How To Be a Great Teacher During a Pandemic
I thought I’d break down the steps to being a great teacher during a pandemic in a lunch note for my wife. That’s all there is to it. That’s all there ever is to it.
Egoless Singing
I should have listened more vigilantly to those recordings from my voice lessons. Not because they would have helped make me a better singer – though surely they would have. No, I should have listened because I would have put in more hours towards egoless singing. The self-protective ego can […]
Tom Lehrer Songs
I make no secret of my admiration for Tom Lehrer – an admiration that I came by naturally, thanks to my dad’s love, which followed his introduction to Lehrer’s first record by his sister, who heard Lehrer around Harvard in the early ’50s. Simply put, Tom Lehrer is the most […]
Humanize
The most important job of arts educators isn’t to prepare students for careers in the arts (though I’m proud when former students do pursue arts careers). The most important job of arts educators isn’t to ensure our students make art a vital part of their life journey (though I tell […]
Self-Directed
“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 […]
More Bars
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 […]
Songs for Rainy Days
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. […]
Singing Concurrently
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 […]
Middlegame
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 […]
Keep Doing It
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 […]