I went along to hear Priory Voices sing Evensong with music by Stanford and S S Wesley at Wells Cathedral. The founder and usual conductor is not able to conduct at the moment so members of the choir are (very ably) doing the job instead. It was a pleasant service, and as I’m very bad now at being a member of a congregation I was glad that I was surrounded by people who were focused on the liturgy and not just chatting to one another.
Actually conducting the performance is only one part of replacing the conductor, and as it’s not clear when the usual one will return, there are a whole lot of other issues to be negotiated. Who should replace the people who will inevitably drift away at such a time? (I know of at least one such person among those who sang at Wells.) What repertoire is to be sung? How can one prevent individual choir members (I have no one in particular in mind here) pushing their own agendas? Should the choir be making bookings for future visits, and if so where and how many? Should the sound of the choir be preserved? (Over a meal afterwards it became clear that some want to steer it towards a more ‘men and boys’ sound). Who is to discipline choir members, and how?
I’m sorry you fell victim to dd’s sharp elbows – a loss both to you and to the choir.