jedscott

A choir director’s skill set is diverse and includes many strengths that might be forgotten on résumés and other skill lists. For example, consider: logistics. Human logistics and institutional logistics form a huge part of what you do. Transporting risers, keyboards and attire to and from performances. Making sure singers […]

Good teachers make detailed plans for their lessons. It’s necessary to use the time as efficiently as possible. Great teachers know how to read a room and chuck the plan out the window. Sometime you have to read your students’ faces and pivot away from the plan. Your students are […]

I have no trouble looking at any of my students and seeing that far more unites us than divides us. No matter our differences, we are the same. So it’s my challenge, sometimes, to look at the people around me and remind myself that we’re not the same. Let me […]

Welcome to Week 11 of The Definitive Version, a new weekly feature of my website. You can read more about the project here. Song: “But Beautiful” Composer: Jimmy Van Heusen Lyricist: Johnny Burke Form: ABAB’ Standard Key: G Major “But Beautiful” is a relatively late jazz standard, having been composed in 1947 for […]

Choir retreats can be a lot of things – I can especially vouch for that, since my family has been involved in five over the last five weekends. Choir retreats build: Emotional connection Vulnerability Trust Philosophical perspective Commonality Technical understanding Musicianship skills Note that none of the above specifically reference […]

The great joy – and great challenge – of choral music education is that it’s always new. You will never program a concert with exactly the same repertoire as what you’re currently working on. And even if you did, the specific challenges, interpretations, and student reactions would all change. You […]

Personal Bibliography: Arranging & Composition Click here for my complete Personal Bibliography. Ades, Hawley. Choral Arranging. Aces with the staff arranger for Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. Despite being written in the 1960’s, the fundamental logic and understanding of voices has not changed, and is applicable to any style. Betinis, […]

Starting a new piece when you’re new always feels weighty. Serious. Important. I often say that the best thing about your first piece is your second piece, but even more than that, there are two great things about finishing 100 pieces: You know what you’re doing. You have far less […]

The classic David Mamet script Glengarry Glen Ross features a memorable speech (delivered by Alec Baldwin in the movie) about selling that includes the line “Always be closing.” Choirs, who don’t need to worry about closing a sale, should instead be sure to always be memorizing. Memorization always comes too late in […]

“You know what your choir should do to fundraise? Do more performances in the community! It’s a lot easier to do a 15-30 minute performance to raise a couple hundred bucks than to sell cookie dough or wrapping paper!” – Many People Here’s a breakdown of the reality of these […]