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A podcast on station WQXR talks about changing role of the orchestra conductor. It was Arturo Toscanini whose famously broke batons, berated musicians and even threw a score at his orchestra during rehearsals, all we were told, in the service of the music. By the 1960s, collective bargaining agreements and workplace rules helped to do […]

Like any good coach, we all work to train our teams to get the most out of their bodies:  to use their voices with tremendous skill, to focus the energies of their breathing mechanism, to mind their posture whether seated or standing.  This choir has obviously work do develop the hearing of the singers to […]

“As choral conductors we are called upon to grasp hold of a composer’s intentions and then communicate those intentions first to our choirs and then, through performance, to our audiences. The conductor’s primary tools of communication are gestures, though in our rehearsals we rely heavily on words often far too heavily. Ab, the patience of […]

    “If you are open to all the good that will come out of music-making, you will be surprised at all that will come your way.  Within the music is a deep wellspring of energy. Return to the singing, to the performing, to the rehearsing when you are low. It will give you strength. Notice […]

Who says larger choirs can’t sing early music?  Though there appear to be about 50 voices in this ensemble, they sing this well-known work with appropriate delicacy, charming phrasing and a lovely lilt (the fine instrumental ensemble is a bonus).  Consider a little early music for your spring programming.  

Jon Stewart: So you consider the wealthy a persecuted minority? John Hodgman: Of course, we're only 1 percent. … John Hodgman: There you go again, demonizing the rich. You've forced my hand, Jon. Whiffenpoofs, your jobs are uncreated. You're fired. Whiffenfpoofs (sung): We have student loans. John Hodgman: Well, you should have though of that […]