I’m not sure how the weather has been where you live, but it felt like spring took its sweet time arriving in Iowa City. Thankfully, about two weeks ago, the weather started getting warmer and more leaves on the trees are starting to emerge. It’s refreshing to be able to wear shorts when I’m not […]
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ChoralEd: Sight-Reading Suggestions
Developing sight-reading skills can be a difficult task for many teachers. ChoralEd episode 20 shares some general suggestions for enhancing your sight-reading pedagogy. Teachers frequently develop sight-reading skills during a dedicated sight-reading time. However, it is highly beneficial to incorporate music literacy skills throughout the entire class. Elements of solfège (or your preferred system) should […]
The Conductor as Yogi: First Things, First
I am in that slice of time between the end of classes and finals week with its culminating experiences, including honors ceremonies and commencement. This “slice” also includes an out-of-state wedding, my first time on a plane since 2019. My emails are all “now” items, my tasks are many, and as I begin to think […]
Concert Success without Stress: Singers Take Ownership!
As you approach your spring concert season: Do you feel the PRESSURE starting to mount? Do you feel the STRESS of making your concert successful. Does this tension impact your demeanor in rehearsals? Do you feel like YOU care more about the concert than your singers? Well, if any of […]
Values and Purpose in Choir
Recently I went on a vacation to Seattle and Vancouver for 10 days and returned at the end of last week. It was wonderful to relax and explore two cities I had not previously traveled to. Although it was cloudy and rainy for much of my time in the Pacific Northwest, I enjoyed exploring the […]
The Conductor as Yogi: The To-Be List
“To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.” Eckhart Tolle It’s concert day. My to-do list has been updated regularly and I check it once, then twice (OK, more than that), to be sure all is in […]