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I’ve been at home, watching friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram share their transcendent experiences at the ACDA 2015 National Conference. Of course I’m disappointed not to be with them, however I’ve been pleasantly surprised not to be feeling envy or bitterness at their posts. Quite the opposite. Mudita is defined in […]

Seth Godin said this in a recent live Q&A for his new book What To Do When It’s Your Turn. Markets tend to overpay for things that are short-term and easily measured. And just because the market decided to pay for it today doesn’t mean it’s important. […] Vincent Van Gogh basically sold no art […]

When was the last time you watched someone teach? Great teaching relies on a huge number of skills honed over years of practice. And whether you are a first-year teacher or a master collegiate conductor, you can get better. But almost no one gets to see other experts practice their art. We are all […]

I started writing an #ACDA2015 must-see list: what I would absolutely not miss if I were at the ACDA National Conference in Salt Lake City. I tried to limit it to four, then five. OK, six. That worked for the first day of the conference. By the second day, I was already […]

The ACDA 2015 National Conference starts in just two days in Salt Lake City. While I won’t be attending this year’s conference, I have many colleagues who are and want to share some previews. Today: Composers & Arrangers at the Conference As a composer/arranger and avid commissioner of new works, I’m […]

The ACDA 2015 National Conference starts in just two days in Salt Lake City. While I won’t be attending this year’s conference, I have many colleagues who are and want to share some previews. Today: Men’s Choirs at the Conference I’ve been directing men’s choirs almost exclusively for twelve years; […]

The ACDA 2015 National Conference starts in just three days in Salt Lake City. While I won’t be attending this year’s conference, I have many colleagues who are and want to share some previews. Today: Vocal Jazz at the Conference Vocal jazz has a spotted history at both choral and […]

From a discussion recently in Rockford Aces rehearsal: Write “Entertainment” and “Art” on opposite sides of the page, and a line connecting them. Now place the following things on that line: The arrangements of Alice Parker The arrangements of Deke Sharon The Hi-Lo’s N’Sync Seussical The Musical Into The Woods […]

I often think of arranging a song as a puzzle. You’re given a melody and original harmony, and you have to figure out a logical solution with acceptable voice leading, chord structure, bass line, balance, voicing, rhythmic interest, faithfulness to the original, creative departure from the past, needs of the […]

When you really don’t feel like it, do your daily practice anyway. Usually when you get the urge to quit, it’s because there are troubles happening in other part of your life. Perhaps a longtime friend is sick. Maybe your car broke down. You didn’t get to say goodbye to […]