The May 2015 issue of Choral Journal featured a fascinating article on Antonio Vivaldi. Vivaldi is one of the most performed composers in music history, but until the 1950s, Vivaldi and his music were virtually unknown to the concert-going public. The article “Discovering the Rediscovery of Antonio Vivaldi” by Miles Dayton Fish “recounts the true […]
Choral Journal
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing Part 4
This is part 4 of the series “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Click here to see the first post in the series! Reason #4: We focus too much on technique and not enough on developing their true artistry. In my 24 years of teaching this age group, I’ve seen lots of middle school […]
How Do You Find Repertoire?
Occasionally I will browse the forums on ChoralNet looking for interesting discussion. A question in a recent forum caught my attention as one that is likely very applicable to many of our members: How do you organize your repertoire? How do you keep track of pieces you have recently performed? Click the link in the […]
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing Part 3
Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing? Part 3 This is the third post in a five-part series from “In the Middle With Mr D” called “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Link to Reason #1 of “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Here is Reason #3 We don’t publicly celebrate and recognize […]
CJ Replay: The Star-Spangled Banner
In 2014, the United States celebrated the bicentennial of our great anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” As you are more than likely aware, the song was named the official national anthem by act of Congress in 1931. The Choral Journal featured two articles on Francis Scott Key’s great work that readers of ChoralNet might be interested […]
CJ Replay: Masters in Miniature
The March 2015 issue of Choral Journal features a cover article written by coauthors David Rayl and Zebulon Highben titled “Masters in Miniature: Repertoire by Great Composers for Smaller Choirs.” In this article, the authors suggest that “almost every great composer has written at least one piece that is achievable by choirs with fewer singers […]