Latest Blog Posts
Choral Music: A HUMAN Art Form Part 3 with Jazz Rucker
Going on the Equity Journey In this part of the February series, I invited my friend Jazz Rucker into the studio to discuss a term that has rocketed to the top of education vernacular in recent years. “Equity” is frequently confused with “equality,” but has some very important qualitative differences. Jazz is currently serving as […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Making Do
“Let us not be too particular; it is better to have old secondhand diamonds than none at all.” Mark Twain We try to uphold our high standards, but occasionally all we can do is get through. Whether it’s a concert or a rehearsal or an event of some sort we had planned for thoroughly and […]
Leading Voices: Becoming a Student of Reorganization and Adaptation
“It is much more difficult to reorganize the brain than it is to organize it in the first place. Organization inhibits reorganization”. Jane M. Healy The week of February 17 – 21 was winter break for many schools here in the Central New York area. During the break, I attended and presented a session for the […]
Off The Podium: What Your Students Will Remember, Part 2
Continued from What Your Students Will Remember, Part 1 Creating Lasting Memories One of the great boons (and perhaps, banes) of being a music teacher is that we teach a performing art, and the school year follows a rhythm determined by a schedule of seasonal performances. This was true of my teaching experience no matter […]
Choral Conversation: Emma Lou Diemer
_____________________________ Choral Journal’s ongoing column called Choral Conversations” features interviews with noted choral conductors and composers. The second interview in this series took place with Emma Lou Diemer in the May 2019 issue. You can read the interview in its entirety online at acda.org/choraljournal. Click “Search Archives” and choose May 2019 from the dropdown menu._____________________________ How […]
It’s Black History Month, so let’s look back at some important episodes.
My personal view is that Black History in the US is American History, and I long for the day when we don’t have to carve out the shortest month of the year for such an important aspect of our national identity. Instead, we will have learned to weave it all into one NATIONAL story. That […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Excuses,Excuses!
“Martyrdom covers a multitude of sins.” Mark Twain “The concert is going to be awful; why can’t singers come to rehearsal?” “The board expects perfection, and then hires a sub-par accompanist.” “Concert attendance will be down tomorrow, we’re expecting snow.” Have you ever felt like you needed an excuse for your concert’s outcome? Three ChoralNetters […]
Leading Voices: The Paradox of Learning
“ . . a student cannot at first understand what he needs to learn, can learn it only by educating himself, and can educate himself only by beginning to do what he does not yet understand”. Educating the Reflective Practitioner, Donald A. Schon (P.93) When I first read this quote, I had to go back […]
Off The Podium: What Your Students Will Remember, Part 1
At some point early in my teaching career someone told me: They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. …or something like that. I don’t remember who said it or when, honestly. Someone might have quoted it at a faculty meeting, or as part of a motivational […]
Choral Conversation: Carol Beynon
_____________________________ Choral Journal’s ongoing column called Choral Conversations” features interviews with noted choral conductors and composers. The fifth interview in this series took place with Carol Beynon in the October 2017 issue. You can read the interview in its entirety online at acda.org/choraljournal. Click “Search Archives” and choose October 2017 from the dropdown menu._____________________________ You are […]