arrange • compose • conduct
Posts specifically about choral music
When we differentiate between foreground, middleground, and background parts in vocal music, the shorthand tends to be about dynamics – volume. Louder for the foreground, quieter for the background. But there is more to differentiating these parts than just pure decibel change. Volume change. Naturally. Timbre change. Brighter, more core […]
Replayability (also known as Replay Value) is a measure of how much enjoyment people continue to have with a game that they have already spent time playing. Chess has a high level of replayability. Candyland has a low level of replayability, unless you’re five. It’s also one of the factors […]
Leaders aren’t the ones who are in charge. They’re the ones with the courage to go first. Simon Sinek, in A Bit of Optimism, Episode 6 Leadership is about the courage to go first. Asking the singers around you to quiet down in rehearsal is an act of leadership. Speaking […]
Would you program something that is “too hard” for your choir? I mean: too hard to sing flawlessly. Too hard to perform without the occasional tuning error. I don’t program music that is too hard in the sense of: requires professional tessitura or vocal control; requires advanced vocal techniques; is […]
There are many ways to celebrate success in video games. Beat your friends! Get the high score! (If I could have ever just gotten past the final Bowser on 8-4, I would have counted it as ultimate success…) One way of measuring success in recent years is speed running. A […]
It seems to me there are two mindsets in the choral classroom. You can be student-focused, or you can be music-focused. A student-focused choral educator will always prioritize the mental and emotional needs of their students. They create a safe space for student expression, teach leadership, collaboration, and trust as […]
“I don’t like their voice” is about the least compelling criticism I’ve ever heard. Almost any singer whose voice is distinctive from the average sound is going to receive this criticism. I’ve heard it recently about both Jacob Collier and Lin-Manuel Miranda. But I could have heard it said about […]
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit jarred. After more than a year of talking about how to begin gathering again, how to make it meaningful, how to take meaningful steps toward a healthier balance…after that year, my world has thundered back into a busyness that looks […]
I saw a social media post a while ago listing the various technical and educational hurdles they cleared to create a virtual concert. One of them included the phrase “yelling at kids to […]”. That’s where you lost me. I believe in the importance of musical excellence, of motivating students […]
What is your new normal going to be? My students are primed for a return to normalcy in the fall. Concerts are on the calendar, retreats are being scheduled, and we’re anticipating a full menu of the statewide events we usually enjoy being a part of. But with over a […]