arrange • compose • conduct
There is a very steep learning curve to setting up a sound system in a new space. If you’re a sound-intensive group, like a vocal jazz ensemble or an a cappella group, it’s very likely that you’re going to sing out of tune when the system first goes on in […]
I’ve decided not to wait until I can give anything my undivided attention. My attention is always divided. So is yours. Between current projects, upcoming projects, housework, lessons plans, score study, kids’ health, and 1,000 other things, I never have undivided attention. Instead, I do what I can. I allow […]
“The Beatles made better recordings than you’ll ever make on worse equipment than you’ll ever use.” John Campos My recording teacher at Western Michigan University had a way with words – he surely put things in perspective in this oft-repeated line. It’s true – just as it’s true that Mozart […]
Don’t pursue your dream…is something I’d never say. I’ve seen enough success–and failure–stories to know that I am not ably to reliably predict what someone’s career trajectory will look like. Actually, I’ve seen enough to know that I don’t think anyone can. Actually, I think the “don’t pursue your dream,” […]
As my composition students work hard to shape strong melodies, I try to remind them to have faith in the next melody. It takes pressure off of my current project to know that there will always be another melody. I still try to craft the piece I am working on […]
If you listen to Bobby McFerrin’s collected recordings in chronological order, you will find an artist who reinvented his musical approach with each album. Here are his albums just from the 1990’s: 1990: Medicine Music. a cappella group vocals with original songs, in collaboration with his Voicestra. 1992: Play. Live […]
When you’re preparing concert programs, what information should you include? There are four tiers of detail you can consider including. Tier One – Title Only The Surrey With The Fringe On Top Tier Two – Title and Composer The Surrey With The Fringe On Top…………..Richard Rodgers (this is incredibly common) […]
Greek thinkers separated love into multiple varieties, rather than the single overarching word we have in English. Much has been written about these different types of love. The choir can be a great place to explore the love that the Greeks called philia, which is often translated in English as […]
My son made custom Valentines for his classmates – assigning them to a Greek God and sketching a symbol for each. I sat and helped him with inking the drawings – tracing his sketches and then erasing the original pencil. It’s so satisfying to remove all of those rough sketch […]
Priya Parker often says that the best gatherings have “a specific, disputable purpose.” That the purpose is disputable is essential to creating meaning, because an indisputable purpose is going to give rise to gatherings where little growth can occur among the participants. If everyone agrees, no one can grow. I […]