arrange • compose • conduct
I love how the combination of effort, passion, and time can forge new strength. And like every musician I know, I have always focused on my weaknesses, not my strengths – because that’s what I need to spend time on. But it’s worth reflecting, when the time is right, on […]
Watch or read about leading chess players, and you’ll soon come to understand that they don’t need the board. The real game of chess is happening in their head – where they can move pieces about, recall similar layouts from past games, and generally manipulate the game in ways you […]
“The score is just a starting point,” I heard myself say in a guest clinic this afternoon. And I believe that’s really true. It’s certainly true in the vocal jazz world, where all sorts of articulations, stylistic elements, and changes can and should be made by the ensemble. It’s true […]
There are things that can (or must!) be done far in advance. Programming. Booking venues. Selecting dates. There are things that can (or must!) be done near to the last minute. Choosing soloists. Concert promotion. Fine tuning of pieces and program order. There are things that can be done at […]
When I have trouble finding what I want to write, I often remind myself to make it specific. I am much more able to write if I’m writing to someone. Writing to a colleague, a student, a mentor. Writing a personal story, sharing advice or words of encouragement just for […]
I’ve developed the habit of creating a few secret signs I can give my singers to give a message that isn’t easily communicated with a conducting gesture. Agreed upon in advance, I can use these to encourage better performance – before or even during their singing. A couple of examples: […]
Traditions. Songs sung every year. Favorite memories shared, supporters honored, awards presented. Seniors saluted. Those are the hallmarks of a final concert, to me. The joy is in a little bit of predictability – the routine makes the goodbye a little more real, and a little easier to handle. Traditions […]
In the modern social-media announcement/event world, I like to remind my students that nothing beats an in-person invitation. I tell them that in the week before our end-of-year concert, I won’t have very many human interactions where the concert doesn’t come up. The bank, the grocery store, the dry cleaners: […]
One of the hardest part about teaching is this: you can’t choose when. You can’t choose when the big, overarching lessons are going to get learned. You can offer all of the tools, you can give lectures, one-on-one feedback, cajole, criticize, praise, and teach your heart out. You can accelerate […]
As I’ve worked hard to disengage from my ensemble, and allow them to take more ownership of the music, I realized something. Don’t make eye contact. The truth is, a conductor who has a strong a relationship with his or her ensemble can express much musical direction directly through the […]