arrange • compose • conduct
I’ve been brainstorming about musical projects to keep me occupied during social distancing. I’ll be rolling out several in the coming days, and here’s the first. Arranging Pen Pals A long time ago I heard a story I loved about two arranger friends on a flight home from an IAJE […]
I have been processing the cancellation of concerts, conferences, festivals, and an international trip planned for this summer. All that is tough to process–and the right call. But what is most important? What is most important is the loss of regular music-making. The daily or weekly growth, the human connection, […]
I’ve frequently written before about Snow Days, and particularly about how they exist outside the normal day-to-day routine, and as such, are a chance to dream big, try new things, and step back from your grind. The social distancing so vital to our communal success in slowing the spread of […]
We started a marathon today. Say it out loud. It’s a marathon. The biggest mistake you can make in a marathon is start out like it’s a sprint. Especially if you haven’t really done the training to do a marathon, and let’s face it – no one has. Don’t try […]
As with every other music educator I know, my household has dealt with its fair share of cancellations in the name of social distancing. In just the last twenty-four hours, we have had the following happen: Moving to online-only until at least April 3 for my GRCC Shades of Blue students […]
If I have a question about a piece of music, I ask an expert – ideally the composer if possible, and if not, then a specific stylistic expert. I don’t presume that I have the specialist knowledge, and I don’t assume that anyone with an opinion about the music has […]
One of my composition students is having the first live read of a piece he’s composed this week. The first read of the piece, and the first read of his life. As we finished our lesson today, I urged him to keep his mind really open during the rehearsal, and […]
Twice a year, the heavenly Italian bakery near where I grew up, Bommarito’s, hangs up a sign on the door that simply says Time for a Break They’re gone for a couple of weeks and then they’re back. Businesses don’t work like that – haven’t for a long, long time. […]
On Twitter, an author mentioned the new book she has available for preorder. I thought that my family had read and re-read her previous book (Station Eleven) so many times that she really should be allowed to just publish that book again. (It’s really, really good.) Then again, lots of […]
There are many ways to manage those nerves you feel when you go onstage for a performance. A few examples: Distract (conversation, a game on your phone, a dance party) Mental Checklist (everything you need to do, and when, until you walk onstage) Meditate Mitigate them with a medication like […]