arrange • compose • conduct
For the first time, I am starting a semester at GRCC with an identical ensemble to last semester. No drops, no adds. It’s a situation I’m very excited about. As I often say, the best part about the first semester of a vocal jazz group is the second semester. It […]
Here are my top five recommendations for people new to being in front of an ensemble in rehearsal. These are the ones I say over and over to my students when they are starting out running sectionals or portions of rehearsal. (I do my best to sit in the corner […]
If you don’t know the timing, you’re asking for trouble. A concert shouldn’t go longer than 90 minutes without an intermission. So it’s essential for directors to know durations of pieces, timing of transitions, talking, and anything else that might add to the total time. Even with a format I’m […]
Do you incorporate any made-up rituals into your rehearsals? The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos explores the way we make decisions that we think will make us happier but don’t, and also offers researched techniques that actually do improve our happiness. In a 2020 episode, she discussed the idea […]
I almost always love it. Coming back from a break, you can feel apprehensive about an ensemble: they have been away from the music, away from each other, away from the rigors of rehearsal for a length of time. (For me, this Winter Break was even longer because of COVID!) […]
I love yesness. But it can be a liability. Yesness is that attribute is possessed by people who are willing to try new things, go where leaders direct, and generally approach life without a neon NO over their heads. When does yesness become a liability? When yes people consistently take […]
What technology am I using for work, circa January 2023? Recording DAW: Pro Tools Notation: Dorico 4 Keyboard: A very old Kurzweill. I bought it 25 years ago, and aside from one small repair, it’s going strong! Microphone: Aston Origin Video Production: Final Cut Pro Graphic Design: Adobe Creative Cloud […]
It’s important to say thank you. Even to yourself. Every time I get a jar of last summer’s strawberry jam from my pantry and start spreading it on sandwich bread, I take a second to thank past me. June 2022 Jed worked very hard on that jam in the summer […]
Have a vision for what you want to create, and take steps to create it, but don’t expect it to happen as soon as you’re ready for it to happen. How much you want to change and how much you can change are two different things. When you enter a […]
You keep your New Year’s celebration. For me, today is all about celebrating Public Domain Day! This has become one of my favorite yearly posts. Every year for the last few years, music from 95 years previous has entered the public domain. 2023 is no exception, welcoming all music published […]