“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.”Leonard Bernstein Have you ever noticed the best holiday stories portray some sort of dream? From the ballet, “The Nutcracker” to all of the many incarnations of Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” someone is always sleeping and having […]
The Choral Life
Choral Potpourri: Communication Without Words
“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.” Leonard Bernstein We all know music’s ability to heal and sooth. We know how it comforts the ill and the despondent. Music can help both the dying on their trip “home” and the woman giving birth as she brings new life into the world. It teaches […]
Choral Potpourri: We Had a Plan
“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” Leonard Bernstein If you are anything like me, your December concert and worship music for this year was planned during the summer or before. Your plans are coming to fruition or close to it. You are calm, knowing things are […]
Choral Potpourri:”…..and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.”
I love Messiah. Truth be told, it is probably my favorite large choral work. There’s a little something for everyone–from show piece arias to choruses that are both difficult and poignant to recitatives that move the story along while being musically interesting. The story that is told, using scriptures from both the Old and New […]
Choral Potpourri: The Art of Saying “No”
“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.” Tony Blair As November ends, we head toward December. We will be expected to accomplish miracles this month by our students, other teachers, our choir members and even our families. Our choirs have concerts; and the semester is […]
Choral Potpourri: Being Grateful
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” Henry David Thoreau I always try to be grateful. In this season of Thanksgiving, I am more grateful than usual. Perhaps our world is in upheaval but there is one thing I know for sure; there is plenty more Good than there […]