arrange • compose • conduct
Yesterday’s blog was titled Pick A Lane. And it’s true – picking a lane when you’re young and following it doggedly is one way to achieve success. But it’s a mistake to think it’s the only way. A life is not measured at 35. Although Lin-Manuel Miranda might be the only one of his […]
On 60 Minutes last weekend, composer Lin-Manuel Miranda described attending a school for the gifted – where everyone was smarter than he was. Charlie Rose asked the question: “So why am I sitting here talk to you instead of one of them?” Miranda: “I picked a lane.” Picking a lane early is […]
Last week my ensemble, The Rockford Aces, had a school-day run out to perform at a fundraiser for an amazing organization, the Rockford Education Foundation. We sang for several hundred people at a luncheon, helping in the process to raise tens of thousands of dollars for their endowment. As always, it […]
The first time I wrote band charts for our school’s Dessert Cabaret, I was sure I wasn’t going to make it. It was too hard. The time between auditions and performance was only three weeks, there were some 30 different songs being performed. It was taking me 30-60 minutes per song. […]
Some tasks are tough because they’re tough. No matter how many times you assemble a 2,000 piece puzzle, it’s not easy. Prepping a space shuttle for launch is always tough. So is running a marathon (physically). Other tasks are tough because they’re new. On your first international flight, the jet lag can […]
Mistakes are part of a human life. If you don’t make a mistake in life, you’re not human. If you’re more creative, you make more mistakes – it makes you more human. When you make mistakes you should feel that you’re more human and more creative. Don’t feel bad when you […]
Whenever I attend a conference, I struggle to describe what I do. “I’m, a stay-at-home dad, write music, conduct, daily blog, …” Whoever asked is often already gone by the time I finish. It’s a typical freelancer problem – I wear so many hats, it’s hard to pin me down. […]
Alice Parker’s 90th Birthday celebration this year has included lots of festivities including Chorus America, the Harvard Glee Club Medal, and more. You can read her most recent newsletter here. Most importantly, her nonprofit, Melodious Accord, is sponsoring a major celebration with the hashtag #AliceIs90. They want you to sing a Parker […]
I haven’t missed a single day on this blog since a year ago today. A lot has happened since then – a lot of writing and a lot of connections made. One news story I haven’t written about yet involves the song “Happy Birthday To You,” which has long been […]
I’m in the midst of a project that involves lots of Great American standards. George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Rodgers & Hart. Timeless music that has been interpreted and reinterpreted for close to a century. Here’s the thing. When they were working, they were writing. You never get the feeling […]