arrange • compose • conduct
My friend told me his secret to finding a four-leaf clover is to get really good at finding three-leaf clovers. Get so good at recognizing the patterns in three-leaf clovers, and they’ll fade into the background. Suddenly the four-leaf clovers jump out for their obvious difference. Learning to lead is, […]
Algorithm : a procedure for solving a mathematical problem (as of finding the greatest common divisor) in a finite number of steps that frequently involves repetition of an operation broadly: a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end Merriam-Webster This week, my mantra has been, “I’m all about the algorithm.” […]
My son mentioned recently that any possible arrangement (there are 43 quintillion) of a Rubik’s Cube can be solved in 20 moves or less. (This is confirmed mathematically.) But it’s not the solution most of us are going to take. We’re more likely to look at a scrambled cube and […]
“What choices would the me that I want to become make?” That’s as good a motivating question as I can think of. Of course, it leads to other questions: Who do I want to become? What choices do I make unconsciously every day? How do I change entrenched choices? And […]
Ira Glass, in an interview I read a long time ago, talked about an important early step in his growth. (I’m sorry I can’t currently find the link.) He described the three weeks of full-time mixing of his own voice that it took for him to stop feeling uncomfortable listening […]
In times of upheaval, I lean on touchstones–works of art that have shaped me and the continue to be sources of inspiration, influence, and solace. It might be rereading a favorite novel, a cherished poem, a movie, or (especially often) a favorite album with a good pair of headphones. Julia […]
In times of upheaval, I lean on touchstones–works of art that have shaped me and the continue to be sources of inspiration, influence, and solace. It might be rereading a favorite novel, a cherished poem, a movie, or (especially often) a favorite album with a good pair of headphones. Touchstones […]
When you are making projects – recordings, arrangements, compositions, performances – there is a time when the work is complete but no one else has it yet. It’s an exquisite moment to be in sole possessions of your new work of art, particularly if you are feeling confident in its […]
A month and a half ago, lots of people jumped into projects with both feet. Probably too many projects. Lots of them have fallen by the wayside – too big a dip, too much work, or just too much distraction. And lots of us have now fallen into new routines. […]
If I had to add one thing to my Virtual Choir guidelines, it would be this: don’t listen back. Tell your students to let their standard be to say, “That one was good” when they finish recording, rather than one they are satisfied with when they listen back. Listening objectively […]