“The best effort of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.” Ralph Waldo Emerson The term “choral ethics” has always confused me. Do we as choral conductors and directors have ethics? Do we need ethics? The Presbyterian Association of Musicians, as do other denominations musicians’ organizations, has a code of ethics. […]
Choral Culture
Choral Ethics: Monstering
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche Earlier this summer, I read a review of a book I thought might be interesting to review here on Choral […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Practice. Again. And Again.
“No art is less spontaneous than mine. What I do is the result of reflection and the study of the great masters.” Edgar Degas This is a Choral Ethics Blog post repeat from several years ago. I need to slow down and plotting out the rest of the summer now seems like a smart idea. […]
August Choral Journal Preview
The August 2023 issue of Choral Journal is available online. This issue includes several articles on the topic of women in choral conducting ACDA members can log in with their username and password to view and download the newest edition. You can also read our electronic version. If you are not already a member of ACDA, join today to […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Pretension
“Great artists are people who find the way to be themselves in their art. Any sort of pretension induces mediocrity in art and life alike.” Margot Fonteyn Jamie*’s highly auditioned and highly respected community chorus sing at a (you can guess) high level. Though not a professional chorus, they are often used by a local […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: The Opposite: Part Two
“Theater people are always pining and agonizing because they’re afraid that they’ll be forgotten. And in America they’re quite right. They will be.” Agnes de Mille Today is the second part of Leo’s Choral Ethics story. Leo* contacted me initially to explain he never imagined retiring would cause such an uproar. The plan was Leo […]