“You hear things about certain people. When you hear someone was mean to a limo driver or a wardrobe lady, or someone was rotten to a fan, somewhere in your brain it gets stuck.” Joan Rivers I hate gossip. Hate it with a passion and will even avoid speaking with someone (if I can) if […]
Choral Potpourri: An Arts Alliance
“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.” Vincent van Gogh I am privileged to be able to work with a group of arts and business organizations in my community on […]
Choral Potpourri: Unicorns
“‘Do you know, I always thought unicorns were fabulous monsters, too? I never saw one alive before!’ ‘Well, now that we have seen each other,’ said the unicorn, ‘if you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you.’” –Lewis Carroll; Through the Looking Glass Several weeks ago, I was at my usual SAMBA (a community arts/municipality/business […]
Choral Potpourri: Remembering Our Mentors
“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.” Abraham Lincoln Like many of you, I’ve been cleaning out my rehearsal briefcase and assorted rehearsal bags during the last few weeks. The centerpiece of each rehearsal bag, besides my folder of music, is a legal pad folio with a pen […]
Choral Potpourri: Choral Conductors Behaving Badly
“Etiquette means behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely essential.” Will Cuppy I get so many emails from people wanting to complain or wanting me to weigh in on someone else’s behavior or to come up with a solution. Often, it is singers complaining about their choir directors. Sometimes, it’s choir directors complaining about […]
Choral Potpourri: Why I De-Brief My Choir
“Comedy is not funny. Comedy is hard work and timing and lots and lots of rehearsals.” Larry Hagman It’s now been over a week since our spring concert. It was a lovely performance, for the most part, but some things happened during this concert cycle no one could have predicted. After losing a bass and […]