In Episode 26 of The Choral Director’s Toolbox, host Dr. William Baker shares his most requested essay, Freedom Is the Oxygen of the Arts, reflecting on the vital connection between liberty and artistic expression in honor of Independence Day. Drawing on examples from Beethoven, Jean Berger, and Robert Shaw, Dr. Baker reminds us that creativity […]
News and Notices
Caritas Chamber Chorale Invites Singers to Share Their Gifts
Are you a singer with a heart for the poor, a love for the sacred, and a devotion to your art? Consider sharing your gifts with Caritas Chamber Chorale for the 2025-2026 season. Join Caritas in our mission of serving the poorest of the poor through the art of sacred music. Caritas Chamber Chorale, a […]
Seeking Full Score & Instrumental Parts for Amazing Love by Tom Fettke (Easter Cantata)
I am looking to borrow or purchase the full conductor’s score and instrumental parts for Amazing Love: An Easter Celebration of Hope by Tom Fettke (Word Music). I have already secured 22 copies of the vocal score, but I am still in need of orchestral materials. I am especially interested in either of the following: […]
Odes to Love: A Choral Consortium Julian Bryson, Giulio De Carlo & Santiago Veros
Three Brand-New Choral Works to Celebrate Love and Human Connection Imagine this: One day you receive a digital book with three brand-new scores, ready to be performed for the very first time in history. Three exclusive choral works — one fast, one moderate, and one slow — thoughtfully crafted to be easy to prepare, emotionally […]
NaperVoice begins its fourth season and invites new paid and volunteer singers and paid interns to audition
NaperVoice, Naperville’s unique philanthropic choir, is set to begin its fourth season in September 2025. Philip Spencer, a graduate of the Yale University School of Music, is the Founding Conductor. In its first three seasons the choir, comprised of 36 singers from more than 20 Chicago-area communities, performed six sold-out concerts and donated over $15,000 […]
The Choral Director’s Toolbox This Week
In Episode 24 of The Choral Director’s Toolbox, host Dr. William Baker reflects on The Predicament of Beethoven, sharing insights into the composer’s life, suffering, and faith as revealed through his music. Drawing from major biographies and personal letters, Dr. Baker explores how Beethoven’s deafness, illness, and isolation shaped both his human journey and his sacred vocation as a composer. This […]