jedscott

Great education is playful. I don’t mean that it’s just “playing games.” Playing games can be beneficial, but it can’t be the sole source of education. I don’t mean that it’s just “having fun.” As Bobby sings, “for those who have been trained by it, no discipline seems pleasant at […]

One of the best things the choir program I’m a (small) part of does is hold an annual Freshman Retreat. Attendees come from multiple choirs, which is what makes it special. Freshmen choir students attend, but so do the junior-senior Chamber Singers, as counselors, guides, and participants all in one. […]

Personal Bibliography: Education (Music & Otherwise) Click here for my complete Personal Bibliography. Godin, Seth. Stop Stealing Dreams (or here as a printable PDF). Seth Godin delivers a manifesto about education. It’s powerful, and it makes you want to stand up and help make a change. Goldsworthy, Anna. Piano Lessons. This beautiful memoir […]

“A painting is never finished – it simply stops in interesting places.” – Paul Gardner Go listen to the most artful recording you know and listen with Paul Gardner’s ears. That is, listen with the understanding that it is an unfinished work of art: it stopped in an interesting place, […]

Overheard in choirs across the world as they begin to show signs of learning notes: the unisons are harder. Mark my words: no matter how challenging the harmonic materials you sing; no matter the language; no matter the breath control required…the unisons are harder. Believe me now or wait and […]

There are two ways to pull into traffic: Many people (Type 1) wait patiently until the traffic clears long enough for them to turn, join a lane, and get up to speed without interruption. The rest (Type 2) wait just until there’s a long enough gap for them to pull […]

Welcome to Week 9 of The Definitive Version, a new weekly feature of my website. You can read more about the project here. Song: “My Romance” Composer: Richard Rodgers Lyricist: Lorenz Hart Form: A B A C Standard Key: B-flat Major “My Romance” was premiered in 1935 as part of the Rodgers & […]

According to Wikipedia, “In pre-modern times it is unlikely that literacy was found in more than about 30-40% of the population.” That actually seems high to me, particularly during the so-called Dark Ages of Europe between the fall of the Roman Empire and the advent of the printing press. But […]

Sometimes teaching the same basic skills over and over can leave your shoulders sagging. Proper microphone cord coiling…again? Holding an SM58? Hearing and tuning a just-tuned third…for the 4,000th time?! And yet, there is joy in teaching these basic skills again. Especially in using the language “I get to.” I […]