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Continuing with yesterday’s thoughts about the ensemble’s voice, I want to draw attention to two competing demands for an ensemble – two boxes that need to be simultaneously delivered upon. An ensemble must be precise. They must accurately and uniformly perform the notes and rhythms as written or taught. An […]

When I hear a great ensemble perform, I can often hear individual voices, but I can hear an additional voice that those individuals create together. It is as clear as hearing a solo singer a cappella. The ensemble has a voice. When I hear a good ensemble, I hear a […]

For most music you’re ever going to compose, a good melody is essential. But for most musicians I know, the construction of a good melody is utterly overlooked. The standard 4-semester theory sequence tends to overlook melody in favor of harmony. Counterpoint classes tend to focus on the rules of […]

Recently I’ve seen a psychological finding in several different contexts, stating that roughly 30% of humans have an authoritarian streak – meaning that: 1) a high degree of submission to the established, legitimate authorities in their society; 2) high levels of aggression in the name of their authorities; and 3) a […]

When I think about the reasons for spending rehearsal time on concert attire, I always think to Steve Zegree’s regular aphorism that “70% of the audience listen with their eyes.” (The number might fluctuate, but there is truth in this.) I think that well-chosen attire can, if nothing else, convince […]

If it’s not in tune, it doesn’t matter how emotionally connected it is. but also… If it’s not emotionally connected, it doesn’t matter how in tune it is. We in the choral education world are really good at making sure the first message is delivered. Not so good at the […]

I like to encourage my writing students to leave our lessons with a plan. What are you going to write this week? What is it going to sound like? I encourage specificity, and as much details as they can give. They might leave with a list that says homophonic slow […]

One of the most interesting traits in musical compositions is malleability. It’s anathema, perhaps, to Performance Practice-minded interpreters, but music is malleable–it can be reinterpreted to different sensibilities. But realize this: malleability is not a constant. Some songs are more malleable than others. For example, consider a song like “Autumn […]

How do you find the time to _______? You prioritize. You choose what balls to drop. You excuse yourself from “universal” cultural experiences. (Hi, Super Bowl.) You get a good night’s sleep so you are alert when you need to be. You lose sleep when something important needs to be […]

I had a long first rehearsal with members of the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus tonight, preparing for a “live to projection” performance of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Walking in, I had three main goals for the 2-1/2 hour rehearsal. Get through the whole score. We’re looking at long […]