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In the end, the most important reminder from most conferences is, “I am not alone.” Music teachers almost invariably work in isolation: the only music teacher in your building; the only choral teacher in your district. I am almost always alone in the studio. At a music conference, you’re around your people. Hundreds of musicians […]

Last week I finished my setting of “Once More A-Lumbering Go”, a Michigan lumberjack song, for the Michigan Educators Male Ensemble. They’ll be premiering it in March at the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses Centennial Seminar. In light of my recent work reading and studying with Alice Parker, I decided to incorporate some of her […]

You spend the first third of your career hustling for more work. Trying to do more and fill the spaces between gigs. At a certain point, the “work more” mindset becomes a hindrance, though. I don’t want to be busier. I want to keep doing the kind of work I do, but better. A […]

Creating, encouraging, and enabling self-direction in my ensemble is one of the best things I did. It was accidental. When I wanted to grow the performance level of my choir, I knew Monday nights alone wouldn’t cut it. But I couldn’t be at a second after-school rehearsal. My family commitments […]

Yesterday we got the news that Katarina Henryson, founder and 30+ year alto for The Real Group, is leaving in July to pursue other musical journeys. Meanwhile, a fellow music teacher told me recently that after 35 years of teaching, and a plan for 5-10 more as recently as last year, he’s now […]

Is music education important? It’s a question that demands cognitive dissonance. We’re big people; we can hold two thoughts in our head at once. On a list that includes global climate change, nuclear deals, human trafficking, presidential elections, gun violence, and all the other stories that make news headlines, music education doesn’t make the top-50. In […]

Twice in the last few weeks I’ve been able to call on people to evaluate my most precious work – my musical writing. They both held two traits that made it worth the emotional risk. First, they had my trust. I knew their critiques would be completely about the work, because I know without a doubt […]

Three times this week, I’ve had people reach out to me and say, “you wrote just what I needed to hear today.” As an introvert, it takes courage every day to click publish and send my words into the world. One reason I do it is because occasionally I say the right […]

I found myself saying this to my son last night, as he was plotting how to get a better handle on being proactive with his responsibilities. He wants to be very on top of things, but he doesn’t have the skills yet. You can have an inclination for being organized, but in the […]

Most kitchens of good cooks have piles of great cooking tools: whisks of various sizes, wooden spoons and spatulas, ladles, slotted spoons, and more. A dozen or more knives of various sizes and designs. Most kitchens of great cooks have a few well-chosen tools that serve every purpose the cook intends. Three […]