arrange • compose • conduct
What is the thing professionals can do that amateurs can’t? Okay, there are a lot of things – not least, the facility on their instrument, their reliability, their reading chops, etc. Maybe the most significant skill pros have is the ability to adjust in the moment, while keeping the big […]
Everyone always talks about the work on Thanksgiving Day. I’m much more interested in the work on the day before. The day before is when the pies are made, the stuffing is prepped, the turkey is brined (if you’re making a turkey. I’m happy to not.) The day before is […]
The difference between student and professional musicians is in how they react to surprises in performance. I am sometimes asked whether I could put together our Rockford Choirs Cabaret show with student players rather than professionals. The answer is, kind of. Could they learn to play the music? Certainly? Smart, […]
One’s good. One’s bad. Before their first concerts last week, I drew on dry erase boards the word Autopilot then added a red circle with a line across it. NO AUTOPILOT. Autopilot in performance is a dangerous situation. When you’re on autopilot, you’re not reacting to the information coming to […]
I wish I could choose repertoire early. I intend to choose the music my ensembles will sing at the start of every summer. I’ll take the time to peruse stacks of rep, selecting new gems and old favorites and building a varied and musically interesting program that will enable me […]
How do you define “ready to perform”? One of the big challenges to helping young people develop their artistry is helping them move their definition of performance ready. I have had many students over the years who have considered performance ready to mean “I know the notes, rhythms, and words.” […]
Follow these two opposing instructions in sound checks. First, sing consistently like you’ll sing in concert. Don’t mark, because the sound person can’t get a reliable level if you’re marking. Second, don’t oversing. You’ll be singing a lot in a dress rehearsal/sound check, and you don’t want to overuse your […]
Cynthia Erivo is not as well known as she should be. That’s because it’s almost impossible that she could be. In my experience, every song she performs is instantly the definite and best version of that song. Three examples to prove the point: What makes Cynthia Erivo’s versions of songs […]
Every year on Tony Award night, we’re figuring out a way to tune in. And I’m always thinking about this amazing opening number from 2013: (But go find Ariana DeBose’s 2022 opening number!) I love every second of that video, but my favorite moment is this lyric: There’s a kid […]
I love it when the blobs come to life! We’re doing a bonus Cabaret this year. (get your tickets! Wednesday, June 8!) For me, that means taking an other stack of piano-vocal scores and turning them into band arrangements for a pro rhythm section. By far, the most exciting part […]