I generally save mixed positions until after the Fall Concert at the earliest. Not this year!
At our warmup rehearsal before singing the National Anthem tonight, I asked the Rockford Aces to sing it in mixed formation. As a rule, I leave them in sections a lot longer because I want to make sure they’re all fully confident on notes and rhythms before they leave the comfort of their sections. But in this case, they immediately sang with more confidence, sense of ensemble, and much improved tuning. It was an immediate hit!
And a good reminder to me to try things sooner – sooner than you think, sooner than you think they’re ready! You can always go back if you take the next step too soon, but you can’t take the next step if you don’t take the next step.