by Stuart Hunt The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines music as “the art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.“1 To that is often added, something like the following: Sounds and silences organized in time. A pattern of regular or irregular pulses, some stronger some […]
Priorities, Planning, and Protocols with Purpose: New Opportunities / New Vision
by Stuart Hunt Choral conductors are agents of change and adaptation. It IS our DNA. Our students and their families depend on the joy, satisfaction, connection, and growth we offer to those who share our passion. MOVING AHEAD WITH PURPOSE My personal definition of intelligence is not what or how much you know how to […]
Sight-Reading in Festivals and Contests: Planning Ahead
By Stuart Hunt, with additional comments by Geoffrey Boers The landscape is looking as if we may again be meeting in person in the autumn. While tentative, this may be a rare opportunity to reset and, hopefully, to celebrate. There are many details and technical solutions to solve before we all feel comfortable and safe, […]
Suggestions for Improving the Changing Adolescent Female Voice
Part 3 of a 3-Part Series First, some basics. This quotation by Leslie Leedberg from “Adolescent Singing Voices” provides a good starting point on this topic: “The female voice can take up to four years to fully change and generally begins between the ages of 10 and 14. Females go through their growth spurts approximately […]
Inprove Your Conducting Skills and Focus: Three Important Considerations
Part 2 of a 3-Part Series By Stuart Hunt Music educators do not really have time to waste; typically do not know what the inside of a faculty room looks like; and are constantly creating and adjusting instruction with intentional outcomes. During school closures and distance learning, it is a propitious time to consider our […]
Consider Improving Your Conducting and Pedagogy Skills During the Pandemic: Thoughts and Observations
By Stuart Hunt We recognize that school closures and limited access to students will eventually conclude, and that we will be able to resume the wide range of activities that positively impact the lives of our students. For now, however, along with our regular/altered duties, perhaps we could consider this an “off-season,” just as those […]