“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Theophrastus A few weeks ago, I wrote about a problem ChoralNetter Trudy* was having at her church job. Everyone in this congregation was tardy, from the clergy to the choir to some members of the congregation for services. She was thinking about resigning but had […]
Choral Culture
The Conductor as Yogi: Here Comes the Sun
Little darling, it’s been a long, cold lonely winter Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here Here comes the sun, here comes the sun And I say, it’s all right George Harrison There’s something about the sun—its warmth, its golden hue, its energy. Even the coldest winter days can feel warmer when […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Appearing to Get Along
“While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.” Francis of Assisi If you’ve been reading my Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics blogs for any length of time, you know I HATE GOSSIP! Hate it. Detest it and LOATH it, especially in a choral setting. It […]
The Conductor as Yogi: The Spirit of Work
What do you think of when you hear the word “work?” Some days, “work” feels like these dictionary definitions: Exertion, Labor, Toil, Slog, Drudgery. Ouch. Just reading these words makes us feel heavy, even if they accurately describe how we feel right now. It’s not that we don’t still love our art or care about […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: The Glamorous Life
“Any girl can be glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.” Hedy Lamarr Being a musician, any type of a musician, is hard work. Practicing every day, rehearsing with others, listening to other performers, studying scores, and doing research about the music being practiced, rehearsed, and listened to IS work. […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: She Was…..
To all my sister-conductors and my fellow Maestras She was tired. Tired of being belittled and tired of being dismissed because she was a woman. Her abilities were taken for granted because she made it look easy. She worked hard, harder than her male colleagues but it was never acknowledged. She was tired of petty […]