arrange • compose • conduct
Posts discussing education, both in and outside of music
Don’t pursue your dream…is something I’d never say. I’ve seen enough success–and failure–stories to know that I am not ably to reliably predict what someone’s career trajectory will look like. Actually, I’ve seen enough to know that I don’t think anyone can. Actually, I think the “don’t pursue your dream,” […]
Greek thinkers separated love into multiple varieties, rather than the single overarching word we have in English. Much has been written about these different types of love. The choir can be a great place to explore the love that the Greeks called philia, which is often translated in English as […]
Early into his time with the 2020 Michigan All-State Jazz Honors Choir, Duane Davis introduced one of the themes of his leadership and worldview, and he kept returning to it throughout his time with the singers. Yesness. “Have a pocketful of yesness,” he would say. “Let your face say ‘yes.’” […]
The right book can teach you what you need to know. Learn by reading. The right teacher can lead you to understanding. Learn by listening. If you repeatedly try, in public, you can master a skill. Learn by doing. When you watch a master work, you can see the solution. […]
I’m pretty rotten at drawing hands. As a doodler, that’s not a huge deal. In fact, I’ve just started drawing my people with arms that just end abruptly at the wrist. Since I’m drawing mostly for my kids, no big deal. But it’s a great way to define the difference […]
If you’re thinking about decluttering or attempting minimalism or just simplifying your possessions, a good question to ask is, “If I were moving tomorrow, would I move this?” It’s a way to quickly separate the things you really want to have from the things that are there just because they’re […]
There are two primary definitions of the verb “practice,” and the one you’re thinking of is its second definition. The second definition is “to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient.” That’s what music educators are usually talking about. But the first definition is “to carry out, […]
Art can feel rare and elusive sometimes – especially for artists, who pour all of their energy into their creation. But I really think that making art is the default. And I was reminded that most forcefully tonight as I watched a dozen performers create a truly remarkable 2 1/2-hour […]
I’ve had this passage stuck in my head since I read it as a high school freshman in 1991 or 1992. It resurfaces whenever I’m thinking about what it takes to be an outstanding learner. In Chaim Potok’s masterpiece The Chosen, the narrator and protagonist Reuven Master, is studying the […]
Choir directors suffer from long-term project overload. Think about it: every one of your projects is a delayed-gratification project. Concert days are eight weeks in the making. You start planning and prepping your musical months before it opens. Even your educational goals can be years in the making – giving […]