Thanks to all members who took the time to provide their input for the future of the Silver Dollar Chorus. We got a lot of excellent information, and I’d like to start sharing some of with you all. We’ll probably spend at least some time on this when we have our after-show meeting, but I wanted to get a head start and maybe even generate a bit of online conversation.
You know, there is a place for comments at the bottom of all these posts. Maybe some of you can weigh in.
I think that the question on what our priorities should be may be the most interesting one, and the most useful as well. It helps to chart a course on where to focus our energy. We’d all like to do it all by tomorrow, but realistically we can only really focus on a few things at once. This survey question tells us what the members think that focus should be.
You may recall that there were ten priorities, and we asked you to sort them from first to last. Here are the results:
The top priority was not even close. As a group, we want to improve our singing, That’s job 1. More than half of us (54%) chose this as the number one priority, and 81% picked it as a part of their personal “top 3.” It’s actually very unusual to have that much agreement on anything!
The next two were also clearly top choices. Performing more often locally and growing chapter membership each had over 40% select them as a “top 3” priority. After small-group singing, it starts to really flatten out, with little difference between priorities.
And then we have the bottom two, clearly below the rest. Getting younger singers, and socializing more. Although two members selected these as their top priorities (one “#1” vote for each), most of us rated these both way down the list. I find the Youth priority interesting, and a little surprising. What do you all think is driving that one so low? Is it because we have historically had trouble holding on to young singers? is the Silver Dollar Chorus ready to “embrace the silver” in our hair?
I’m interested in your thoughts. Use the Comments area below this post to let everyone know what you think. Here are a few questions to start the conversation:
- If improving our singing is such a high priority, why did “improve contest scores” end up in the middle of the pack?
- Any ideas on how to deliver on increasing the amount of small-group singing in our chapter?
- Can we grow the chapter without reaching out to recruit younger members?
- Maybe the most important question is this: How do we deliver on our #1 priority? What do we start doing differently?
NOTE: To create this graph, I used a weighted scoring system, where a number one rating carried a higher score than a number two rating, and so on down the line. Items ranked tenth got no points at all.
Joe, I can’t recall when we’ve had a focused membership recruiting drive/program. It would ‘probably’ include outside performances, guest nights with advertising – whatever the ‘experts’ suggest. It can’t last very long, but maybe we should try. Where are the other singers in Reno? Could focus on singers for our Christmas show.
But, I wouldn’t attempt until we have the Directorship resolved – see #1
Attracting youth is fine. However, I think involving men in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s with the discretionary income needed to support their endeavor would be better to build and maintain a higher number off members.
I agree. Younger being 20’s-50’s would be great.
Not surprising that the contest score question is low. A lot of guys don’t care about going to contest so scores don’t matter. Although, this is one of the best ways to find out what to improve on and how to do it.
What do people think is the best way to improve singing quality? Classes, individual voice lessons, training videos,… When any opera singer or other pro wants to improve they get voice lessons. Maybe we should have guys get individual lessons. We are all at different levels with different voices. We can also do the Harmony University videos. Those are like voice lessons.
What I find interesting on improving the quality of singing…We’ve been getting great instruction from Bill W on how to sing better for many years, and most of us have been in the Chorus for at least a year or two…or more. Even though Bill is not with us currently, we have heard the main points of singing better for so long we should be able to recite them in our sleep. So what gives? Are some of us just not able…or not willing…to put in time outside of rehearsal to improve? Do some of us not think we can? Do some of us think others are not doing their part and so it doesn’t matter if we do or not?
I”m taking a tip from Michael Jackson. Starting with the man in the mirror…..
Another thought on contest…we have no control over what the judges do, and more than once we have thought we did well, only to find the scores to reflect otherwise. I think once we really know we are singing better, we will be more inspired to go to contest.