arrange • compose • conduct
I’ve written about Singing Brook Days – our family’s screen sabbath – a few times before, but in the wake of a month of consistent commitment to the practice from our whole family, I wanted to write an update and say: it’s the best day of the week. Inspired by […]
Certain breads use what’s called a sponge to enhance the final loaf. The baguette recipe I use (from Baking Illustrated) explains that using a pre-ferment method like a sponge enhances the flavor of the final loaf by enabling the yeast to fully mature rapidly in an unusually proportioned dough-batter (water, […]
By all rights, I should be introducing the Michigan All-State Jazz Choir right about now, and then standing in the back as they tear up the stage singing tight chords with skill and passion. Of course that’s not the case: the Michigan Music Conference is virtual, and all of the […]
Setting intentions at the beginning of rehearsal is great. For example, I might say, “Let’s set an ensemble intention to have fewer side conversations during rehearsal.” But this intention is more effective if, in the previous rehearsal, I provided feedback at the end. In other words, setting an intention for […]
I’ve been attending a great series of physical and vocal warmups on Wednesdays, presented by Katarina Henryson and The Real Group Academy. She leads a group on Zoom for a 40-minute warmup that leaves me feeling recharged, ready to sing, and inspired. She pointed out today that her warmup has […]
I know someone who has a little extra anxiety on Sunday nights, because school is coming on Monday. Mild everyday school anxiety is totally normal for lots of kids; and the small disruption in routine created by the weekend is enough to maximize that anxiety on Sunday nights. One of […]
Musical retention and forward progress can be a challenge with an intermittent rehearsal schedule. Short daily personal practice can make the difference between continued growth and stagnation or repetition. Weekly rehearsal with no practice in between is like going up the down escalator. You can get it done, but the […]
It’s a good thing to make great music with a group. It’s a better thing to make great music with a group of friends. It’s the best thing to make the best music you’re capable of with a group of friends. For the first, you need a good choral leader. […]
I’m in the background watching my son discuss a merit badge he’s working on with a counselor, and thinkng about the motivation that comes from discrete, earnable achievements. Of course, concerts are the ultimate discrete achievements – specific pieces are brought from unfamiliarity to performance in a limited amount of […]
I made a list today of reliable jazz singers for my students. By reliable, I mean that when they interpret a song, their interpretation is going to be helpful in understanding the bulls-eye of the song. Consistently. I omitted singers who are inconsistent in their output or whose recorded output […]