My calling in my ward right now is the choir director.
I actually really love it. It’s taken me a year or so to get the hang of it and feel comfortable. There are many in the choir that are more ‘musically inclined’ than I am, but they forgive me and we make it work 🙂
One of the things that I’ve found to be difficult is trying to find music that is both inexpensive and beautiful. And since there are MANY that hold this calling, I wanted to share what I’ve learned from others and with time in this calling.
1-See if you can find what past directors have done. It may have been long enough that you can repeat their programs or music. Ask past directors where they have their music stored. Even if music is free-copying music can still get expensive.
2-If possible, meet with the other directors in your stake and figure out a way to share music within wards. We are still working on this in our stake.
Here are a list of websites that I’ve found that have great FREE music:
www.librarymusicsource.com
www.defordmusic.com
http://www.freesacredmusic.com
http://www.freewardchoirmusic.com
http://www.petriefamily.org
http://www.ldssacredsongs.com
http://www.kerbymusic.org/
http://tuiofuandthomasmusic.com
http://wardchoir.com
http://www.faithsongmusic.com
http://www.markmitchell-music.com
http://www.irvnelsonmusic.com
http://www.soundsmithmusic.com
If you are looking for something specific and can’t find it-here is the site where I have purchased music before: http://www.ldsmusicsource.com/
Good luck! I also want to say that having your choir sing straight out of the hymn book is just as great as any of these arrangements. Just simply mix it up by having each verse sung differently, A Capella, etc. Also if you are just starting out, try the Hymplicity books. They are also great.
Let me know if you know of any other websites that you use. Happy singing!
Thank you so much for posting this. I just got called to be the choir director. Although I have sung professionally I have never been trained professionally and the thought of leading the choir is extremely intimidating! At least now I have a go to place to refresh my memory on where to find some music. I guess the rest will come with prayer and time. Thanks again!!!
I was called to the Choir in January. I don’t love it. 🙁 I try to love it. I want to love it. I just dont…really…love it. The problem I have is that when I took over, we had like 7 in our choir. Then we had a spurt…now we have maybe 14 that come. I want to make it interesting and fun for them, but I’m not hugely comfortable leading big music. I am so discouraged. It’s like they come one week-not the next-maybe the next. So we changed it and now we have Choir Practice once a month (3rd Sunday), knowing that we will sing on the 4th Sunday. It seems like the only viable option in our busy ward life.
Any suggestions on how to get people excited to come to choir?
I’ve baked cookies.
I’ve sent notes to every potential choir member (nearly the whole ward)
I’ve put it in the bulletin
I’ve called their homes every week
I have been choir director many times & am stake music chairman now. My thoughts to the other Anonymous: Do not have choir in the summer months. That IS discouraging. Don’t have choir practice on Fast Sunday. Call your choir a FAMILY CHOIR, that way you may get some good singers from Primary & YMYW. 14 is a good size for a choir. I’ve had 2 show up and have felt lucky to have 10. Ask Bishop to sing in choir as an example to the congregation. He doesn’t need to be at every practice, just sing often in Sacrament Meeting. Rehearse 3 songs each practice. It is very boring to only sing one or two songs in 45-60 minutes. In the bulletin I have put “coupons” to be redeemed for a prize at choir practice. If you do Hymnplicity, don’t do it every time. Take requests from choir members for certain pieces to be sung, this way they take pride & have ownership in their songs. If your good voices in the ward have too many callings, ask the Bishop, or Counselor over Choir to free them up so they can participate. Remember, “a ward isn’t truly organized until it has a choir”, Spencer W. Kimball. Keep trying, it gets better!
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