I have been playing for choirs for three decades now, and while I have always been a good sight reader, I am realizing more and more that I don’t actually read everything that I play (and that’s a good thing!). Maybe some of these “secrets” I have learned over the years will help you as you navigate the complex world of open-score reading:
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It is impossible to read ALL of the notes. Good readers are adept at scanning music quickly, noticing patterns, and filling in missing information (e.g. harmonies). If you think about how your eyes scan a piece of music, it is in a zigzag formation, scanning up and down, left to right, very quickly. At a slow tempo, with all parts moving at the same time, it is quite possible that you might be able to read every single note and play with 100% accuracy. But when the tempo speeds up, the harmonies change unexpectedly, or the parts move independently, the task becomes much more difficult. Secret: Good sight-readers don’t actually read all of the notes all of the time.
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Open score reading is not an Olympic event (but maybe it should be?). What is the goal of open score reading? It is to help the singers in the choir learn their parts with tonal and rhythmic accuracy. The goal is not to test the pianist’s ability to read every note on the page. If you can make it your goal to play 100% of the singer’s entrances, and 75% of the rest of the notes with tonal and rhythmic accuracy, you will be a great help to the choir. Secret: It is okay to leave out notes.
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Prioritize entrances. What do singers generally need the most help with? They need to know when their entrance is, and on what pitch they start. If you can help singers gain confidence in knowing where they come in – and on what note – each time, they can often take it from there (at least, until the next entrance or tricky harmony or rhythm). Mark every entrance in every voice part in your music and make it a priority to play them – even if you leave every other note out. Secret: When you prioritize entrances, you set the singers up for success!
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Cheat #1: You can approximate harmonies. Remember the idea that your brain scans the music and takes in information, but then fills in the rest? Try taking a simple hymn or four-part Bach chorale where the voice parts move in harmony. Read only the soprano, alto, and bass parts. Now, go back and read SAB again, this time filling in the tenor when you can. Or, read STB and let your brain fill in the missing harmonies in the alto part. I am finding more and more that what I actually do when I read four-part harmonies is read three parts and approximate the fourth. On a second or third read-through, I will often take a minute to look at that missing part to correct any errors. Secret: In reality, good readers are often only reading three parts and letting their knowledge of harmonies and scanning abilities “fill in” the fourth.
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Cheat #2: Mark your score. Help yourself wherever possible. If you have down time in a rehearsal, read through a piece of music away from the keys. Mark entrances and tricky rhythms, write in chord names (especially at cadences), and note where parts sing in unison. Give yourself as many visual clues as possible, in order to reduce the information overload that happens when you begin playing with the choir. Secret: Writing in “clues” helps you prioritize what to play and can help reduce the amount of information you take in at any one time.
It is possible to become “good” at open score reading! Better yet, it is possible to be of great help to a choir when you make their success a priority by improving your scanning abilities, prioritizing entrances, and marking your score (and leaving some of those notes out!). Be the rhythmic and harmonic foundation, and the choir will have something to build upon.
Join my online workshop on How to Read Open Score for more tips and practical, hands-on exercises with reading SATB. Your registration includes a 37-page student workbook and an invitation to be part of a growing online community of choral accompanists.
For more practice with open score reading, you can purchase my collection of Bach chorales in a variety of keys, working through the Circle of Fifths from easiest to hardest, ending with a familiar bonus chorale!
I also offer one-on-one coaching if you have specific questions about open score reading, breaking down a particular choral score, or other choral accompanying concerns! Message me, and let's chat!
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