Choral Ethics

“The fox has many tricks. The hedgehog has but one. But that is the best of all.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I have a bag of tricks—I am not ashamed to admit it—to get my choirs to do what they need to do. Some are appropriate for young singers, some are appropriate for older singers and […]

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Gandhi  A few weeks ago, I wrote about Donald* who felt uncomfortable when a colleague, who usually snubbed and ignored him, began treating him normally. Of course, there was a reason for Donald’s sudden promotion to Lyndon’s* “Best […]

“The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another… and leaves us with the feeling that something is right in the world.” Leonard Bernstein We all know Holy Week is the busiest […]

“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” Mark Twain Donald* tells me most people would not think he has a problem. In fact, most people would believe he’s the problem. Not me; I think he has a point. What’s all this about? Donald attended an arts event […]

“Make yourself do unpleasant things so as to gain the upper hand of your soul.” W. E. B. Du Bois Donna* and I have been corresponding since late last fall. After a move, due to her spouse’s job, she found a church position. She began last August, 12 months after their move, contacting me within […]