arrange • compose • conduct
It’s easy to forget the power of great live music. Listening to pristine studio recordings is great – I love listening to records. But it’s something else to be present, when a truly special group of musicians share their art. There are two factors that have conspired to help me […]
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 […]
This school year is easier and harder than last year. Everyone I talk to seems to agree. It’s easier because we’re closer to normal interaction; there are concerts, regular rehearsals, and more of the normal events we associate with the school year. It’s easier because we can connect as humans […]
School is starting on Monday for me – maybe it’s already started for you, or maybe you’re not getting started till after Labor Day – and here we are, facing a new wave of COVID-19 risks and need for mitigation strategies. I’m starting my school year observing local and national […]
I read omnivorously, across many genres of fiction and non-fiction. If it’s well-written and engaging, I’m interested. But sometimes, when I’ve had a busy stretch of life with no space for reading, I find it difficult to get back into reading. I’m just a little out of practice. When I […]
A busman’s holiday isn’t all bad! A busman’s holiday refers to the idea that a family road trip for a bus driver would find them doing exactly what they did when not on vacation – driving. It refers, generally, to doing the things you do for work on your off […]
A recent multi-interview article from Chorus America considered the post-COVID future for virtual performances. I want to go on record in saying that I think it’s a bad idea to lean into streaming and posting of concerts long-term. I think it’s bad because it undermines the choral art, which must […]
One of the best things I did in the Long Quiet was to take advantage of the lack of concerts to get more involved in my sons’ Scout Troop. Thought my eldest has been involved for four years, I have only rarely been able to attend a meeting (Aces rehearsals) […]
The branches on every deciduous tree in my yard are hanging so low right now. After days of rain, every leaf and every stem has absorbed as much water as it can, and the net effect is hundreds of extra pounds of weight for every tree. When the rain stops, […]
My wife, Mandy, is a brilliant conductor. She regularly makes magic happen in concert and in rehearsal. She has wonderful musical instincts, impeccable training, and makes visual poetry with her conducting. But even as she makes the music come alive, she puts the people first. In the course of her […]