Latest Blog Posts
The Conductor as Yogi: Beginning . . . Again
“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” Steve Jobs What happens when we prepare to start a new job? We do the research, find ways to build trust […]
The 5 “ROUNDS” I Use in My Choral Program Every Year – And WHY!
I believe rounds can be a valuable part of all choral programs. While there are many rounds I’ve used over the years, there are 5 rounds that I use with my high school choir every year. This blog post shares these 5 rounds and WHY I believe they are so beneficial to my students. Here are: The 5 “ROUNDS” I […]
Is Grad School Right For Me?! André Thomas, Jennaya Robison and Giselle Wyers
Panel discussion featuring three insightful Professors In this week’s special panel conversation, I am finally responding to what has been a frequent listener suggestion for a podcast topic. A “no BS” discussion on the Choral Grad School decision that weighs so heavily on many of us, sometimes more than once in our careers. So, I […]
Choral Potpourri.Choral Ethics: Putting In the Work
“Unless a tree has borne blossoms in spring, you will vainly look for fruit on it in autumn.” Walter Scott Denise* contacted me in August with a strange story, but one I’ve heard before. We’ve gone back and forth, but now I’d like to ask your opinion. Her dilemma/question is this—should she re-interview/re-audition for a […]
One from the Folder: Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs
#73, “Ave Maria” by B. E. Boykin
SSAA, a cappella
I wrote about a different work by composer Brittney Boykin in December 2020, and have been interested in her work ever since. I have recently been perusing her catalog for multi-part a cappella rep, and her Ave Maria caught my attention.
Creating Transformative Experiences in Worship and Rehearsals
I live in Jacksonville, FL and frequently I go to the beach. Labor Day weekend had some beautiful and perfect beach weather. However, on one particular day, the waves were too rough to swim. So I sat and watched the ocean, read, and at times stood ankle deep in the water. Since I live 25 […]
Who’s a Good Director? Dog-Training Strategies for Better Rehearsing
The September issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Who’s a Good Director? Dog-Training Strategies for Better Rehearsing” by Eliza Rubenstein. You can read it in its entirety at acda.org/choraljournal. Following is a portion from the introduction. ____________________ “Your goal for yourself and your students,” a veteran of my profession once said to me, “is […]
The Only White Guy in the Room with Maria and Chris
This special episode is something a bit different, in that it is a recap of a shared experience. All the way back on Episode 17, Marques Garrett challenged me to intentionally find an opportunity to be an “only” in the room. I had reflected in that conversation that, as a white guy, I don’t think I’ve […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Making The Best of It
“My sorrow, when she’s here with me, thinks these dark days of autumn rain are beautiful as days can be; she loves the bare, the withered tree; she walks the sodden pasture lane.” Robert Frost Those of you teaching in-person with COVID-19 restrictions are encountering dilemmas you never expected to have. And solutions are not […]
Leading Voices “ . . . Instead, Teach Them to Yearn for the Vast and Endless Sea.”
Sing the song Happy Birthday in La based minor using solfège and hand signs.Count sing America (My county ‘Tis of Thee) retrograde.Create a piggyback rap to help the choir memorize key signatures.Perform a four-part round using Kodaly hand signs for the ascending and descending chromatic scale. Recently, a member of ACDA posted the following […]