arrange • compose • conduct
I think a lot about the concept of moral licensing. Malcolm Gladwell explained it clearly, and introduced it to me, in the first episode of his podcast Revisionist History. In brief: Past good deeds can liberate individuals to engage in behaviors that are immoral, unethical, or otherwise problematic–behaviors they would otherwise avoid for […]
A math educator friend posted a fun 3-minute math puzzle on Facebook yesterday – it was fun for me to play, though I only got close to the right answer. (If only I was still calculus-adept…). Of the responses, several were by musicians/music educators, and in his replies, my friend […]
We went driving to look at Christmas lights tonight; saw some amazing displays. The thing I thought about, though, is that there are lots of different ways to decorate your house for Christmas. all white lights all colored lights animatronic reindeer inflatables flashing a simple Manger scene or crèche And […]
I’m predisposed to look to the future, not the past. As such, with coronavirus vaccinations rolling out and a potential end to rolling lockdowns imminent, I think it’s time to start diverting some thinking away from mitigating the challenges of the pandemic towards planning for what comes after. And the […]
Here’s the questions you might ask as you work through learning a new craft. How do I do this?How do I do this well?How do I do this in a way that expresses my own viewpoint?How do I do this in a way that impacts others?How do I impact the […]
My friends, I’m sorry. I find myself no more able to attend virtual concerts at the moment than I was able to attend physical concerts in Decembers past or earlier, when I was in the midst of twenty concerts in three weeks. Part of it is a consistent overload of […]
Tonight I heard the newly approved vaccine for COVID-19 described as a “medical miracle.” It’s not a miracle; it’s the result of millions of dollars in research, tens of thousands of minds working together and pursuing the results of years of study and discovery. It came mind-bogglingly fast, (the previous […]
Today I practiced saying, “I don’t know … but I think …” It’s a powerful statement to make, particularly to students. It’s powerful because acknowledging the real limits of our knowledge, particularly when we are in positions of authority is humanizing, builds connections, and empower students to recognize that their […]
A project finished without learning one new thing is a wasted project. I’ve been doing a lot of recording studio work this year. That was unexpected. With each project, I’ve been honing skills I developed in my college and grad school years, and then more or less rested on since. […]
Can we talk about last minute decisions? There is value in taking all the time you need to make a decision. Perhaps new information will come in and change the outcome. Perhaps the information will help a large majority come to a consensus on the right decision. But waiting until […]