The Word of the Year is Trust
With the start of each school year comes promise and possibility. To make the most of this fresh start, I have adopted the practice of setting intentions. I choose one word to focus on throughout the year. It gets me in a positive frame of mind and allows me to prioritize the wellbeing of my school community. Two years ago, my word was compassion. Last year’s word was cultivation. This year’s word is trust.
Trust is about the surrender of control. It is an invitation to share responsibility. Trust is dependent on relationships and respect. Mutual trust breaks down hierarchies within relationships and gives the trusted a chance to live up to their potential without compromising their autonomy or freedom. It builds confidence and boosts one’s belief in their capabilities. Within an ensemble, trust helps build a collective mentality.
“He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.” - Lao Tsu
I learned to say, “I trust you,” out loud to my ensembles from Vince Peterson of Choral Chameleon this past summer and it has become one of my favorite things to say. It almost feels like, “I love you,” but with mutual accountability.
I love how it opens up possibilities for musicality. It allows the ensemble a chance to show their artistry. It sets the bar high, which is often more motivating and efficient than telling the musicians a step by step approach to music-making. On a personal level, musicians react much better knowing the conductor trusts them than when the conductor does not. In fact, a lack of trust can build negative feelings such as apathy, laziness, or even animosity.
Trust and Ownership
“People become trustworthy when they are trusted.” - Madeleine L’Engle
Upon hearing those words, “I trust you,” my primary school students sit up a little bit taller. They realize that their actions matter and begin to take ownership.
It also reminds me of the Reggio Emilia way of schooling where children are given real things to hold and touch and saying I am trusting you to take care of this thing. It instills a beautiful sense of responsibility in the students and makes them feel valued. In the music classroom, I tell students, “I’m am trusting you to take care of this instrument,” “I am trusting you to learn how to use it the right way,” or “I am trusting you to share this as a group. Can you do that? Yes. What does that mean for us?” The students learn to take collective ownership of their things and apply that to their ensembleship. We are just a few weeks into school, and the students can quietly set up their Orff instruments, help each other, start, and stop playing together. It’s like magic and all they needed for success was to know that they were trusted to do a great job.
Ways to build trust with singers:
1. Step off the podium.
Provide students with time and opportunities to rehearse themselves in sections or allow students to practice conducting. There is no better way for them to learn the ins and outs of the score than to have to show it through gesture.
2. Establish leadership within the ensemble.
Give section leaders the responsibility of caring for their section, communicating between the singers and you, and providing additional musical guidance. This also builds relationships within the ensemble and gives shyer singers and EAL folks a way to communicate their questions and ideas, besides speaking directly with the conductor.
3. Share the vision.
Invite singers into the planning process. Set concert goals together. Brainstorm repertoire ideas together. You can ask, “What do we want the audience to come away with?”, “what message do we want to convey?”, “what kind of music would we do well?” to start. Then, “do we know any pieces that fit these criteria?”
4. Be vulnerable and honest.
So much of classical music practice is about perfection, but how does that make singers feel about mistakes and risk-taking? We can show our singers that it is ok to make mistakes by modeling vulnerability and admitting when we are wrong.
5. Prioritize helpfulness.
Be in tune with how the singers are physically, emotionally, and artistically doing during rehearsals, rather than only listening to their sound. Read their facial and body language. Ask yourself and them what more you can do to help them and be prepared to listen, adapt, or get out of their way.
6. Communicate.
Communicate your intentions for the rehearsal, for the concert preparation process, and for the year. You may even communicate the rehearsal plan and make it visual (especially helpful for EAL and neurodivergent singers). This gives them a chance to better meet the objectives and reduces anxiety.
7. Recognize the amazing and unique artistry of each and every singer.
Each singer hears and experiences music differently. That diversity provides countless expressive possibilities that only multiply when ideas are shared within the ensemble. It is a pleasure to re-experience music by approaching it from others’ perspectives.
8. Objectively state what is heard rather than micromanage.
Trust the singers, with gentle reminding, to read what is marked in the score. If they are not, tell them that you trust them to do what is marked and tell them what it sounds like. Try, “that section sounded like mezzo-piano. Does that match the dynamics in the score? Are we happy with that?” rather than, “start that section mp, crescendo at the end of measure twelve to mezzo forte and then again to forte in measure sixteen.”
9. Tread softly when it comes to vocal struggles.
Whenever we comment on someone’s voice, we are talking about their bodies. Singing is personal in a way that playing the clarinet is not. When we hear the tenors struggling with a high entrance, we can help them much more with openness than with insistence, such as, “I trust you to get the air moving and do what you need to do vocally to make that happen,” rather than, “that sounds pinched,” or even, “that note needs to be there.” Give the singers a warm invitation behind whatever other vocal technique tips are helpful and if the problem is still not corrected, tell them, “I know that with some careful practice you can get this, tenors. I trust you to take it home or to your voice teacher and practice so that it feels right in your voice.” I also find that phrases like, “we are with you,” and “we are sending love and good vibes, [addressed to the rest of the ensemble] right??” do a lot to break the ice and even make the group chuckle.
10. Celebrate independent musicianship.
Praise artistic choices done without prompting from the conductor. Recognize singers taking responsibility for their technique, collaboration, and relationships.
I want singers to take ownership of their and the ensemble’s musicianship. Building trust within ensembles creates a more equal power dynamic between the conductor and musicians and invites and empowers singers to be their full musical selves. I cannot wait to hear, see, and feel the results in our rehearsals and performances over the course of this year!
If you have other ways of building trust or stories from your experiences, please feel welcome to share them below!
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