In my last post, we talked about the importance of Buffer Time—those moments of space in our day that help us transition from one event to the next so we can have a clear mind and energized presence. Today’s post is related to Buffer Time: what we can think of as Bank Accounts. We are all […]
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Suggestions for Improving the Changing Adolescent Female Voice
Part 3 of a 3-Part Series First, some basics. This quotation by Leslie Leedberg from “Adolescent Singing Voices” provides a good starting point on this topic: “The female voice can take up to four years to fully change and generally begins between the ages of 10 and 14. Females go through their growth spurts approximately […]
Inprove Your Conducting Skills and Focus: Three Important Considerations
Part 2 of a 3-Part Series By Stuart Hunt Music educators do not really have time to waste; typically do not know what the inside of a faculty room looks like; and are constantly creating and adjusting instruction with intentional outcomes. During school closures and distance learning, it is a propitious time to consider our […]
Consider Improving Your Conducting and Pedagogy Skills During the Pandemic: Thoughts and Observations
By Stuart Hunt We recognize that school closures and limited access to students will eventually conclude, and that we will be able to resume the wide range of activities that positively impact the lives of our students. For now, however, along with our regular/altered duties, perhaps we could consider this an “off-season,” just as those […]
The Conductor as Yogi: It’s Buffer Time
Ramona M. Wis A few years ago, I became aware of how energy-draining it was to move directly from one rehearsal to the next, with the short in-between time filled with “quick” questions from students (they never are), “emergencies” of colleagues (they never are), and singers filing in as I am re-arranging chairs and figuring […]
The Impact of ACDA’s Genesis Prize Continues
By Dan Forrest The COVID pandemic has deeply affected composers of choral music. Our normal revenue streams have diminished or dried up, and the collaborative opportunities that normally provide encouragement, affirmation, and inspiration have been put on hold. Our national ACDA Composition Initiatives Committee met in mid-2020 to discuss ways to support choral composers through […]