arrange • compose • conduct
Posts specifically about choral music
I have begun to see a few signs of a fresh recognition of the joy of group singing. From students, from colleagues, from my own self. A fresh recognition of what it means to make music with a group of singers, and what it does for our spirits. We have […]
The key to sight reading might be to increase the number of chances to try and radically decrease the chances of a student feeling like a failure. I stood next to my son today during a funeral service, and when the second verse came around, I remembered how I learned […]
There are three kind of repertoire: Standards. These are the pieces you’ve conducted enough times that you can correct the mistakes before they’re made. Pieces You Know Well. Maybe you’ve conducted it before, maybe you studied it in depth in a choral lit class or by listening to that one […]
I actually quite enjoy making part recordings. I like getting inside the music in a different way. I like finding out what the pitfalls are before my students find them. I like the work involved in creating something of use for my students. I like using my skills and gear […]
A choir always needs more leaders coming from within the ensemble. But there’s more than one way to be a leader! Section Leader. Know your parts, lead extra rehearsals, be the one to ask questions for your section. Hey Guys! Leader. Speak up, call out, and generally police the ensemble […]
Just because we all have to be in agreement doesn’t mean we all have to be beholden to the page. A rhythmic disagreement between sections tonight offered an opportunity to ignore the sheet music. Sheet music, of course, only contains a fraction of the musicality – there’s a lot of […]
I often encourage the Aces to adopt a 5×5 practice regimen outside of rehearsal. (5 minutes/day, 5 days/week). The problem is that often, the group members end up carrying tremendous individual guilt around failure to meet that modest goal. The guilt can lead to avoidance, creating a vicious cycle of […]
Recently asked online: “Are part recordings cheating?” That is, does providing part recordings diminish an ensemble experience because we don’t force our students to develop the reading and keyboard skills to learn the music on their own? The answer is: of course not. In fact, I think our music education […]
My students and I talked about 9/11 this weekend on our retreat. I shared my story, and reflected on the arc of my students over the years – my first students had been in middle or high school at the moment 9/11 happened. My current students weren’t alive, but their […]
My preferred place to be when walking into a rehearsal or class is three steps ahead. I want to be far enough ahead to anticipate any questions, to be prepared with accurate answers or advice, and to guide my students smoothly forward in their learning. But you can’t always be […]