Ahhh, summer.

Hopefully, you have some time off this month to rest and travel, read a book (or three!) and spend time with your family.

But as you enjoy a little R&R, you’re probably thinking ahead to the fall and the beginning of the new program year.

When do you need to send that first email to your choir? What do you want to introduce at your first rehearsal? How many Sundays do you have planned so far? What do you need to finalize for Christmas?

It's normal to have a list of to-dos leading up to that first rehearsal of the year. There's so much to do to get ready! To save you a little time, I put together a list of eight essentials to do before choir starts back:

8 Things to Do Before Choir Starts Back

Tune the piano

Unless you have an electric instrument, the piano in your choir room is probably in need of a good tuning, especially after the humidity changes throughout the summer in a space that may or may not be air-conditioned. Piano tuners may be busier than normal this season, so call and schedule a tuning sooner rather than later.

Order new music

It's time to order those new anthems you've been saving over the past few months! Remember to order a few extra copies to account for new members. If you're looking for a few suggestions, see my 25 Church Choir Anthems for Ordinary Time, New Choral Settings of Old Hymn Texts, and 36 Children’s Choir Anthems by Women Composers.

Clean out choir folders/boxes

It always feels good to start the year fresh with cleaned-out folders and choir boxes. File all music, recycle old bulletins and song sheets, and make sure everyone has a freshly sharpened pencil in their folder.

Related post: 5 Things to Organize in a Church Music Program

Wash choir robes and stoles

Again, this is a nice refresh for the beginning of the year. If your choir robes are machine-washable, ask for a few volunteers from the choir to pick up a load to take home in the weeks leading up to your first rehearsal.

Clean and straighten the choir room

While the choir room may not have been used much by the choir in the last year, it's possible it was used for something else over the summer. Some churches take the opportunity to do building maintenance and painting during the summer, so things may need to be put back in place. Set up the chairs how you'd like them, make sure you have music stands and your favorite stool on hand, and put away anything that doesn't belong.

Plan some new warm-ups

As you begin planning your first few rehearsals with your group, consider introducing a few new warm-ups. It's been a little while since everyone was together, so why not plan a few new things to surprise them? Also, it may have been a while since some of your singers have used their voices (especially those that travel between Easter and the start of the school year). Warm-ups are a great way to exercise those muscles.

If you're looking for ideas, see my post, Go-To Warm-Ups for Busy Choir Directors.

Create a choir anthem schedule

This is a helpful way to plan the whole semester at once and keep everyone on the same page. If you rehearse your anthems in order each week, this can also save time in rehearsal, as your singers can put their music in order in their folders.

This doesn't need to be fancy—a simple Word document with dates and anthem titles is sufficient. Make copies of this and distribute them to choir boxes on the day of your first rehearsal and also send a digital copy via email that first week.

Recruit new members + build excitement

As you look forward to your first rehearsal back, share your excitement and anticipation with your singers. Reach out to those who have expressed interest in choir in the past and invite them to come to try it out for a few weeks (a personal invite goes a long way). Make sure to have a few extra folders and robes set aside for new members if needed.

Related post: How to Recruit New Choir Members This Fall

I’d love to hear from you:

How do you prepare for the new choir year? What would you add to this list?