arrange • compose • conduct
We brainstormed a list of ways to make a subito piano more striking. At least half of them related to our interpretation of the previous forte section. Dynamics are not absolute: they work in deep relationship to what’s happening around them, in terms of contrast, timbre, tone, placement in the piece, voicing, language, […]
Can we agree that “music theory” can make the subject sound a little…dry? Esoteric? Unnecessary? Here’s a better comparison. Music Theory is the Structural Engineering of music. Architects can dream up beautiful forms and dramatic lines, but without structural engineers, they can’t build them safely and effectively. (It’s been said […]
Two weeks left in 2018 – how will you use them? Traditionally we use it to look backward – a worthwhile reckoning with what we’ve accomplished or attempted. Two weeks from today, we’ll look forward – make resolutions, go on diets. There’s value in both, and there’s something to be […]
I do guided listenings every December in which we listen to multiple performances/arrangements of the same song. It’s a fascinating education in arrangement, interpretation, timbre, and ensemble. (More here, here, here, here.) My takeaway from tonight’s listening is about knowing your line. We listened to eight different choral/vocal arrangements of Silent Night […]
Welcome to Week 15 of The Definitive Version, a new weekly feature of my website. You can read more about the project here and read all past entries here. Song: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (1944) Composer: Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane Lyricist: Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane Form: AABA Standard Key: Most […]
Freshness is a passing things. A fresh bunch of bananas turns brown in a week, and a fresh batch of cookies is gone in a few days. (At least, around my kids it is…) The opposite of fresh in the kitchen is pantry-safe. Staples, we call them. Dry beans, pasta, […]
I would ask for a moment of silence to remember the storytelling singer Nancy Wilson but I can’t stop listening to her beautiful recordings. She brought to her interpretations such sophistication, such compelling artistry and connection to the story inside the songs. Making the rounds today is her stirring, utterly […]
When you are doing warmups, try to get out of your usual rehearsal standing arrangement. I’m particularly interested in using a “zipped circle” to focus on vowel and timbre matching. Have the choir form a circle, and then, like a zipper, come together into two rows facing each other. Now, […]
Most music students I’ve known go through and intermediate phase on their way to being musically literate. During this phase, they know what the middle line on treble clef is, but fail to take into account the accidentals or key signature. “What note are you singing there?” “B.” “B….?” “Oh, […]
The group chat is full of students reporting their 5 minutes of practicing – their personal goals are 5 min X 5 days/week. Here are five ways to make mini-practices like this more effective. Don’t try to practice the whole song. Circle spots when you’re in rehearsal, and return to […]