arrange • compose • conduct
My son brought home this inspirational video from the 2006 independent movie Facing the Giants. I think that what makes the scene an inspirational video is a combination of seeing a human achieve an extraordinary physical feat (never mind that it probably wasn’t filmed as such) and that the player […]
We’re in the midst of a run of three Collage Concert performance in which my ensemble, the Aces, sing two pieces. They’ve already performed the pieces at the choir Holiday Concert and at a runout concert, so they’re becoming increasingly confident and polished. One blessing of the too-many-concert weeks that […]
Global climate change is without a doubt the biggest social challenge our species is currently facing. Actually, it’s the biggest challenge we’ve ever faced as a species. We all need to get involved. Not just the elected officials, not just the advocates. We all. Including the artists. Maybe especially the […]
Eric Whitacre does many wonderful things with his success and fame, but I think the best thing he’s done is to initiate his Teacher of the Week. He honors a teacher – any level, anywhere in the world – based on nominations submitted to his site. It’s exactly right to […]
A lot has been written about the insufficiency of our notation system, and a lot more could be written. (For a great essay about it, check the last chapter of The Anatomy of Melody by Alice Parker.) But there is one particular notation that I feel increasingly in need of […]
One of the skills I most wish for my ensembles is the skill of being in the moment. That is, being responsive to exactly what’s happening, subtly or dramatically shifting interpretation based on the inputs you receive from the audience and your fellow singers. I wonder whether the best music […]
5 minutes a day X 5 days a week is our practice goal for the Rockford Aces, the high school TTBB group I conduct. The last two weeks have seen a real corner turn in terms of how many of the thirteen of them are committing to that goal – […]
My sole tenor in GRCC Shades of Blue was home sick today with stomach flu – unable to come to our final concert of the semester tonight. Here are the lessons I learned along the way today. Vocal jazz singers are resilient. They’ve worked so hard to master their very […]
There are two primary definitions of the verb “practice,” and the one you’re thinking of is its second definition. The second definition is “to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient.” That’s what music educators are usually talking about. But the first definition is “to carry out, […]
I had a great experience with a PA this week where she made a quick diagnosis of an allergy before she ever did any medical tests. Small talk conversation and a few pieces of information and she was able to diagnose, then confirm very quickly. We, the family, were too […]