By Ramona M. Wis Rise Up! There shall never be another season of silence. Deepen your sympathy, then convert it to action. Pray every single second of your life, not on your knees but with your work. Think your best thoughts, Speak your best words, Do your best work. There is so much yet to […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Our Great Work (Dharma)
By Ramona M. Wis “People actually feel happiest and most fulfilled when meeting the challenge of their dharma in the world, when bringing highly concentrated effort to some compelling activity for which they have a true calling.” Stephen Cope One of the best books I have ever read is Stephen Cope’s The Great Work of Your Life. Subtitled, “A […]
The Conductor as Yogi: For the Future
By Ramona M. Wis Planting trees early in spring, we make a place for birds to sing in time to come. How do we know? They are singing here now. There is no other guarantee that singing will ever be. ~ Wendell Berry I recently came upon these words of Wendell Berry’s poem, “For the Future,” […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Between Earth and Sky
By Ramona M. Wis Earth and Sky. Two deeply embedded experiences in our lives, embedded since we took our first breaths. Images, sensibilities, metaphors, and even the gravitational pull of Earth and Sky show up in our everyday life: in our speech, our actions (or lack of action), and our sense of felt wellness, of “being […]
The Conductor as Yogi: The Well Choir (Move)
By Ramona M. Wis “Movement is essential.” Katy Bowman, M.S., biomechanist I just finished my first week of fall classes: five rehearsals and two non-performance class meetings, all online. While it was different, the experience was enlightening, connected, and inspiring on many levels. The unsolicited feedback from students after the first day of rehearsals was very positive and […]
The Conductor as Yogi: (Still) Singing for the Greater Good
By Ramona M. Wis Singing for the Greater Good has been our choirs’ “North Star” for several years, evolving as we became more and more aware of the broader, deeper, more impactful aspects of the choral music making process. Singing for the Greater Good unites us, guides our decision making, and recalibrates us when challenges arise, as they […]