“Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.” Abraham Lincoln The last few days, I’ve been thinking about a few of my more memorable students and choir members, starting with one of my first jobs, and continuing on to the group I conduct now. Some of them were funny and some were […]
Choral Potpourri
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Mother’s Day–Songs My Mother Taught Me
“Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.” William Makepeace Thackeray This Sunday is Mother’s Day in the United States. I am a mother but am also a daughter, missing her mother especially this year. I think back seven years ago, Mom’s last Mother’s Day, and wish I had […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Worn Out
“Oh, I am very weary, Though tears no longer flow; My eyes are tired of weeping, My heart is sick of woe.” Anne Bronte I am worn out. Tired; sick and tired and needing to rest. It’s been difficult for me to rest in this transition time, as things are looking up, and I am […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Thanks Where Thanks Is Due
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Harry S Truman Despite the Pandemic, I still get several emails a week about Choral Ethics issues. Most want advice about past problems or seem to be ruminating about them. They’d like to know what they should do if […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Do Unto Others…….
“The golden rule is that there are no golden rules.” George Bernard Shaw I read some interesting parenting advice a few days ago that got me thinking. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was how I raised my own children. What was this nugget of wisdom that had me thinking […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Autism Awareness Month
“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 20 years ago and I was the president of a local chapter of […]