arrange • compose • conduct
Posts discussing education, both in and outside of music
“Remember, one piece is bound to be your least favorite piece in the repertoire. And also remember that it is almost certainly someone else’s most favorite.” In a loose, conversational rehearsal, sometimes singers can trash their least favorite piece. They might have the best of intentions, but it always feels […]
Sometimes when we learn a new skill, we can act as if we’re scared, even when we don’t think we are. I made homemade noodles for Sunday dinner, and remarked how I am much less scared of working with them than I used to be. The thing is, I wouldn’t […]
If you don’t remember how to learn, you’re not alone. Lots of people only know how to be taught. It’s relatively rarer to find young people who really own their own learning. When you really, truly know how to learn, the world opens wide, completely available to you. Until you […]
Systematized education, pre-pandemic, tended to operate with a simple mindset: deliver course information as quickly as possible. The pandemic only increased that: with the decrease in in-person school hours last year and this, many teachers (and many administrators) feel it necessary to double the pace to make sure all course […]
I was so fortunate to spend Tuesday evening in a 2+ hour Zoom masterclass from the wonderful Dr. Kate Reid, Director of the Jazz Vocal program at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. She worked with each of my Shades of Blue students on a solo jazz song […]
As my daughter is getting ready to head to the bus stop in the morning, here’s the questions I ask: Do you have your mask? Yes.Do you have your water bottle? Yes.Do you have your computer? Yes.Do you have your lunch? Yes.Shoes? Snow pants? Coat? Yes. Yes. Yes. Sounds like […]
Sometimes Sir Ken Robinson’s passionate, funny, brilliant keynote speeches (there are many) move me to tears. Here’s an extended quote from one he gave a few years ago at the California Teachers Summit. [The quote begins just before 9:00 in] In it, he differentiates three related terms: learning, education, and […]
Later-life career redirections can feel like trying to turn an ocean liner. It takes full engine power and lots of space to execute the turn. Even as early as just after college graduation, young adults can feel locked into the path they spent so much effort preparing themselves for. Just […]
For most things you aspire to do, the answer is yes. Has anyone grown up in the Midwest and become a session singer in LA? Definitely yes. Has anyone gone to University A and gone on to perform on Broadway? Maybe. Has anyone decided to start running at age 40 […]
I spent the last fifteen minutes of rehearsal reading three children’s books to my students. We preceded it with a conversation about what it takes to deliver a potent performance to an audience. With a solid year since most of them gave a performance, it’s important to at least talk […]