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During rehearsal last night, I misremembered a quote in a TV news story. Here’s how I stated it, as a jumping-off point. “It’s not teachers’ job to tell us how to think.” That’s a misquote, but a useful place to start in discussing metacognition and the value of cognitive dissonance. Here’s the letter I wrote late […]

The next month or so is the Choral Month. I mean it in two ways. First, this is the month everyone wants to hear choirs sing. A well-placed Silent Night or Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is exactly what people are seeking right now. Nostalgia, sentimentality, long memories: these combine to make people […]

Over the last 30+ years of being involved in education (on one side or the other), I can’t remember a time when I didn’t come down with MiniBreak Fever after a hiatus longer than 4 days. MiniBreak Fever symptoms include: Certainty that you no longer know what you’re doing. Feeling so far behind […]

I am always on the lookout for examples of men using their head voice effectively. A well-developed head voice is one of the biggest keys to a vibrant and healthful TTBB choir sound. Students need to hear and assimilate this vocal technique. Which is why I’m so happy that Leslie Odom, Jr.’s star has […]

Sometimes the world seems against you. The journey may leave a scar, But scars can heal and reveal Just who you are. The people you love will change you, The things you have learned will guide you, And nothing on Earth can silence The quiet voice still inside you. – I Am […]

I enter this day overwhelming thankful for my musical community, who do so much to inspire me, teach me. I have a big, loving family with whom I am spending this day, but I am doubly blessed to have an even bigger musical family all over the country, and indeed the world. By […]

Note: this is the eigth of a series of posts investigating the leadership style of John Wooden and its applicability to choral music education. John Wooden’s third block in the second tier of his Pyramid of Success is INITIATIVE. Wooden says, “Failure to act is often the biggest failure of all. Initiative is the ability to act. Simple […]

I finished my last rehearsal before break with two attempts at connection. Reminding them of their connection with some Thanksgiving sharing. What are you looking forward to over break? What is your favorite food? Hearing that your choir neighbor is looking forward to seeing a cousin they never get to see, or that […]

With strongly held views, we are all liable to ignore evidence to the contrary. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to avoid this trap, and I think it comes down to one simple question. What would it take to make you change your mind? I ask myself the question often, and […]

There is often a box on an audition form that reads something like this: I will accept any role offered   YES [] NO [] (If no, please explain) I am firmly in the camp of accepting any role. Perhaps the opportunity being offered isn’t what you’d hoped for or believe […]