The Key Terms of Choral Conducting: Rehearsal Language Explained

From sectional rehearsal to voice crossing. The language in which rehearsals are organized and discussed.

Alongside conducting technique, choral conducting has a second language: rehearsal language. It describes how a rehearsal is structured, what types of rehearsals exist, and how voices and their distribution are discussed. Anyone who knows these terms confidently can follow rehearsal plans, training courses, and professional conversations without having to ask. This second part of the glossary series covers the most important ones.

The first part of this series covers conducting technique: upbeat, ictus, beat patterns, fermata, and more.

Sectional Rehearsal

A rehearsal with only one voice section. Just the altos, just the tenors. A sectional rehearsal allows focused work on one voice without occupying the rest of the choir.

Tutti Rehearsal

A rehearsal with all voices together. Tutti means "all." This is where everything prepared in the sectional rehearsals comes together.

Run-Through

A section or an entire piece is sung without interruption. A run-through isn't for detail work — it's for experiencing the whole and building stamina. It shows what's already solid and what still needs work.

Final Rehearsal (Hauptprobe)

One of the last rehearsals before the concert, usually under near-concert conditions. The final rehearsal is where details get polished and the overall flow comes together.

Dress Rehearsal (Generalprobe)

The last rehearsal before the concert, ideally a complete run-through under concert conditions. At this point, nothing fundamental about the flow should change anymore.

Voice Types

The classification of singing voices by pitch range and timbre. In a mixed choir, these are classically soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Each voice type has its own range and its own function within the overall sound.

Divisi

The splitting of a voice section into two or more independent lines. A soprano section becomes Soprano 1 and Soprano 2. Divisi appears in the score wherever a voice splits.

Voice Crossing

The moment when a lower voice rises above a higher one, or vice versa. The altos briefly sit above the sopranos. Voice crossings are a deliberate compositional device and require special listening attention in the choir.

Caesura

A short, deliberate break between two phrases or sections. A caesura isn't a mistake — it's a musical gesture. It gives the music room to breathe.

That covers the core vocabulary of rehearsal language. Together with the first part on conducting technique, you now have the key terms to feel confident in any rehearsal and any professional conversation.

Free guide: The 10 most common conducting mistakes — and how to avoid them. choral-conductor-lab.com/resources#10-dirigierfehler