For those who have never heard of the program, IPA Now is a brilliant program that automatically transcribes several languages (Latin, French, German, Italian) into IPA Symbols. For one week, Kelly Turner (owner of IPA Now!) has agreed to give ChoralNet members the program for a discounted price of $17.99. Here is the […]
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Leading by Inspiration
While there is a long list of qualities needed to be an effective leader, the following is a short list of qualities necessary to be an inspirational leader. My sources for this list are both “the literature”, including the Harvard Business Review, as well as my own observations. Please add to the list in the […]
Lemonade
Liz Garnett makes the lemons of a bad rehearsal day into lemonade: When things don’t go right, that forces us to pay more attention to how to do what we’re aiming for. We have to think more diagnostically, and listen more carefully to what the choir is struggling with. We have identify more precisely what the obstacles […]
Semantic depletion
Liz Garnett pens an interesting exploration of “semantic depletion”: Say something often enough and the connection between signifier (the sound that points to an idea) and signified (the idea a sound evokes) breaks down. This isn’t usually a problem in conversation…. In order to perform a song (or a sonata or a play), you need […]
Sacred Music Exists Because Somebody Cares
The American Choral Directors Association cares about the choral instrument in worship. Because we care, ACDA is sponsoring a conference for musicians working with the choral instrument in worship settings. The event is called One Song, and I invite interested choral conductors, and particularly conductors new to this area, to join us in Atlanta on […]
Were there show choirs before Glee?
Leading online magazine Salon has a feature article interviewing choir director Ralph Opacic about the impact Glee is having on existing high school show choirs. A sample: How has "Glee" warped expectations of what a show choir is? Many of us have distinct memories of being in a show choir growing up, and New Directions […]