arrange • compose • conduct
I’ve never put someone in a group. In a recent conversation, a parent thanked me “for putting my son in your group.” I brushed aside the thank you, focusing on the son and his qualities and skills. What I should have said was, “I didn’t put your son in. He […]
I don’t mean, “What’s on the agenda today?” I mean, what detail should you include in the agenda you send out? A rehearsal agenda can be as detailed as a rehearsal plan: with specific targets, timing, and strategies. It can be as vague as a list of the pieces you […]
Celebrating a 15th Anniversary comes with some difficult opposing forces. On the one hand, I want to celebrate the successes of the past, looking backward and even programming favorite repertoire from the past. That, of course, adds onto my routinely performed “Aces Standards.” On the other hand, I want to […]
How do you execute needed change most effectively? I’m embarking on the Aces Retreat this weekend. We’ve had some form of retreat every year since 2008 (except for 2020) and have been going to the current location every year since 2018. The challenge is always to balance traditions – things […]
Reliable isn’t an elite word. “A reliable automobile” isn’t how you’d describe a sports or luxury car. Reliable isn’t usually listed in top sought-after traits for leaders. But to me, being reliable is an essential part of my leadership. My students know that they can rely on me to do […]
The more detail the better. Planning rehearsals sometimes feels like my arch nemesis as a conductor. I like the flexibility to follow challenges and react in the moment to the needs of my students; I also don’t often have the mental bandwidth to reliably sit quietly and prepare for rehearsal. […]
What are your ensemble’s keywords? In preparation for the Rockford Aces’ fifteenth anniversary celebration, I asked our alumni to answer that question. I loved reading their responses and learning about what they carried with them – and how it mapped onto how I think about the ensemble. Some words that […]
This year, I’ve gotten more insistent to my students who are involved in multiple extracurriculars: I ask me to send them their sports or other schedule and a plan for equitable balance. The secret is, I often can and do look at their schedules myself. (They’re all online!) But I […]
I love the second week of school! Week One jitters have mostly subsided. The introductions and icebreaker games are behind you. There is more than just sight reading. Now is the time that you can really establish tone, rhythm, and intention with your ensembles. What you do in Week 2 […]
Where are you aiming your ensemble? I think there are valid reasons for wanting your ensemble to aim to be in the top 1% in terms of musicianship, performance, polish. There are equally valid reasons for not aiming for that. I would say that I want the Aces, a high […]