There are two kinds of growth in ensembles.
There’s the clearly visible growth: we sight read this piece, and some weeks later, we present it to an audience. Very obvious growth.
But there’s also the less visible growth that happens between the first performance and the last. Or the growth between singing it from memory and singing it in public.
The later growth is sometimes frustrating for singers, because it’s harder for them to see or understand. But if my ensemble compared a December performance of a piece with the same piece in February, they would hopefully be struck by all the tiny changes that completely transform the way the piece is experienced and appreciated.
The magic happens during the less visible growth, and that’s my favorite part of rehearsal. But it’s also frustrating because if the singers don’t see it, they get frustrated with the process.
Find ways to help your students understand the growth that they’re making, even singing music they’ve been singing for awhile. The more the comprehend, the more they’ll accept this part of the process.
And then they’ll get obsessed with it, like you are.