choir room door in the hallway is a table for music. On this table you will find three divisions of music: 1) on the RIGHT, you’ll find music (if any) which is NEW to this rehearsal; on the LEFT please find anthems that were distributed 2) last week, and 3) anthems distributed two weeks ago. On the tables on either side of the Minister of Music office are copies of music which has been distributed in previous rehearsals and is currently in members’ folders. Please check to be sure that you don’t pick up music that is already in your folder. The problem of not enough music for everyone is sometimes due to folders with more than one copy of an anthem.  Arrange your music in numerical order in your folder, according to the stamped number on the anthem copy.  This will help in finding music during rehearsal and in checking before rehearsal to see that you have all the anthems that you need.  For Sunday worship you may choose to place the anthems in the front of the folder for that Sunday. For special programs, arrange your pieces in the order of their performance.  After worship each Sunday please stack the anthems that were just sung that morning on the table outside the choir room. Occasionally you’ll be asked to keep an anthem in the folder for future use.

3.     Attendance record/sign-out calendar. On the table just outside the choir room is an attendance chart. Choir members are asked to mark this sign-out sheet IN ADVANCE, indicating BOTH your anticipated participation and your anticipated absences.  If you must miss a rehearsal or worship hour and have not indicated your absence on the sheet, please call the section leader or the director as early as possible.  There are emergencies, of course, but letting us know your plans is very helpful.

4.     Attendance at rehearsal. Choir rehearsals are, of course, essential for a high level of performance.  Choir members are expected to maintain as high a participation level in rehearsal as possible. Please minimize the times of entering the rehearsal late and leaving early; these distractions diminish the effectiveness of a rehearsal.

III.  SUNDAY WORSHIP PROCEDURES

1.     On Sunday mornings, please begin robing by 10:30 so that the pre-service rehearsal can begin at 10:35.  You may hang your coats in the robe closet.

2.     The women’s pocketbooks are locked in the organist’s office, the room between the choir room and the women’s robing room. This room will be locked securely during the service.

3.     The choir leaves the choir room at about 10:50 and moves to the back of the sanctuary to sing the Introit and prepare for the processional. The service begins at 10:55.

4.     Processional:  The choir processes from the narthex to the choir loft each week, except during Lent (we sometimes do not process in the summer months). The basses and altos process down the right side of the aisle, and the tenors and sopranos on the left side of the aisle. The men lead the procession, filling the choir loft from the back to the front.  Each choir member is to approach the beginning point (just in front of the door) stop completely, and wait until the person in front of you has reached the third pew (counting the short back pew).  Process down the aisle, maintaining the same distance between you and the pair in front of you.  If there is a recessional, it will be done in reverse order of the processional.

5.     The choir sings unison on the first and last stanzas of hymns.  Parts are sung on other stanzas.  The Doxology and Gloria Patri are sung in unison.

6.     After worship each Sunday, remove the music which was sung and place it on the music table just outside the choir room.

IV.  ROBES

 1.      There are two reversible stoles (four colors).  The color is determined by the season of the liturgical year.  In general, purple is used during Advent and Lent, green is used in Ordinary Time (between Pentecost and Advent), red is used on Pentecost Sunday, and White is used on Christmas Eve, Easter, and the Sundays of Eastertide.

 2.      While wearing robes and/or performing with the choir at any service or program please do not:  chew gum, wear a corsage, wear large, dangling or flashy earrings.  Small, pierced-type earrings are acceptable.  Please do not wear perfume or cologne.

 3.      After the service, please hang your robe in numerical order, with the front facing toward the left.  Fasten the top hook and position the shoulders evenly on the hangers.  The robes are cleaned in September of each year.  If your robe needs attention please notify the robe chairperson.

SOME CHANCEL CHOIR TRADITIONS

In the past the choir has:

      •Sung for morning worship service most Sundays of the year.

      •Had occasional guest instrumentalists and singers.

      •Had big programs each year during the Christmas and Easter seasons involving the Chancel Choir with orchestra, organ and guest soloists.

      •Joined with other church choirs for the community Thanksgiving service on Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.

      •Sung, when requested, at funerals and memorial services, and occasionally for weddings, ordination services, and other special worship services

      •Sung with the choir of KBC’s African-American sister churches.

      •Sung Christmas carols at homes of church members.

      •Have had occasional refreshments after rehearsals.

      •Have taken the church bus to members' mountain homes for singing and fellowship.

      •Have had pot-luck dinner or dessert at a choir member’s home after rehearsal and after Christmas caroling.

     •Have had rehearsals in homes in the summer time (with and without put-luck dinner.

We are glad that you are here and hope that you will consider becoming part of the Knollwood Chancel Choir!