arrange • compose • conduct
Great art comes from specific conditions. It can be a specific ensemble or performer, a specific message from the creator. It can be a specific story to tell, a specific theatre to perform in, a specific time in your life. Stephen Sondheim says in the revue Sondheim on Sondheim, “If you ask […]
Music-making is sweeter when it comes from a place of gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity. For the music. For the fellowship. For the collaborators, supporters, audience, leadership, composer. Remember the spirit of gratitude that you cultivate on Thanksgiving, and try to carry it into the music you make year-round. Some past […]
Human beings carry inertia. We like the ruts we’re in. Even when we don’t like the ruts we’re in, we like the ruts we’re in. As educators, we try to change habits, to affect inertia, one minute step at a time. And that is important – the culture of my […]
Music preparation is never static. Even a few weeks without rehearsal can profoundly affect the level of performance of the most polished pieces. The most challenging music requires daily interaction to be performance-ready. Students can easily forget the dynamic nature of music preparation. It’s worth occasionally revisiting previously-performed music in rehearsal, to give students a concrete […]
Rehearsals while sick can be a blessing. No matter what role you are in the ensemble. As a singer, you can take notes and listen, often learning more than you usually do in rehearsal. Even if you can’t sing a note, being at a rehearsal can be so beneficial. As […]
The Beatles are rightly praised for many things they did well as a performers, as collaborators, and as composers. One thing they aren’t praised enough for is their brilliant harmony singing. Today it seems we have two tracks – the harmony group, a.k.a. boy band, that sings bland pop music, and […]
As someone who primarily works with student musicians, I always appreciate the chance to collaborate with professionals – it makes me up my own game, and I always learn from watching them work together. I left last night’s rehearsal with a pro rhythm section impressed with how quickly and intuitively they reacted to […]
At every stage in a creative career, you need to be able to say “I don’t know where this is going” – and then keep working. In a culture of lockstep education, of factory-modeled jobs, of paint-by number culture, it’s increasingly difficult to say “I don’t know where this is going” and not […]
Students learn at different speeds; too often we can lose the fast movers as we continue to teach notes to the ones who struggle a little more. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. We only lose those bright students because they’ve been taught through lockstep education to do what is expected […]
Students regularly need to change teachers, find a different mentor. It happens in private lessons, it happens in creative and in academic subjects at every level. The wise teacher and the wise student both understand not to blame the material. And they know not to blame themselves or each other. […]