Earlier this month, we discussed the unique opportunity one colleague had in teaching conducting to a sightless student. But what if one of your choral students wasn’t blind, but rather suffered from an undiagnosed spatial disorder? Jeffrey Kiston discusses his first-hand experience with the matter in his article, “Spatial Disorders and Dyslexia in the […]
Choral Caffeine: Fear Not!
Only those who can hit a golf ball with Tiger Woods-esque skill should ever be allowed to pick up a set of clubs. Unless you are a professional-level golfer you have no business whatsoever experiencing the game in any way, shape, or form. That’s a pretty silly statement, isn’t it? Believe it or […]
Choral Caffeine: Daily Details
Among the countless things about the choral art that one finds irresistible is that there is always more to do with the choir’s sound. Of course, we sometimes run out of time, or perhaps we move a particular group of singers as far as they can go under a particular set of circumstances, but that […]
It’s About the Phrase: The Groove
Choral Caffeine: Student-Centered Learning
It’s a delicate balance we maintain between controlling the rehearsal and allowing students some ownership of their art. We’ve probably all experienced the extreme ends of the spectrum, and have seen the predictably disastrous results. In his article, “It’s Not All About Me!” (Texas Sings!, Vol. 27, No. 2), Jeff Rice states, “although we […]
GUEST BLOG: “A Ray of Humanity” by Jalen Garnette Mitchell
A RAY OF HUMANITY by Jalen Garnette Mitchell (Senior at Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio) For decades choral music has elevated the culture of the society that surrounds it. It has taught one to be a sophisticated, well-put-together human being even if one had to pretend. It has captured the hearts of […]