Awhile back I wrote a post about the dos and don’ts of leaving a conducting or music teaching job. Some interesting discussion was generated from that post, and I think some good things came out of it. The main conclusion I came to was that leaving a job is not a passive endeavor. One must […]
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Conference Morsel: Genuine Inspiration
(An excerpt from the interest session “Inspiration: Look Beyond the Page,” presented by Tom Wine during the 2014 ACDA Southwestern Division Conference) Inspiration. Where does it come from and how can it be taught to singers in a choir? Defining the element which singers will identify as the source of inspiration is always […]
Conference Morsel: Church Choir Demographics
(An excerpt from the interest session “A Place in the Choir, a Choir in the Place,” presented by Charlotte Kroeker during the 2014 ACDA Southwestern Division Conference) According to a Chorus America study, More choirs are found in churches than anywhere else in the U.S., 216,000 of 270,000. 80% of all choirs in […]
Conference Morsel: True Inclusion
(An excerpt from the interest session “For Everyone Born, A Place in the Choir,” presented by Christopher Larson during the 2014 ACDA North Central Division Conference) Keep an open mind. Use inclusive language. – Even though a lot of the composers of the songs we sing are or were homosexual, that does not […]
Learning from Eric Ericson III – Robert Sund
As you read the thoughts of various musicians who worked with Eric, you’ll discover commonalities—which is only natural—but each from a slightly different perspective. For me, one of the best things about doing this series is giving me the excuse to get in touch with my Swedish friends. This week it’s Robert Sund. I […]
Conference Morsel: Racial Compartmentalization
(An excerpt from the interest session “Diversity within the Philosophy of an Afro-Canadian Composer,” presented by Wallace McClain Cheatham during the 2014 ACDA North Central Division Conference) Composers who are of an African ancestry and are exponents of western music genres, regardless of nationality, are marginalized by audiences, those who make decisions about […]