I am truly humbled to offer these thoughts today in the context of our national ACDA conference focused on music and diversity. The name of Helen Kemp is known to many of us who have devoted our lives to nurturing and developing the love of singing in children. Helen Kemp was a highly respected vocal […]
Leadership
The Conductor as Yogi: Effort and Ease
Sthira Sukham Asanam “Postures should be stable and comfortable” Yoga Sutra 2.46, Sage Patanjali One of the great things about a yoga practice is bringing what we learn on the mat to the rest of our life. But even if you don’t practice (physical) yoga, you can still benefit from its wisdom. From Patanjali’s ancient […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Emergence
I am writing this post one year to the day since my last in-person, (unmasked) full choir rehearsal. I am not quite sure how I feel. Sort of unsettled and wondering why, I guess. We are receiving vaccines, seeing more re-openings, and taking steps toward the resumption of “normal” life. I so look forward to seeing my (also […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Bank Accounts
In my last post, we talked about the importance of Buffer Time—those moments of space in our day that help us transition from one event to the next so we can have a clear mind and energized presence. Today’s post is related to Buffer Time: what we can think of as Bank Accounts. We are all […]
The Conductor as Yogi: It’s Buffer Time
Ramona M. Wis A few years ago, I became aware of how energy-draining it was to move directly from one rehearsal to the next, with the short in-between time filled with “quick” questions from students (they never are), “emergencies” of colleagues (they never are), and singers filing in as I am re-arranging chairs and figuring […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Healing
Ramona M. Wis I have become even more aware of the power of words, including the words of the pieces we study and prepare with our choirs. This past fall, we chose pieces that helped us to process the issues and challenges of our current world. The words of Kyle Pederson’s powerful work, “Can We Sing the […]