Latest Blog Posts

At some point, we have to come back to choir, (or quit) and the Covid risk will not be zero. So, it is now unavoidable that we will have to become comfortable engaging with humans in close proximity because they NEED us. Choir is essential. Nicola Dedmon recently wrote a great article in the ACDA […]

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” William Shakespeare Like many of you, during these past 20 months, I’ve done much self-reflection. I constantly questioned myself, hoping answers will lead me to understand myself. What kind of person and choral leader am I, or do I WANT to be? […]

Dr. Anne Lyman wears many choir director hats: community choir, church, and community college choir. She is the past president of Washington ACDA, loves sharing the joys of early choral music, and is clearly a service-oriented conductor. During the first 10 days or so of March, things went from “normal” to unsettled to cancelled. At […]

Just a few years ago, December 25 was on a Sunday in 2016. At the church I served at the time, all were encouraged to wear their PJs to church, including staff. As it turns out, only staff dressed in that way, including me! I dressed in PJ bottoms, t-shirt with a fleece, and slippers. […]

The October issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Burnout Prevention for Conductors and Their Choirs” by Amelia Nagoski. You can read it in its entirety at acda.org/choraljournal. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Burnout does not happen because we did not try to take care of ourselves. We are all trying, all […]

Do you believe in self-assessment? Would your students accurately self-assess their rehearsal participation, sight-singing homework, or concert performance? Does self-assessment even matter? I believe it is the highest level of empowerment in student learning. It leads to ownership and develops critical thinking. This new blog post will explain the 3 keys to getting your students to […]

Brought to you by members of my Patreon, who have collaborated with me to create this episode. This is the first time I have done a MULTI topic show. I think you will enjoy it!Support the Show! Topics in this short episode include: How are you navigating the return to “normal” activities? Do you get flack […]

“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” William Shakespeare I like smart people. I enjoy their observations and insights. I love being around them and learning something new. I am convinced that when I work with smart people, I am (and feel) smarter. Do you […]

Do not accept the concept of failure.  You are Antifragile. The idea of antifragile is one of the concepts that I am asking my students to experience this year as they learn to sing, work, and learn together during rehearsals.  I am asking them to trust me and take a vacation from some of their […]

Every moment is a fresh beginning. T.S. Eliot With my last CAY post (“Beginning . . . Again”), I began again as a blogger after a summer off for recalibration and for research on an article for this month’s Choral Journal focus issue on mental health.  In Breath, Body, and Being:  A Yoga-Inspired Choral “Practice,” […]