arrange • compose • conduct
“I apologize for such a long letter – I didn’t have time to write a short one.” Mark Twain Clarity of thinking – knowing what you want to say, how you want to say it, and why it’s important – comes over time. You can’t expect it to come easily. […]
Do you know the scene in Despicable Me 2 when the hero, Gru, follows his nemesis, El Macho to his secret lair? El Macho decodes the door by dancing across plates that play out “La Cucaracha,” a la the classic game Simon. When Gru follows, not knowing the code, he […]
“Why is this important to know?” is a question I almost never remember asking in high school. If it was something that could be know, I wanted to know it – that was enough why for me! Even then, there were a lot of people wiser than me asking why […]
I think the key to succeeding in math classes was to do enough problems to see the patterns. Then, when confronted with a new problem, you can say, “I’ve solved a problem like that.” And while the path might be different, it isn’t that different. There’s an element of that […]
The key to sight reading might be to increase the number of chances to try and radically decrease the chances of a student feeling like a failure. I stood next to my son today during a funeral service, and when the second verse came around, I remembered how I learned […]
There are three kind of repertoire: Standards. These are the pieces you’ve conducted enough times that you can correct the mistakes before they’re made. Pieces You Know Well. Maybe you’ve conducted it before, maybe you studied it in depth in a choral lit class or by listening to that one […]
I actually quite enjoy making part recordings. I like getting inside the music in a different way. I like finding out what the pitfalls are before my students find them. I like the work involved in creating something of use for my students. I like using my skills and gear […]
This school year is easier and harder than last year. Everyone I talk to seems to agree. It’s easier because we’re closer to normal interaction; there are concerts, regular rehearsals, and more of the normal events we associate with the school year. It’s easier because we can connect as humans […]
A choir always needs more leaders coming from within the ensemble. But there’s more than one way to be a leader! Section Leader. Know your parts, lead extra rehearsals, be the one to ask questions for your section. Hey Guys! Leader. Speak up, call out, and generally police the ensemble […]
Music has power beyond our imagination. Watch this amazing story from 60 Minutes, detailing the amazing Tony Bennett’s final performances, this summer at Radio City Music Hall with Lady Gaga. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease five years ago, and his memory is greatly deteriorated – but watch what happens […]