arrange • compose • conduct
I know a lot of choir directors–a lot of professionals in general–who every year try to do a little more. Add one more educational activity, add one more community-outreach performance, add one more piece to the repertoire. What if, instead of more, you focused on better? Make the moments more […]
A high school student asked me through Facebook, “When you start writing a piece, do you start with the melody line, a form of accompaniment, a thematic concept, a short musical idea to elaborate on, or something different all together?” Here’s my reply. What a big question! When I start composing, […]
And? If we win our independence? Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants? Or will the blood we shed begin an endless Cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants? From My Shot in Hamilton: An American Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda Let ours be the generation that ends that endless cycle.
What is your highest priority lesson? What is the sine qua non – the lesson that, if students graduate without learning it, you have failed at your mission? Now is the time to readjust your future day-to-day teaching to emphasize it. While you aren’t in the daily grind, look back at where you de-emphasized it, and […]
The other day I had an illuminating conversation in interruptions with my 10-year-old as he was reflecting the differences between himself and his friends, academically and socially. (X is better at math than me, but I’m better at puzzles than Y, and so on) “You know, schools are very good at making students […]
I tweeted last night, while listening to the third evening in a row of fireworks being set off at dozens of homes in our neighborhood: “We seem to have decided as a society that the arts should only be handled by professionals, but pyrotechnics are fine for amateurs.” There are so many […]
I am writing early, listen to the songbirds sing on a beautiful July 4. The birds mean a lot to me, and especially today–because they remind me of a gentleman who is a core inspiration to me as a parent, grandparent, and artist. My Pop Pop was born on the Fourth of July. […]
I’ve written before about my own lack of boredom–that I don’t even remember what it feels like to be bored. I think, though, that I’ve learned how to be bored, and how to parlay that into creativity. It’s not the boredom that’s important, it’s the willingness to hear and follow ideas. […]
Katarina Henryson has anchored The Real Group in the second position since their founding in 1984. Tonight marks her final a cappella concert with the group. After 32 years, she has a remarkable legacy of recordings (I personally own 20 different albums), live concerts (over 2,000), and lives affected by her beautiful personality and […]
Bravo to the entire operation involved in putting She Loves Me on Broadway and then live streaming it last night at BroadwayHD. Aside from some streaming problems early in the show, the show appeared flawlessly in our family room, direct from Studio 54 on Broadway. Everything about this performance was charming, from sets and costumes, choreography […]