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Choir retreats can be a lot of things – I can especially vouch for that, since my family has been involved in five over the last five weekends. Choir retreats build: Emotional connection Vulnerability Trust Philosophical perspective Commonality Technical understanding Musicianship skills Note that none of the above specifically reference […]

The great joy – and great challenge – of choral music education is that it’s always new. You will never program a concert with exactly the same repertoire as what you’re currently working on. And even if you did, the specific challenges, interpretations, and student reactions would all change. You […]

Personal Bibliography: Arranging & Composition Click here for my complete Personal Bibliography. Ades, Hawley. Choral Arranging. Aces with the staff arranger for Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. Despite being written in the 1960’s, the fundamental logic and understanding of voices has not changed, and is applicable to any style. Betinis, […]

Starting a new piece when you’re new always feels weighty. Serious. Important. I often say that the best thing about your first piece is your second piece, but even more than that, there are two great things about finishing 100 pieces: You know what you’re doing. You have far less […]

The classic David Mamet script Glengarry Glen Ross features a memorable speech (delivered by Alec Baldwin in the movie) about selling that includes the line “Always be closing.” Choirs, who don’t need to worry about closing a sale, should instead be sure to always be memorizing. Memorization always comes too late in […]

“You know what your choir should do to fundraise? Do more performances in the community! It’s a lot easier to do a 15-30 minute performance to raise a couple hundred bucks than to sell cookie dough or wrapping paper!” – Many People Here’s a breakdown of the reality of these […]

Great education is playful. I don’t mean that it’s just “playing games.” Playing games can be beneficial, but it can’t be the sole source of education. I don’t mean that it’s just “having fun.” As Bobby sings, “for those who have been trained by it, no discipline seems pleasant at […]

One of the best things the choir program I’m a (small) part of does is hold an annual Freshman Retreat. Attendees come from multiple choirs, which is what makes it special. Freshmen choir students attend, but so do the junior-senior Chamber Singers, as counselors, guides, and participants all in one. […]

Personal Bibliography: Education (Music & Otherwise) Click here for my complete Personal Bibliography. Godin, Seth. Stop Stealing Dreams (or here as a printable PDF). Seth Godin delivers a manifesto about education. It’s powerful, and it makes you want to stand up and help make a change. Goldsworthy, Anna. Piano Lessons. This beautiful memoir […]