arrange • compose • conduct
I’m a firm and outspoken believer that commissioning new works should be part of a thriving choral program. What is the meta-lesson students get from being a part of this process? There are many. New art is created because we participate in its creation. Music is fluid – the draft we start with might not […]
Nitty-gritty rehearsal: you know ’em, you love ’em. At least I do. What better than to tackle a beautiful piece two measures at a time, shape it into something extraordinary, then move on to the next phrase, applying lessons and continuing to shape. Spend 45 minutes in deep work on one piece, […]
A few weeks ago I was filling some risers with chairs during strike from our musical. About three quarters of the chairs were situated when the cast started congregating; I found the last couple racks, wheeled them in and started unloading them and sliding them into place (asking students to move from their […]
In her fabulous book 100 Essays I Don’t Have Time To Write, Sarah Ruhl titled essay #39 “The death of the ensemble.” She writes of the theater community, “Why do we think it’s a good idea for everyone to meet each other on the first day of rehearsal and then learn lines for three […]
In Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, the song “Take a Break” has the following exchange: Eliza Hamilton: Angelica, tell this man John Adams spends the summer with his family. Alexander Hamilton: Angelica, tell my wife John Adams doesn’t have a real job anyway. Hamilton’s message is clear and a bit superior: no one […]
For a week or so I have puzzled over an April Fools post I could write today. I’ve got nothing, and here’s why. The subtext of every April Fool’s joke is this: I am mocking you for trusting me. Trust is one of the most valuable things we’ve got. I’m trying to […]
It’s dad’s birthday. Not my biological dad – that was a few months ago. My musical dad. My most profound musical influences – my musical mom and dad – are Alice Parker and Gene Puerling. Today Gene would have been 87 years old. We celebrated last year when his archives were acquired by the […]
It is rare for me to have a guest clinician to work with my choir. Because we only meet once a week, we always seem to be hurrying to get ready for the next concert. Plus, I’m self-conscious about my own conducting skills, a feeling only enhanced when I bring in an expert colleague. This […]
Singers can have legitimate fear of trying things: auditioning, taking voice lessons, singing a solo, asking for help. To get over these fears, they need one of two things to happen. First, they can get pushed off the proverbial cliff by a wise teacher or parent. But if they dig in and don’t let […]
A weekend of flowers peeking up and walks without coats reminds me that spring is coming. You know what else is coming? The Real Group! If you haven’t heard and seen them live, you haven’t seen Shakespeare the way it was meant to be played. Here are their 2016 US tour dates (sadly, […]