“Autism is part of who I am.” Temple Grandin “Mrs. Amenta, we have to be kind to those poor parents. They have children with autism and have no hope.” For some reason, Dr. Marguerite’s* comment just ticked me off. This was about 18 years ago and I was the president of a local chapter of […]
Choral Ethics
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Family Matters
“You can choose your friends but not your family.” Old Proverb There are times when I feel like Dear Abby or Ask Amy or even Miss Manners. Those ladies get all sorts of questions from folks wondering how they should react or handle a myriad of sticky situations. Many involve family and today’s Choral Ethics […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Our Choral Culture
“Habits change into character.” Ovid Many of us, especially in community-based programs, complain we don’t have enough singers to do the repertoire we really want to do. If we are a mixed group, we long for more tenors or baritones or basses but don’t seem to retain them when we get them. After years of […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Only All of Us
“Always the journey, never the destination.” Simon Rattle Last week, the Alumni Chorus I’ve been writing about sang in a semi-staged concert version of “Considering Matthew Shepherd.” The CCPA Conservatory Chorus was the main performer, and we Alums sang a chorale toward the end of the work. It was an interesting process for me, both […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Truth to Tell
“Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction.” Lord Byron Since writing about Choral Ethics here on ChoralNet, I have received a number of emails. Folks who contact me either want to thank me or to tell me their stories. And their stories are amazing. Some seem outlandish at the outset, but then I follow up […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Cinderella At Home
“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” Jane Austen I am not in Kansas City this week. I wish I could be, but I can’t. I am in the middle of rehearsals and in the middle of auditions and our master bath is being remodeled; you get the idea. Things snuck up […]