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I recently worked on determining two core values from this list as part of my read-along of Dr. Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead. (I did so by making a list of about 20 words from this list she provided; then I determined which two I could think of as tree trunks from […]

“Braving Trust” is the third of four parts in Dare To Lead. I personally think of trust as one of the most important areas of work in a choral ensemble, so I was delighted to reach this short and valuable chapter. This article will unpack the chapter, discuss its implications specifically […]

A week spent in a cabin with no TV, no radio, no wifi, no cell service. It was beautiful in many ways – books, games, outdoor family fun. One unexpected beauty was the simple acceptance of not knowing. I woke up every day not knowing what the temperature was going […]

It’s the human condition to desire change. No matter how lovely the conditions, a little time is all it takes to start wishing for something different. As Anders Edenroth puts it in “The Grass Grows Greener, Some say the grass grows greener on the other sideStill I knowNo matter where […]

Often times when I start writing a piece, I’ll put it in a comfortable key, with the idea that when I’m comfortable with the piece, I can adjust up or down into the right key. The problem is this: the key has an opinion. If I’m writing in E-flat, my […]

I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is to have a friendly discerning ear as you compose. If you can find a professional with deep discernment to give you some time as you write, you save yourself from the struggle of being too close to the work to really hear […]

Certain composers have such distinctiveness to their tool bag that you can recognize their style in one bar. Even if it’s not a composition but an arrangement. Even if it’s an arrangement of a composer as distinctive as Stephen Sondheim, and a song as recognizable as “Not While I’m Around.” […]

I wrote an entire series of instrumental parts for a Cabaret show today – ten in total – while still having time for lots of other things. It’s a project that would have taken me a week a decade ago. Speed picks up over time. Part of it is a […]

We’re on to Part Two of Dare To Lead. “Living Into Our Values” is about distilling our values and practicing them as leaders. This article will unpack the chapter, discuss its implications specifically for choral leaders, and then ask you the questions I’ve been asking myself as I read. “We Don’t […]

Welcome to Week 22 of The Definitive Version, a regular feature of my website. You can read more about the project here and read all past entries here. Song: “In A Sentimental Mood” (1935)Composer: Duke EllingtonLyricist:  Manny KurtzForm: AABAStandard Key: F Major / D minor Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was one of the most […]