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I only want the world for Christmas. The blue-green, forever turning World for Christmas, Nothing more, nothing less, I want it for keeps and I promise to share, So that everyone who wants can cuddle and care. I only want the world for Christmas. The blue-green, forever turning World for […]

I’ve said a bunch of times this December, “Friends don’t let friends use the radio for their Christmas playlist.” I know a lot of people with great and specific taste in music who will nevertheless turn to the local 24-7 Christmas radio station to determine what “Seasonal Favorites” they get to hear. […]

The longest night of the year is just about over (sorry, southern-hemisphere readers). From here, days will start to grow longer, bit by bit – even as the weather gets colder (presumably – my forecasted high is 61ºF today!) Here are three choral versions of Silent Night to enjoy at the conclusion of […]

Twice a year I get to unite current and past members of my choir. First came the spring concert, which we close every year with our version of Stand By Me, combining the current group and all alums. For the last three years, though, it has been the Aces Christmas party I […]

I have a job I love with work to keep me occupied every available moment. I’m not busy. I have three amazing, brilliant, demanding sons and the best wife. I’m not busy. I have projects I don’t quite have time for, that I’m necessarily ignoring until I can give them proper attention. […]

Spoiler Alert: Absolute pitch has virtually no impact in your future musical success. Right now, there’s a video going viral of a kid with absolute or “perfect” pitch undergoing “the hardest ear training test of all time.” Absolute pitch is the ability to recognize pitches the way you or I recognize colors. Practice and some vestigial brain […]

I have several students preparing for music school auditions. You probably do, too. The next two weeks of school vacation are crucial in their final preparation. In my experience, students overwhelmingly squander them. Here’s what I want to say to them: You are letting fear win. You are choosing the quality of your audition. I […]

It’s your last day of school before a well-deserved break. I’m taking a few minutes to reflect, as I often do at mile-markers like this one. What have we done well so far? What will we want to refocus on when we get back to rehearsal? What do I love about my job? […]

It’s Star Wars opening night; it’s also the night of our choir concert. My wife had to start warning students in October that Star Wars isn’t a valid reason to miss the concert. There are showings literally every 15-30 minutes at our local theater this weekend. There are two kinds of communal activities we can experience: […]

Alice Parker is a living American treasure. Today she celebrates her 90th birthday. I’ve written before about her influence on me, both as a musician and as a person. If you aren’t familiar with her work, get familiar. Read one of her books. Stage one of her operas. At the very least, dig deep into […]