arrange • compose • conduct
How do you find the time to _______? You prioritize. You choose what balls to drop. You excuse yourself from “universal” cultural experiences. (Hi, Super Bowl.) You get a good night’s sleep so you are alert when you need to be. You lose sleep when something important needs to be […]
Early into his time with the 2020 Michigan All-State Jazz Honors Choir, Duane Davis introduced one of the themes of his leadership and worldview, and he kept returning to it throughout his time with the singers. Yesness. “Have a pocketful of yesness,” he would say. “Let your face say ‘yes.’” […]
The right book can teach you what you need to know. Learn by reading. The right teacher can lead you to understanding. Learn by listening. If you repeatedly try, in public, you can master a skill. Learn by doing. When you watch a master work, you can see the solution. […]
I am sitting in rehearsal watching 19 outstanding high school singers from across Michigan on system, working hard through a multiple-divisi arrangement by Tim Buchholz, in preparation for their concert Friday night at the Michigan Music Conference. I am sitting in rehearsal watching 19 outstanding high school singers from across […]
I’m seeing Bobby McFerrin tonight in concert for the sixth time, and that prompted me to do a quick retrospective on the roughly quarter century of my hearing him perform. Each one was unique and has remained with me, as the best live performances do. April, 1996 My first time […]
I’m pretty rotten at drawing hands. As a doodler, that’s not a huge deal. In fact, I’ve just started drawing my people with arms that just end abruptly at the wrist. Since I’m drawing mostly for my kids, no big deal. But it’s a great way to define the difference […]
Some singers never learn the joy of getting beyond the notes and rhythms. It’s obvious when they aren’t in a hurry to get past learning of the notes. If they knew the joy that awaited, they’d want to hurry up and get there! Alice Parker says that she can only […]
I’m a good proofreader – I fairly reliably can open a program and book and find the one error that the publication process missed. And yet, I am unreliable at catching typos or errors in my own writing – both words and music. I think it’s the old problem of […]
Four remarkable singers recently joined forces to create a new ensemble; their first performance was this past week at the JEN Conference. Säje – Sarah Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick, Erin Bentlage – is exploring new territory in group harmony singing, with an emphasis on connected, emotionally grounded, deeply individual […]
If you’re thinking about decluttering or attempting minimalism or just simplifying your possessions, a good question to ask is, “If I were moving tomorrow, would I move this?” It’s a way to quickly separate the things you really want to have from the things that are there just because they’re […]