FIVE FROM THE FOLDER: SATB THROUGH HISTORY by Peggy Dettwiler 1. (Renaissance) "Jesus Said to the Blind Man" (Jesus sprach zu dem Blinden), SATB, Melchior Vulpius (ed. Eggebrecht), Concordia 9801027 Expressive a cappella setting of the miracle found in Luke 18: 41-43. Three characters: narrator, Jesus, and the blind man. Text painting galore! Effectively sung in […]
Stick Time: What the Church Choir Can Do
For many choral conductors, this time of year heralds both the beginning of the academic year and the new church choir season. It is a special privilege to share our art with the delightful folks who offer their time and talent to sing in a church choir. While it may be true in some […]
Stick Time: Powerful Poetry
Of the many demands placed upon those of us in the choral profession is the incredible passion, intensity, and commitment that must be shown to the text in order to sing well. Anything we sing is immediately improved by attention to the poetry, coupled with a sincere attempt to communicate the meaning of those words. […]
The Fall Line-Up on ChoralBuzz
Choral Caffeine: Early Vocal Study
Mention “vocal study” and many of us recall long hours in college practice rooms trying to crate consistent, semi-attractive sounds with a physical mechanism that just didn’t want to behave some days. Would the process have been less daunting had it begun a little earlier? Sara Gaines suggests that just might be the case. […]
Choral Caffeine: Differences are Okay
What incredible diversity of sounds we can create with different combinations of human voices. Whether the ensemble is mixed or single-gender, there are delightful opportunities for musical exploration. Sometimes, though, a choral director might be a bit hesitant about leading a single-gender ensemble if they are not from that side of the species. Such […]