Welcome to this summer series on questions and possibilities for a new era in our personal lives, professional lives, the choral landscape, and in society! I’m so glad you’re here for the journey. Despite the seemingly impossible circumstances during the pandemic, I’ve been amazed at how choirs have adapted to provide meaningful art. Even […]
community choir
The Non-auditioned Choir: Dealing with Divas
By Pat Guth Every choir has them. The diva, divo, prima donna, egotist…whatever you prefer to call them. Whether you’re waving your arms in front of a choir of professionals or tending to an ensemble of amateurs, you’ve no doubt come across at least a singer or two who views himself/herself as superior to others […]
The Non-auditioned Choir: What about the Pitch-Challenged?
By Pat Guth When you’ve taken on the reins of a non-auditioned choir or – in my case – purposely formed one from scratch, you shoulder a plethora of challenges that conductors of auditioned or professional choirs will never face. Some of these challenges can be quite tricky, especially when you’re keen to welcome everyone […]
Non-auditioned Choirs – and Their Conductors – Are at the Heart of Community Singing
By Pat Guth For the first 40 years of my musical career, I spent a lot of time dealing with “imposter syndrome” – that nagging feeling when you doubt your accomplishments and have a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” Maybe you’ve been there, too. It’s not uncommon among artists of all […]
CJ Replay: Expanding Students' Musical and Vocal Ideals in an Urban Community Children's Choir
The February 2016 issue of Choral Journal features an article titled “Discovering Voices: Expanding Students’ Musical and Vocal Ideals in an Urban Community Children’s Choir” by Nicole Becker and Jeanne Goffi-Fynn. You can read it in its entirety online at acda.org/choraljournal. Click “Search Archives” and choose February 2016 from the dropdown menu. Below is an excerpt of the […]
The Challenges…and Joys…of Traveling with an Older Choir
I’ve got the travel bug…and, luckily, I conduct an adult community choir filled with plenty of women who feel the same way I do about seeing the world. So many countries, so little time. In the four years since I founded the Bucks County Women’s Chorus we’ve embarked on two international tours. The first took […]