arrange • compose • conduct
“Self-directed” is one of my my favorite traits. It’s a trait I seek to cultivate in myself, and to praise and encourage in my students (and my children!). The thing is, being self-directed is much easier when you are committed to the task. Commitment is a prerequisite for self-direction. Maybe […]
Composition lessons are generally full of careful feedback – I try to mix positive and constructive responses, while always being mindful that I, the teacher, shouldn’t force my own musical vision onto the student. But sometimes the best feedback to give is simply, “More bars.” Write more. Write more. Write […]
Two songs for rainy days. Sometimes on a rainy day, you want to feel the sunlight that you know is behind the rainclouds. In that case, the joyous combination Count Basie Band’s playing and Ella’s singing will take you there. Other times, you simply want to be in the rain. […]
Let’s make sure we clarify the difference between singing concurrently and being an ensemble. Singing concurrently is about projecting. Being an ensemble is about listening. Singing concurrently is about confidence. Being an ensemble is about humility. Singing concurrently is mechanical. Being an ensemble is affirming and soul-filling. The best some […]
Chess offers infinite variations and joys – it rewards strategic thinking, study, and repetition. I’m especially interested in the lesson it gives about the muddy middle of the game, and of any project. Since middlegame positions are unique from game to game, memorization of theoretical variations is not possible as […]
If you want to get better at something, keep doing it. Slow down – it’s hard to do something well and quickly at first. When you’re embarrassed, or frustrated, with your artistic output, I take that as a sign that you have standards, and want to reach them. Then the […]
If I added a trait to the Scout Law, it would be Curious. I understand why they didn’t include it. Curiosity is chaotic. Being curious brings doubt, brings unintended growth, brings challenges to authority. Being curious is chaotic, but it’s essentially human. The best achievements of humankind have been made […]
My son and I play what we’ve come to call “The Doodle Game” whenever he’s home sick from school. It’s simple: one of us draws the same doodle on two pieces of paper. We each take one and “finish” the doodle into a drawing. Sometimes we might put a limit […]
The longer I teach, the more I see ghosts. I see teenagers in my rehearsals who are now in their thirties, raising kids and in established careers. I rehearse pieces and can hear other groups from other years with their own interpretations. I don’t talk about these shades of the […]
Teachers, I beg you ramp up your self-care now. Everything about teaching right now feels impossible. Fully Remote Teaching: Impossible.Hybrid Teaching: Impossible.In-Person Teaching: Impossible. It all feels impossible. And so you are doing the impossible, day after day. It takes extra support to do the impossible, and with the sheer […]