arrange • compose • conduct
In late September I wrote one of my favorite arrangements in my whole catalog. It happened over about 72 hours, when inspiration met a few free hours, and then an entire unscheduled Sunday. Now, in November, having recorded it (remotely) and prepared for its release, I already can’t remember the […]
I start my one-on-one coachings by saying, “How are you doing?” My students know I mean it, truly. Before I ask, “What did you practice?” or “When are you submitting your recording?” or “Where were you last week?” I need to make sure my students are surviving. It’s okay to […]
One of the strategies I’ve been using to find new reharmonization in my arranging involves writing outer lines first. Melody comes first, always. Then, a strong counter-line in the bottom voice. It might be linear, contrapuntal, or functional (fourths and fifths). With those two written, it’s a question of exhaustively […]
I was flattered when my former student, Harrison Witt, asked me to write an arrangement for his Senior Recital in his Jazz Voice degree at Western Michigan University. When he settled on an “Out Of This World” theme, we came to “Lost In The Stars” as a song to write […]
I love the way that literally every member of a choral community can be a leader. One thing all leaders do is anticipate. Choral conductors anticipate – they give cues to their ensembles before they come in, not after. Choral ensemble leaders anticipate – they turn the pages before they […]
Directing focus is a big part of what I think about as a conductor: How do we direct focus towards the voice part with the melody? How do I direct focus away from myself and to my students? How do I maintain the ensemble’s focus on the music at hand? […]
This is the year to practice abundant grace. Everyone I know is experiencing emotional upheaval – on their own timeline. And in times of emotional upheaval, what we need more than anything from the people around us is grace. We need patience, support, guidance, and unconditional love. Some needed it […]
I am a work in progress. Well into my forties, I still learn how to do my work better every single week. I discover new approaches, new tools, new ideas. I seek them. It’s important to me that we make sure that this is the paradigm our students adopt: I […]
I am so glad that music classes rarely focus on winning. Even at state adjudicated festivals, even at the World Choir Games, judgements are based on objective assessments, not on a true head-to-head competition. So any awards or “wins” can be filed under “reaching the ensemble’s potential.” The reason I’m […]
I spend part of most days writing music. And a small but significant portion of that time, every single session, is focused on musical clarity. Why focus on clarity? Alice Parker says that only 5% of the music you can imagine can be notated, so why worry so much about […]