jedscott

I love Michigan’s farmer’s markets in August. It’s the perfect time to get the perfect heirloom tomato, local sweet corn, blueberries, peaches, and on and on. But in February that same location won’t have much of anything at all – maybe a couple of cheesemakers or some greenhouse cucumbers. Eating […]

When you really know a recipe, you know little secrets and tricks that aren’t written. Little things like, “I don’t add quite as much water as it calls for” or “It usually takes a few minutes longer to bake than the recipe says.” None of these are a big deal, […]

Yesterday I talked about quieting the self-doubting voice that rears its head right around the first rehearsal of the year. Today, a simple reminder about your students. Your students are experiencing the same self-doubt, the same anxiety, the same apprehensiveness. They aren’t sure they can do what you’re going to […]

I don’t know about you, but I find that even a few days out of my running routine – say for a trip, or a brief illness – and I almost immediately hear a negative voice telling me, “You can’t do it anymore. You don’t remember how. Your training is […]

Before the first rehearsal, your choir sings every chord in tune. They never disagree or have a bad rehearsal. They don’t check their phones in class. They always remember pencils. In short, before the first rehearsal, your choir is perfect. But wouldn’t you give up a fair percentage of your […]

How do you measure work-life balance? By the hour? By the day? By the year? Some years are less balanced than others – make sure you offset the extra-busy years. But some days are less balanced than others, too. An up north leisurely beach day with an evening concert might […]

Welcome to Week 2 of The Definitive Version, a new weekly feature of my website. You can read more about the project here. Song: My Funny Valentine Composer: Richard Rodgers Lyricist: Lorenz Hart Form: AABA, 32-bar Standard Key: C Minor/E-flat Major The song was composed by Rodgers and Hart for their 1937 musical Babes in […]

Favorite books can be the best insight into a person’s philosophical outlook. You can learn so much about someone by the books they recommend to you. Wouldn’t you like to know someone’s Life Bibliography? That is, a list of the books that have shaped their life and contributed most deeply […]

In his wonderful headlining sessions at the MSVMA Summer Conference, ACDA Executive Director Tim Sharp shared many great ideas that will affect my work. One sentence of his that I wrote down has been echoing in my ears since he said it: On the other side of tension is the emergence of […]

The best part of a summer conference is the moment when you can’t wait to be in front of your students again. It can come from a session, during a speech, or just from a rich conversation with a trusted colleague. In any case, the conference has facilitated your rejuvenation. […]