arrange • compose • conduct
“I stumbled over this good idea, and it had legs.” It’s not the most elegant image, or the most self-aggrandizing, but maybe it’s the most accurate for how you end up leading a new project, starting something new or innovative.
What words would you use to describe your mindset on the days when you do your best musical work? Here are a few: Curious Generous Insightful Creative Prepared Spontaneous Inspired Here are some words that probably aren’t on your list: Certain Well-Rested Unstressed Up to date on current events Perfect Order your […]
The best way to get out of bed is to put your feet on the ground. Sometimes as you’re waking up, you might think of all the things you’ll have to do, once you get up, and freeze. Stop. Don’t think of everything. Just put your feet on the ground. […]
We all have that one teacher – the one you think of when someone asks you to name a standout teacher who changed you. I have four or five off the top of my head, and easily another ten who profoundly affected me in ways small and large. But whenever […]
The best rehearsals aren’t the ones when the conductor is most intentionally intense. The best rehearsals are the ones when the conductor can surf the waves of attention. Our attention always ebbs and flows, and not always predictably. An overly controlling conductor seeks to dictate the attention, fighting against the natural […]
One of the first Latin expressions you learn in Latin I is “caveat emptor”: buyer beware. But just as important is the flip side of the coin: non-buyer beware. Both are important to keep in mind when considering commissioning new music for your ensemble. Buyer Beware: Not every commission is a smooth […]
Are your students keyed into their own aural awareness? In other words: are they keeping their ears open? In music, nothing would seem more natural, but in fact, lack of aural awareness is a consistent challenge – for young musicians, certainly, but even for many adults. Without open ears, we […]
Here are a few things that I want you to say at the end of a year singing in my ensemble: I worked hard. I was respected by my fellow singers and my conductor/teacher. I made and achieved musical goals. I personally affected the music made by the ensemble. I […]
A group was having trouble with a portion of an arrangement I had done, and called today for advice. After some back and forth, we settled on an approach that we thought would work. But in the process, I discovered that the biggest stumbling block was the block of text I had used in the score. […]
Should I add this new event/experience/opportunity to my choir’s calendar? To answer yes, it should have to pass this New Event Test: Does it enhance the musical education of my students? …or… Does it enhance the character education of my students? …or… Does it provide a unique experience my choir is well-placed to offer? …or… […]