Knowing What To Expect In Rehearsal
How do you communicate the details about how your rehearsal feels?
Conducting
Remembering It Exists
It’s easy, in busy lives, to forget that an ensemble exists between rehearsals. Bridging that gap– just remembering you’re part of something–can be a great step towards excellence.
You Think I’m A Choir Director
You think I’m a choir director, but actually….
First Day Jitters
I’m not someone to get school anxiety. Several of my nearest and dearest have “Sunday Scaries” pretty much every Sunday, but that’s not my demeanor. The one exception is the first rehearsal of the year.* For as long as I can remember, I enter that day absolutely convince that I’ve […]
Dreading Starting Over
When the school year ends and I’ve just conducted our final performance, I can get a bit morose. I think, “the next time I’m with my ensemble, we’ll be starting over.” All the capacity we’ve built, the trust, the group musical instincts, the repertoire – it’ll all be gone, and […]
All Starters
I often say to my students that they are all starters. In the world of high school sports, there are starters and there are bench warmers. A popular no-cut team might have four players at every position…some of whom barely ever get to play in a game. It’s meant, and […]
What Are The Most Important?
What are the most important things you want your choirs to end this school year with? Got the list? If you’re like me, there are at least a dozen major goals on it. You have to shorten it. Make it three. You’ll get more done, but you can only guarantee […]
Perspective
One of the hardest things for conductors to manage is their younger students’ lack of perspective.
After The First Performance
The arc of most choirs’ experience with any piece is predictable.
Difference Without Me
My goal is to develop an ensemble’s autonomy until there’s no difference when I’m not in front of them.