arrange • compose • conduct
The Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Servi, a Gothic cathedral in Bologna, is a lovely place for an impromptu concert. The Rockford Choirs sang there on Saturday, March 31. Over the altar hung three large chandeliers full of what must have been dozens CFL light bulbs (not genuine Gothic, perhaps, but […]
There’s a long and storied tradition of vocalese in jazz – the writing of new lyrics to recorded jazz solos. It gave singers the opportunity to tackle first bebop, and then more current, instrumental phrasing without scatting, and gave us many beautiful lyrics courtesy of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, Mark […]
I designed an ongoing recording project for my students with a fundraising feedback – so the next project will always be funded. After kickstarting the costs for the first record, we were able to use sales from the first CD to cover costs for the second. We’ve recorded and released […]
Choral educators: no one else is going to let the world know the value of what you do. You’re too busy? Guess what, so is everyone else: your principal, your superintendent, your colleagues, your booster board, your students, your accompanist. They’re all too busy to get the word out, and […]
Being an April Fool means being gullible. There’s certainly an argument to be said that having childlike innocence and trust is a liability in dealing with other human beings. But overall, I think the benefits of being an April Fool outweigh the drawbacks. Cultivate trust. Believe the people you love. […]
Today would be the eighty-ninth birthday of master arranger Gene Puerling. Gene grew up in a golden age of harmony singing, and he synthesized every innovation that preceded him into his work in two amazing groups, The Hi-Lo’s and The Singers Unlimited. His particular harmonic language, his sensitivity to melody […]
Do the hard part first. If you can just remind yourself of that every day, and follow through regularly, then you’ll find success is approachable. Once you start, it’s a downhill journey, picking up speed.
Stage (pronounced with a long-a) is a tradition in high-end chef apprenticeship. An aspiring chef will take her day off to stage in a restaurant she wants to learn from. The quid pro quo is this: you learn our restaurant-specific skills and techniques, and in return your receive the restaurant received your […]
As I near the end of my first year teaching at Grand Rapids Community College, there is much to celebrate – great music sung, concepts mastered, and friendships made. More and more I feel that I’ve been preparing for this job for many, many years and I’m so excited that […]
Building a legacy in your choir takes time, and comes with many benefits. When you see an established music teacher with twenty-plus years in a school, you will often hear remarkably sophisticated musical performance. One of the things you are hearing is the legacy. The effort that educator paid into […]