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Essentials in
Direct and Teach
Riser Positions
Learn how a medalist chorus stands their members on the risers.
Updated: 6/5/2002 12:00:00 AM
by Roger Williams, director of the Great Northern Union Chorus from Hilltop, MN
Although there are many philosophies I've heard, they seem to fall into 2 basic categories
- stand in sections to create unit section sound and to enable the director to communicate with each section on the fly, and
- scatter, because it just isn't much fun standing in the center of a 35-man baritone section.
My riser philosophy for larger choruses is based on these principles.
- put good faces and good physical movers in the front row
- similar timbre voices together to reinforce each other (brighter voices in back, etc.)
- put good singers in a position of vocal influence over others
- put easily-influenced singers next to people in 3
- mix sections so everyone hears all parts - the individual can then assume responsibility for overall blend, and it's more fun for the individual singer
Discussion of riser placement implies that there are benefits to the implementation. These benefits in my view are to control the impact of a performer's performance on the audience - either to increase or decrease that impact, and put a strong performer in a position of influence over other singers.
I believe that for the vast majority of choruses, it will have little impact. If a chorus has 10 or fewer men per step (40 men on 4 riser steps or 50 on 5 steps), most of the opportunities above unrealized due to the small number of singers . In the first benefit it's hard to hide or showcase a performer because in a small chorus there is no place to hide, and a strong performer will be heard and seen no matter where they are. In the second benefit, it is hard to hide a voice in a 7-man baritone section and a strong baritone will likely influence a smaller group regardless of his location. I recommend singing in sections for these choruses because one of the largest problems in small choruses that can be addressed by riser placement is blending individual voices into a unit sound. For much of my chorus history, we have been in this category.
To be fair, the GNU are not completely scattered. There is a pre-dominance of baritones to my right, leads to my left and basses in the middle. The tenors are scattered. The point is that everyone can hear all four parts no matter where they stand, which is more fun, and it puts responsibility on the individual singer. It's easy to feel unimportant in the center of a large section.
Making it fun and putting people in a position to succeed is the underlying philosophy.
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