Cello Choir! Ideas for Developing Your Own Ensemble

Forming an Ensemble

Cello choirs can range in size from small chamber groups to large ensembles. The Penn State Cello Choir (Figure 1) usually consists of about thirty members including music majors and non-music majors. There are no formal auditions and I accept any student who has played in an ensemble or has had basic cello study. My goal is to make the experience open to all students who would like more practice playing the cello. While most students are studying privately with me or one of the graduate students, this is not a requirement. If a student feels ready to participate, I encourage them to join. If students do not have a strong technical or musical background, I suggest that they first take private lessons. When they are ready, at the suggestion of the teacher, they may join the ensemble. For ensemble seating, I start by creating a tentative seating chart, then leave it open for requests. For the first and second parts, I select students who have the technique to play in the upper positions easily. Each section needs a strong leader, so I typically invite one of the cello majors to serve as principal of each section. If someone is less experienced, I try to pair them with a player who is more confident. The course is graded primarily by attendance and participation.

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Figure 1.

Penn State Cello Choir.

To recruit players in a university community, I usually send out a “calling all cellists” message at the beginning of the semester with information and an invitation to our first rehearsal. I find that participating cellists are often the best contacts and I solicit the help of cello majors to spread the word to all their cellist friends. Penn State has a large population of roughly 45,000 students on campus, so our cello choir typically consists of fifteen or sixteen cello majors combined with fifteen or sixteen non-majors from all areas of study.

The first rehearsal of the semester begins with a reading session and a party. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to socialize with colleagues. I encourage everyone to get to know each other, especially new members and those from outside the studio. We begin with introductions from each student, explaining their degree program and what they hope to do with it after graduating. We then read a variety of music for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. To start the year, I choose music that is accessible, both technically and musically. After this, we have a reception where the students can talk and get to know each other informally. The Penn State cello choir often includes students in areas such as meteorology, biology, acoustics, languages, which makes for a vibrant and interesting group. Within our group of cellists over the years, we have had four marriages!

Cello choirs can provide an excellent form of outreach to high schools and community residents. In 2017, Penn State hosted a cello festival with over eighty cellists performing in the final choir. In 2018, I traveled to the Federal University of Brazil in Natal to pay tribute to Aldo Parisot in his birthplace. We had about 140 cellists playing Villa Lobos and Bach’s Air to honor Mr. Parisot on his 102nd birthday! Each ensemble can have its own identity and can shape its programming, rehearsals, and performances to serve the purposes of its community.

Organizing Rehearsal

There are many ways to facilitate cello choir rehearsals. When I started the cello choir at New Mexico State University, I played and led from the first chair. Later at Penn State, when the ensemble began to grow in size, I began conducting. My ultimate goal is to have students play as they would chamber music. After rehearsing cues and getting to know the other parts, I strive to have the students perform on their own without a conductor. Over the years, I have found that I like to keep rehearsals to one hour a week. Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. seems to have the fewest conflicts with other ensembles, classes, and concerts. My graduate assistants help me choose, copy, and organize our music, and set up for rehearsals. We provide each ensemble member with a notebook containing the music for the semester. To avoid problems with misplaced music and to encourage a sense of ownership, we write each member’s name and section number on the folder. We always have additional copies in case someone has forgotten a folder.

Most of the cello choir repertoire is in four parts, which makes the standard divisions in the choir work easily in a large group. Occasionally, I use music that is divided into five or six parts, although this is more difficult to program because the cellists need to regroup between pieces. If you have at least four cellists, I recommend beginning with easy four-part music. Some of my favorites include Lynn Latham’s set of Quatricelli in four volumes or the Cellobrations by Rosalynn Heuer and Joan Harrison.

Facilitating Technical and Musical Growth

Cello choir provides an excellent opportunity for technical and musical growth. We warm up with the easier exercises and pieces such as the Cellobrations by Heuer/Harrison. I like these pieces for addressing even bow strokes, making clear articulations, cueing, and controlling dynamics. These are basic skills that we can work on while we enjoy the music. As we are rehearsing, I traditionally call on each student to practice cueing. Every student gets a turn to give a cue to begin a section and each is given an opportunity to try a few times until it is successful. This way they learn how important it is for each member to take responsibility to help coordinate the ensemble. We work on dynamics by checking the contact point, speed of bow, and the weight into the string—all basic elements of playing but challenging to coordinate. This creates an awareness, not only of the individual student, but also of their colleagues and how they are able to match sounds. I ask the students to match the vibrato or bow speed of their stand partner. Small adjustments will help the entire ensemble begin to blend. With more challenging repertoire such as the Bachianas Brasileiras by Villa-Lobos, we rehearse in sectionals and as a large ensemble. One of my favorite intermediate cello ensemble works is the Mello Cellos Tango by Michael Kibbe. A wide range of repertoire is available from publishers and directly from composers representing diverse levels, styles, and part combinations.

Inviting Creative Collaborations

An ensemble such as the cello choir may promote a variety of collaborations. Over the years the Penn State Cello Choir has performed many special concerts, such as inviting the Penn State Tango Club to dance while we performed. We have also featured many soprano soloists in the Bachianas No. 5 by Villa Lobos. I recommend starting small and to let it evolve each year. The students often have great ideas and bring fantastic energy. Many of my students have offered suggestions regarding repertoire (or written their own arrangements) and have helped to plan events such as hosting cello festivals.

Starting a cello choir provides a wonderful opportunity for students to enjoy learning and to develop skills. I have been thrilled to see former students continue this journey on their own to organize cello choirs and festivals. I hope this article will help to encourage and inspire cellists to form their own ensembles! More information about the Penn State Cello Choir can be found on our website: http://kimcookcello.weebly.com/penn-state-cello.html