arrange • compose • conduct
The tone used in vocal jazz is generally lighter. (I use “lighter” advisedly: the tone is not “breathy,” “thin,” or “unsupported.”) It’s one of the most misunderstood aspects of the style, and something that is constantly under scrutiny by vocalists and educators not conversant in the style. Why is vocal […]
Christine Guter made a point to call the members of the All-State Jazz Choir “professionals” or “young professionals” this past weekend, and to hold them to a standard of professionalism that was likely well beyond what they were accustomed to. It’s a reminder to me that we become professional when […]
I’m always bringing back a few tips, tricks, or expressions from a conferences that I want to incorporate into my own teaching. A good warmup, a good mindset, a good new way of teaching a concept. This year, what I’m bringing back from the conference, more than anything else, is […]
The brain processes while we sleep. It can lead to miraculous results, in the right circumstances. I watched the Michigan All-State Jazz Choir start every morning having moved forward as an ensemble from where they were the previous evening. They literally got better in their sleep! Part of this was […]
“Is it okay to make mistakes?” she asked. “No!” (she answered her own question.) “But seriously, in performance, is it okay to make mistakes?” The students started nodding. “NO!” “All right, don’t make mistakes, but if you have to it’s okay, right?” “NO!!!” She went on, “It’s okay to make […]
Clare Fischer grew up close to where I live, in Grand Rapids Michigan, and came to be one of the most important voices in contemporary harmony and arranging. He died ten years ago today. You can remember him fondly for his work as arranger and pianist for The Hi-Lo’s (like […]
The only way to memorize anything is repetition. (I generally repeat this until my students memorize it.) So, as I said to my students today, get your reps in! If you know it’s going to take a certain amount of repetitions to get to memorized, there can be no good […]
I’ve begun incorporating a solo project into my winter semester with Shades of Blue. It’s a good opportunity to explore beyond ensemble singing, and a new experience for most of my students, who don’t get other opportunities to sing jazz in an authentic solo way. Step 1 is for each […]
One of the things I have missed most about in-person conferencing is that my ideas get to cross-pollinate. They get to mix and mingle with other ideas, and I come back with novel fruits to share with my students. It can happen in lecture sessions, in concert sessions, even in […]
With each new project I create as a composer or arranger, I have a few personal goals for growth (beyond crafting a good piece, with clear notation, that suits the ensemble I’m writing for, etc.). Do Less. For the arrangement I’m currently finishing, I’ve had three arrangements worth of ideas. […]