arrange • compose • conduct
On blackbirds, silences, and eves. I do not know which to prefer, The beauty of inflections Or the beauty of innuendoes, The blackbird whistling Or just after. Wallace Stevens, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, V. Wallace Stevens gave us two choices, but I’m not sure that I don’t prefer the third option: […]
Want to feel productive and conscientious this Winter Break? Ultra Delay Send. I just sent a work email that won’t arrive until the first day back from school after New Year’s. I got the email off of my to do list, and it won’t go onto my colleague’s to do […]
That’s how I view great singing. Or is it miraculously ordinary? Whenever I hear an amazing singer for the first time, or hear a singer I know do something incredible, I think, “Isn’t it miraculous? That a human can master all the skills necessary to do what they just did.” […]
Do you plan your return to health in your head? Like, “I’m feeling crummy today, but I’m sure I’ll feel better tomorrow.” I have been burned by this mindset more than once, because I’m always overly optimistic in terms of how quickly I’ll heal from a cold. I resume my […]
Why do we prefer performances without concentration face? It’s okay to be able to tell a performer is working hard, but it has long been clear to me that audiences prefer performances that look effortless. Part, I think, is relatively recent: just as presidential candidates had to be “good on […]
There are three reasons you think a subject matter is boring. You’re not in the right headspace to absorb it. Tired, stressed, distracted. It isn’t in a realm of knowledge/insight that is attractive to you. We all have subjects that interest us more, especially as time goes on and we […]
‘Tis the season. The season of no reflection. We’re talking dress rehearsals, back-to-back (or overlapping!) performances, holiday parties that call for caroling, end-of-semester grades, Christmas shopping, weather challenges, and more. Amidst that, there’s no time for reflection, taking the time to consider what happened and what’s about to happen. Now, […]
We’re not very good at assessing and categorizing errors, especially when it comes to differentiating between momentary mistakes and problems in need of our attention. More than once, I have directed an ensemble that freaked out about a sudden pitch problem – maybe they went significantly flat during an a […]
Teachers come with a lot of wishes for their students. They can wish for students to realize the dreams they themselves haven’t. They can wish for students to achieve success and so reflect back on them as teachers. They can wish for students to matriculate to particular schools, particular majors, […]
Don’t be afraid to make a deal with yourself. I have days in my creative work where my entire self – body/mind/soul – is screaming at me to just get up and walk away from the work. “Take a break!” “Check Facebook!” “Go make a cup of tea!” It’s so […]