arrange • compose • conduct
Posts specifically about choral music
Follow your own true north in programming as a conductor. There are a lot of shoulds for conductors. I’ve heard conductors say, “Every ACDA performance program should include a Baroque or Renaissance piece.” I’ve heard conductors say, “Every student should graduate high school having sung X, Y, and Z.” I’ve […]
A piece and your ensemble’s relationship with it will continue to evolve after its first performance. Best to let that evolution happen before the official premiere! Premiere performances can bring a lot of stress. The performers feel a duty to bring the piece to life in its first performance. There […]
I’ve been experimenting with a new strategy in my after school rehearsals: starting optional vocal warmups before the rehearsal starts. At 2:45, we start a one-hour rehearsal. At 2:35, I start doing some basic vocal warmups. It’s optional to attend – they have all already sung today, and their voices […]
Are you on the fence about turning over more musical decisions to your students? Here’s how I think about it. I am more knowledgeable and experienced than all of my students. That means I can arrive at the best musical decision much faster than my students. I can make 3 […]
Why I’m wishing I was at the ACDA National Conference. Not for the amazing choral performances, which I wish I could hear. Not for the inspiring lectures, which I wish I could absorb. Not for the reading session, which would give me ideas for the future. No, I wish i […]
We don’t take enough time to really talk about how hard it is to sing music well. Especially difficult, harmonically rich music. But really any vocal music. If I’m rehearsing a saxophone quartet, and the tenor plays a B-natural instead of a B-flat in a C7(b13) chord, I might stop […]
In a well-run choir class, there’s no such thing as busywork. From vocal warmups to sight reading to music literacy skills to repertoire rehearsal to good news and story time; everything is placed there intentionally to advance the growth and success of the singers. Indeed, everything is is designed intentionally […]
My ideal ensemble environment is high expectations but low stakes. How do you, as a director, lower the stakes of a performance? “Stakes Too High” is a common cause of lowered performance. Performers do worse when they’re particularly anxious, and it’s essential that a director find ways to lower the […]
How do you decide level of difficulty for your repertoire? I’m of eight minds (at least). Mind One: Program easier repertoire that students can be successful at while learning and growing. Mind Two: Program Goldilocks repertoire that challenges students without wiping them out. Mind Three: Program tough, tough repertoire that […]
Don’t take your creations too seriously. At least, I don’t. The third time my students read a rhythm differently than written yesterday, I changed it on the spot. As I said to them, “Just because I wrote it doesn’t mean I got it right!” I can make mistakes in my […]