arrange • compose • conduct
Alice Parker is one of the wisest, most settled musicians I’ve ever spent time with. She knows what works for her, knows what her opinions are, and knows how to express what she hears in her mind. That’s what has made it all the more inspiring, in my time with […]
How do you help students be both self-critical and proud of their performance? I want you to be constructively critical of your work leading up to a concert. That’s how you get better. I also want you to be proud of what you’ve done in the concert, regardless of what […]
The three things I am communicating with my students as they begin a concert without me: I am PROUD of you. I TRUST you. I EXPECT excellence from you. These are all positive, constructive emotions that help to bring out the best in students without demeaning them. No matter what, […]
When you’re blindsided by illness at an inconvenient time, you’ll be glad you followed these simple steps ahead of time. Build autonomy into your ensemble from day 1. Make sure they can survive without you. Build extra prep time into your rehearsal schedule, so you’re not slammed at the last […]
More and more, I think this is my most important job. More important than my musical insights or expertise. More important than my rehearsal plan or preparation before and after rehearsal. More important than the part recordings, piano skills, or vocal technique lessons. It comes down to this: my students […]
Having a guest clinician in front of your choir is like having a good proofreader. Anything longer than two sentences, I want a proofreader. It’s not because I think I’m a poor writer – I’ve got a handle on the basics. It’s simply this: mistakes creep into everyone’s writing. We […]
Why do we prefer performances without concentration face? It’s okay to be able to tell a performer is working hard, but it has long been clear to me that audiences prefer performances that look effortless. Part, I think, is relatively recent: just as presidential candidates had to be “good on […]
What makes a song Christmasy? A few years ago, someone wrote an article arguing it was a mi7(b5) that made a song Christmasy. That’s just silly. Sure, there has to be a lyrical connection to Christmas…but I admit there are some Swedish-language songs that feel very Christmasy to me, even […]
There are three reasons you think a subject matter is boring. You’re not in the right headspace to absorb it. Tired, stressed, distracted. It isn’t in a realm of knowledge/insight that is attractive to you. We all have subjects that interest us more, especially as time goes on and we […]
‘Tis the season. The season of no reflection. We’re talking dress rehearsals, back-to-back (or overlapping!) performances, holiday parties that call for caroling, end-of-semester grades, Christmas shopping, weather challenges, and more. Amidst that, there’s no time for reflection, taking the time to consider what happened and what’s about to happen. Now, […]