“And the solo for our choir’s opening piece goes to . . ." Lillian crossed her fingers as her choir director announced who would perform the solo for their Spring concert. She had been working very hard on the solo that was being announced, having sung it more times than she could count, and she hoped that all of her work would pay off. Lillian quickly looked across the room, glancing at all the other members of the choir who had auditioned for that same piece. She knew that many of them were also very talented singers and had been practicing in hopes of getting the solo. Lillian had been very nervous when she auditioned, and dearly hoped that she sang well enough to receive it. Her heart skipped a beat as the director named the chosen soloist . . . “Lillian Anderson.” Lillian smiled in disbelief; she had actually gotten it! Many emotions and thoughts went through her mind as the people around her gave her their congratulations. She was excited and overjoyed to receive the solo, but also nervous to be singing by herself with no other voices to cover for her if she made a mistake. Would she perform it well? What if she blanked on the words or messed up one of the trills? What if she came in on the wrong note? Lillian reassured herself that there were still three more weeks for her to practice and perfect the piece. 

Solos have always been an important part of choral singing, from Oratorios to modern compositions. Solos set apart the text being sung from the rest of a choral piece. This brings variety to concerts, because by separating a piece of music into choral parts and solos, it gives more attention to each individual part of the song. Often, the text would make more sense being sung by a solo voice or small ensemble rather than a whole choir. For example, in Oratorios, soloists represent specific characters in the story, very much like one would see in a play. In Handel’s “Messiah” there are two main soloists singing the parts of Christ and the evangelist in addition to other smaller solo parts such as Judas and Pilate. Many modern compositions for choir use soloists at the beginning of a song to introduce the melody before bringing in the choir, which will often sing using harmonies and variations. It all depends on the effect that the composer wishes to create for an audience and the feeling or story that is being portrayed through the music. Because every song tells its own story, the performers are responsible for conveying that story, whether they are part of a choir or a soloist.

Choosing who will sing a solo is central to how the piece will be performed, because different singers interpret songs and melodies in various ways. Also, the tone and timbre of someone’s voice may or may not fit a certain piece. Many professional choral groups hire guest artists to sing solos, whereas community choirs and most children’s choirs will often hold auditions among the choral members. This presents a problem because the director must decide either to choose the best singer to perform a solo or to give all the members an equal opportunity by always choosing someone different to perform. The latter might make more people happy, but it also might damage the quality of a choir’s performance and its reputation. Thus the decision must be made between the contentment of the choral members and the caliber of the choir. Giving everyone a solo might seem like the best choice because of its seeming fairness, but this approach is unfair to the singers who really deserve to have a solo and gives the solos instead to members who will not perform as well. An advanced choir is expected to have a high-quality sound and its soloist must match (if not exceed) the sound of the overall choir. This is crucial because that soloist is representative of the choir and is assumed to be its best. A paying audience will anticipate a good performance by a high caliber choir and so the choir must endeavor to provide the best entertainment possible. In non-auditioned and lower level choirs, this is not such a problem because the choir does not have a strong reputation to uphold, since children usually join these choirs for the sheer fun of it and not as a serious endeavor. In this case, the members can easily be given equal opportunities to perform. In auditioned and more professional choirs however, it is very important that the soloist is chosen wisely. This is not only because that person is representing the choir, but also because the soloist’s performance plays a pivotal part in the audience’s enjoyment of the music.

The member that is chosen to sing a solo must be advanced enough to sing the piece well. The director must be sure that not only does the choir member have skill enough to execute the piece, but also that the person is dedicated and willing to practice it over and over until he or she can perform it to the best of his or her ability. It is imperative that a singer, especially a soloist, be able to convey the emotion of a song through their singing. This is just as important as being able to hit all the notes flawlessly. Even if a performer executes a piece perfectly, if he or she does not show any feeling or connection with the song, then it has not been realized. The purpose of music is to make a lasting effect on its audience, to touch or change them in some way. An idea, which cannot be expressed merely in words, is put to music in order to emphasize the message and bring it to life. A singer needs to be able to convey this message to the audience through their performance. Soloists are chosen not only for their ability to sing, but also for their ability to show emotion and accurately portray the essence of the song.

Being part of a choral concert is a very exciting and unique experience. The rehearsals leading up to a concert are full of learning, working, and bonding as a choir. It involves teamwork because all the members of a choir must do their best while blending in with the other singers in order to create the best possible sound and balance. Each member of a choir must respect the others and encourage them in their singing in order for a choir to be a successful and pleasant experience. This is why it is so important that the members of a choir be supportive of their soloists, no matter who that person is. Doing this will create a healthy and enjoyable environment for all of the singers in a choir.
 
“Lillian stood backstage humming the melody of her song while tapping out the beat with her foot. Her heart was racing in nervous excitement. She slowly breathed in and out in an attempt to calm herself. She had been practicing her solo so much she could sing it in her sleep. Lillian just hoped that she would not forget any of the words or notes in her nervousness. ‘15 minutes until the concert begins… I can do this,’ she thought to herself, reassuringly. Lillian made her way to an open door of the stage and peeked through. It was a full house. She could see all of her family and the friends she had invited to watch the choir’s performance. Suddenly, she felt someone tap lightly on her shoulder. Lillian turned around and saw that it was one of her fellow choir members. ‘Hey, good luck out there. I know you’ll be great; you did really well in rehearsal,’ she said to her. Lillian was grateful for this kind comment, which helped relax her nerves a bit, but the pressure was still on and she wanted to do her best.”

Both a choir and a soloist’s preparation for a concert starts a long time before the day of a performance. The singers should treat their voices with care, being sure not to overexert themselves in any way that could harm their vocal chords before a performance. It is usually wise for singers not to do anything or go anywhere that would tire them out or distract them in the days preceding a concert, thus affecting their performance. This is especially true for soloists, as they must be focused on their performance and be extra careful not to do anything that would jeopardize their singing. A few precautions to take would include drinking enough water to keep one’s throat and vocal chords moist; not doing anything foolish like going outside in the cold where one could easily get sick; and getting enough sleep to keep up one’s strength and alertness. One should also avoid having chocolate, and dairy products in general, during the day of a concert because eating these things could cause excessive mucus, thus making it difficult to sing. Medications such as decongestants and drugs for treating allergies usually dry out one’s throat and nasal passageways and so should be used sparingly. After taking these precautions, singers should always make sure that they are warmed up and ready to sing for a concert. Usually, it is a good idea to warm up before one arrives for a concert even if the choral director is planning on having the choir warm up together at the location. Soloists, particularly, should warm up and go over their piece of music to make sure it is fresh in their mind for the performance. Once everything is put into place, then it is time for all of the hard work and preparation of the singers to come to a climax in the performers’ presentation of music to their audience.