arrange • compose • conduct
My friends, I’m sorry. I find myself no more able to attend virtual concerts at the moment than I was able to attend physical concerts in Decembers past or earlier, when I was in the midst of twenty concerts in three weeks. Part of it is a consistent overload of […]
Tonight I heard the newly approved vaccine for COVID-19 described as a “medical miracle.” It’s not a miracle; it’s the result of millions of dollars in research, tens of thousands of minds working together and pursuing the results of years of study and discovery. It came mind-bogglingly fast, (the previous […]
I’m playing nightly Scrabble games with two precocious young people these days, and I’ve been reminded of the most common trap in Scrabble. It’s focusing entirely too closely on the letters in your rack and not enough on fluidly reacting to the board and the words played on it. Of […]
Today I practiced saying, “I don’t know … but I think …” It’s a powerful statement to make, particularly to students. It’s powerful because acknowledging the real limits of our knowledge, particularly when we are in positions of authority is humanizing, builds connections, and empower students to recognize that their […]
When I was selecting songs for GRCC Shades of Blue for Fall 2020, “Singin’ in the Rain” was the first arrangement I chose. For many reasons, including: It’s a killer a cappella jazz chart – swinging, great harmony, fun to sing. April Tini had a major influence in introducing me […]
A project finished without learning one new thing is a wasted project. I’ve been doing a lot of recording studio work this year. That was unexpected. With each project, I’ve been honing skills I developed in my college and grad school years, and then more or less rested on since. […]
Can we talk about last minute decisions? There is value in taking all the time you need to make a decision. Perhaps new information will come in and change the outcome. Perhaps the information will help a large majority come to a consensus on the right decision. But waiting until […]
Provided you’re not hiding, not ignoring the problem, and not being blocked from finishing by forces beyond your control, projects take the time they take. I started a family musical project in May, and finished 90% of it today. It’s not because I procrastinated or because I didn’t think it […]
Take some time tonight starting at 7pm to check out the premiere of my friend Jeffrey Cobb’s new major work, The Lesson of the Lark. Based on a children’s book by his wife, Laura Knight Cobb, it’s a concert work celebrating the centenary of women’s voting rights in a work […]
The Rockford Aces have been working hard, under difficult circumstances, to learn music and be an ensemble this year. With the switch to remote learning several weeks ago, we made the difficult decision to work on a virtual recording for the holidays. I say difficult, because I’ve been promising them […]