Any of us who are choir directors, choir members or choral accompanists know that one - if not the - most important element of any good and effective rehearsal is attitude! Attitude effects every element of a rehearsal - from having good posture (or not!) so that our physical engagement is perfect for singing to our spiritual and mental approach to the music itself so that the message in the score takes on audible life.
One way that I have found that assists me is to remember "from whence I came." I do not for a moment believe I am alone in having had a series of extraordinary teachers and experiences from childhood all the way to today! How many of us take the time to stand back and actually recount those musicians - those people - with whom we have been so intimately involved in learning and practicing our art? It is so worth the time to do so.
I have mentioned before that Mary Berry, the extraordinary chant scholar and Augustinian nun, used to close all of her chant seminars with the question "You will pass this on, wont' you?" She generally answered herself by saying "You must carry on." Every time I think of her and the smile on her face as she said this, my own level of joy rises! This is one way that I have found to "re-enliven" myself when I start to become bored with repetition of a piece or am having a day in which choir rehearsal is the farthest from my mind.
I hope you might find this helpful - let me know!
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