arrange • compose • conduct
I said in rehearsal, “I want to sight read just the first four bars today.” We ended up getting through the first 16 bars, and everyone left pleased with their effectiveness. I can’t say that was my plan, but I will say that setting goals that you can beat can […]
When you’re the deep water of too much work, too many responsibilities, too little time to breathe, it’s easy to feel like it’ll be that way forever. I have been trying to remind myself daily – hourly! – that it’s too much, but only temporarily. In my conversations with Alice […]
Don’t only program wow pieces. Some pieces don’t wow you right away. But sometimes, they’re essential parts of your repertoire selection. It’s easy to program wow pieces, because they immediately engage the ensemble. When the ensemble is excited, they work harder, grow faster, and are committed to preparing performances that […]
Like you, I have the unfortunate tendency to get into my own head. I’m thinking about the things on my seemingly endless to-do list; I’m thinking about goals, dreams, plans, frustrations, disappointments, fears. I’m thinking. For me, at least, the cure is to be making something. When I’m making something, […]
Do you enjoy being a part of scrappy organizations? I teach in music departments – often the scrappiest part of a school. Fighting for every dollar, getting creative to solve problems. I love vocal jazz – is one of the scrappiest contingents in the choral world – working to convince […]
Happiness is being able to say, “I still love doing this!” well into your career. Sometimes you get bogged down in the daily to-do lists and are just trying to stay on top of what comes next. But I hope that some part of your job, at least once in […]
One’s good. One’s bad. Before their first concerts last week, I drew on dry erase boards the word Autopilot then added a red circle with a line across it. NO AUTOPILOT. Autopilot in performance is a dangerous situation. When you’re on autopilot, you’re not reacting to the information coming to […]
Don’t sit and wait for your past inspiration to return. It very well might not. Go out and find it. You can’t find your passion, your creativity, or your drive by waiting for it to come back. No, if you’re feeling blocked, I think the thing to do is go […]
“I want to be very clear: The results in today’s nation’s report card are appalling and unacceptable,” said Miguel Cardona, the secretary of education. From The New York Times today How many ways is this incorrect? The dip in standardized test scores is not appalling. It is anticipated and understandable. […]
Do you find time to watch experts do your job? When you were in college, you observed experts teaching and rehearsing. Every rehearsal I’ve ever sung in included ample opportunity to watch the conductor do the work of running a rehearsal. Every well-taught class I’ve been in was well-taught, and […]