Efficiency in the performance of choral works of art, therefore, demands the following conditions: First, a leader who is a thorough, trained musician; cultured and well-educated; of good character and with high ideals and noble aims; of good personality, courteous but strict in discipline; critical but not discouraging; energetic and enthusiastic, but always within the limits of dignity. Second, a chorus composed of singers who sing because they love to sing (paid or unpaid), who are gladly willing to obey the leader’s direction, and who will concentrate themselves upon their work throughout the period of rehearsal or performance. Their degree of vocal excellence, musical qualities, individual musical knowledge and training will determine the magnitude of the task upon which the leader may direct their efforts and also the degree of excellence which their performance can attain. In the United States there exist innumerable organizations devoted to the study of choral music in its various forms, and it may be of interest to enumerate some of the principal kinds. 1. The church congregation which sings hymns either in unison or in four-part harmony in a more or less happy-go-lucky fashion. 2. The church choir composed of male and female voices or of boys’ and men’s voices. 3. The societies devoted to the study of oratorios and cantatas. 4. The societies devoted to the study of unaccompanied choral singing (_a cappella_, as it is called), such as madrigals, glees, motets, etc. 5. Male choruses, such as the German singing societies and the glee clubs. 6. Choruses of women’s voices. 7. Opera choruses. 8. Choruses of school-children. The great majority of these organizations consists of amateurs, that is, of people who love music and who find in choral singing an opportunity to gratify their desire to take an active part in its performance. Even those whose voices are of mediocre quality and have had little or no training can learn to do excellent work in large choruses in which the individual voice is merged in the mass. An example of this may be found in the People’s Singing Classes and in the People’s Choral Union of New York. Applicants to the former are admitted without vocal or musical examination. They are taught to sing from notes, to follow the bâton of the leader, to phrase and enunciate correctly, and to produce a musical quality of tone. After two seasons they are promoted into the Choral Union and are capable of singing the choruses of the oratorios by Handel, Mendelssohn, and the modern masters. Their work has been highly praised by the principal music critics and they have given and are still giving pleasure to thousands of people at their concerts.