Don’t shy away from more complex, heavy emotions in choir.
Love, joy, passion – these are the themes we hear most often in choral music. Whether secular or religious, we explore the more positive end of the emotional spectrum. It’s true in pop and jazz settings too, where love songs pervade.
There’s nothing wrong with these, and I certainly both program and write many pieces that fit into this category. But the choirs I see are ready to explore the more difficult emotions that are less often programmed.
For example, I’m working on an arrangement with Shades of Blue of a song that is about the impending end of a loveless relationship. It’s heavy, but it speaks to part of the human condition and it gives my students a chance to reflect and express these emotions in positive, constructive ways.
I don’t suggest programming an entire concert of emotions like loss, hatred, and sadness; but, given the opportunity, consider at least including something from that end of the spectrum.