“It is always during a passing state of mind that we make lasting resolutions.” Marcel Proust Last week, I blogged about trying to remain calm as the end of the semester/choir year approached. Several of you contacted me about how timely this blog was, and I THANK YOU for your kind comments! This week, in […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Perfectly Calm
“With the coming of spring, I am calm again.” Gustav Mahler During the first part of my choral career, I was also a dancer, ballet teacher and choreographer. My ballet background, coupled with understanding and the ability to read complicated scores, made me a natural to choreograph musicals on all levels. I specialized in making […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: A Silent Wood
(April is National Autism Acceptance Month) “Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” — Henry Van Dyke We all assume certain things about others. Those assumptions are usually based on something we know about them–whether they’re up bringing or professions or […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Busy Times
“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.” Victor Hugo This Choral Ethics Blog repeat is from a few years back. I hope you are able to enjoy all your hard work for this […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Listening 2
“If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk.” Robert Baden-Powell Last week, Choral Ethics began a new series on listening, a very important skill for a choral musician, or ANY musician, to have. I listed a few types of listening skills and blogged about another […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Listening
“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” Ernest Hemingway Listening is a very important component of our Choral profession. We listen to our choruses in rehearsal for mistakes. We listen to the concerts we attend and the concerts we conduct. We listen to music for […]