Pieces need time to breathe, too.
What happens between notes and rhythms and performance? Sometimes, not much. Sometimes, an efficient polish and development of musicianship. But there’s something else that can happen over time.
I’ve found that the pieces we’ve polished, made musical, and even performed continue to develop with time to breathe. Even when they aren’t sung for several rehearsals, you can be surprised to find that a piece has grown more powerful, more expressive and musical, with that time.
I think that there is passive growth that happens with pieces we know, when we allow it to happen.
One more reason to hold onto pieces after the ensemble first performs them.