We’ve made it through another calendar year. Some combination of joyous, fatigued, inspired, bruised, cautious, or hopeful, on any given day. Stories to tell and plans still in the making. Intersections of work life and “real life” (can they be the same thing?). And though I have no idea how many read this blog, I […]
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Advocacy & Collaboration: Turn Your Community Outward (Part 2 of 2)
By Dr. Tim Westerhaus Are you burned-out? Exhausted? Feeling behind or inadequate as our choral programs are smaller in numbers or skills in this year of emerging-from-the-pandemic? How can we intentionally rebuild our programs, and where can we find the energy to do so? How can we honor this stage of our journey (for ourselves […]
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
This time of year is typically challenging. Not only are there extra rehearsals and concerts or services, but there is much less daylight, at least in the northern hemisphere. In addition, there is something about being so close to the end of the calendar year that have me eager for a break after Christmas. Mentally, […]
How to Grade a Concert Performance
Your students can grade their own concert performance! When I want to keep things simple (and teacher-led), I grade my concerts on a 4 point system: – 1 point for being on time – 1 point for being dressed appropriately – 1 point for being focused and engaged while performing – 1 point for being […]
Raise Your Voice: Joyful December
This is the sixth blog post in a series: https://choralnet.org/archives/663789 How is your December going, everyone? What a busy time for us. I had my first set of concerts and am now riding through gig season personally. Peace, joy (and wine if that’s your thing) to you all. I did not have a […]
The Conductor as Yogi: The Spirit, the Brain, and the Choir
Sounds like the title of a new novel, but today’s post wraps up our fall exploration of brain health and how it intersects with our life as conductors and teachers. We started by looking at how our brain reacts to stress, then unpacked how we can mitigate stress in rehearsals with our breathing and movement […]