Writing for Virtual Choirs

I’ve been thinking a lot about what sorts of musical characteristics will be effective in arrangements and compositions written for virtual choirs. Here are a few I’ve settled on:

  • Guided aleatoric writing. A freely sung section lessens the burden on lonely singers to master tricky rhythmic timing.
  • Great voice leading. Remember that singers will not have a choir to listen to – the writing must be incredibly on point. (Or on counterpoint…) Speaking of counterpoint,
  • Unison and Canon. Contrapuntal and single-line compositions will allow all singers to sing the melody, and can potentially allow singers to record to a single guide, with you producing the canon in the editing process.
  • Not too long. Stamina in a virtual choir recording is different than stamina for an in-person choir performance. Shorter pieces will be much more attainable at home.

Beyond that, it’s my intention to leverage much more technology in creating pieces specifically for virtual choirs. That might include:

  • High quality guide recordings (even sung ones, if possible), specific to each part.
  • Scores that are visible on the screen as you record (with countdown timers for aleatoric sections, for example).
  • In-process communication about the project, with samples as I work on the project, in order to maintain engagement in the process.

I’m sure there are more great ideas for creating pieces that work best in virtual choir situations. I certainly think Eric Whitacre’s recent Sing Gently was the most effective of his virtual choirs, and it’s because he wrote the piece for that medium, rather than using a choral concert piece.

What else would you seek in an effective piece written for virtual choir?