Strategic Metaphor
This is one of my favorite strategies for when my students need a little singing break.
Conducting
“Good”
My preferred lead-off word when I cut off an ensemble in rehearsal is “Good.”
Rehearsal Catchphrases
One of my projects this fall is writing down a list of rehearsal catchphrases. What are yours?
First Gear Rehearsal
Sometimes staying in first gear is exactly what you want.
Knowing What To Expect In Rehearsal
How do you communicate the details about how your rehearsal feels?
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 […]