By Ramona M. Wis Last week, we looked at the importance of “making space” if we want something new, presumably better, to enter our lives. By releasing pursuits, ideas, or habits that no longer serve us, we make space to move forward to new opportunities, insight, or energy. To some degree, this release requires detaching from the […]
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Young Trebles: The Silence of a Children’s Choir in the Time of COVID-19
By Corey Carleton The treble voices are clear, strong, and at times overwhelm the acoustics of Fellowship Hall at a Presbyterian church on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. It’s a large, live room. “Are you heavy or light?” Fernando Malvar-Ruiz asks his Concert Choir. Malvar-Ruiz is “Mr. Fernando” to his singers, and Artistic Director of the […]
The Conductor as Yogi: From Holding Space to Making Space
By Ramona M. Wis The first time I heard the phrase “holding space” was from a colleague describing her experience with someone going through a tough time. “I just held space for her,” she said. It was a phrase I was not familiar with but soon started seeing everywhere (or maybe it was just “blue car syndrome,” […]
Consonants: Partnering with Vowels – An Eclectic Overview
Vowels carry emotion and music,while consonants carry context, intent, and meaning. This series on vowels and consonants is intended to stimulate you to dig deeper into your own practice with your choir, or your voice studio. At some point, in your conducting or performing, you must decide on basics tenets of where a note begins […]
The Conductor as Yogi: What if I can’t meditate?
By Ramona M. Wis There are many ways to meditate that don’t look like Meditation. Mindfulness, meditation, and yoga have existed for thousands of years, useful tools for a life best-lived. More and more, in our modern world, these practices have come to the forefront as important, even necessary, means toward physical and mental wellness, for […]
First a Voice, Then a Choir
By Frank R. Lloyd When I entered Occidental College in 1965 a friend from my hometown who was a year ahead of me urged me to take at least one semester of choir because the director was an extraordinary teacher and a dynamic personality. I took her advice and joined Occidental’s College and Chapel Choirs. […]