Latest Blog Posts

In ChoralEd episode 46, Dr. Arreon Harley-Emerson of Equity Sings offers some insights and practical guidance on respectfully performing music from diverse cultures. Before sharing music from another culture with our choirs and audiences, Dr. Harley-Emerson suggests we look inward (before outward) by asking ourselves three simple questions: This internal reflection is a critical first […]

“The wise musicians are those who play what they can master.” Duke Ellington How many times in your career have you regretted your repertoire choices? Was it early in your career or just recently? Why did you regret your programming? Was it too high a reach, as far as difficulty, for your ensemble? Were your […]

“Initiative is doing the right thing without being told.” Victor Hugo ChoralNetter correspondents email me questions but seem to already know the answer. They know what is right and they know what is wrong, they just want to be given permission to do what is right. I’ve written about this before and today I’d like […]

Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers, is fresh take on the classic advice column—this time for all things choral music! Modeled after the beloved “Dear Sally” format, this blog will answer your questions about choral music education, performance, and leadership. Whether you’re curious about vocal technique, rehearsal tips, repertoire selection, or the “other” side […]

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” George Eliot We start this Fall, as we do most Falls, with a clean slate for our choral programs. School has been in session for a few weeks, our community […]

“Unless a tree has borne blossoms in spring, you will vainly look for fruit on it in autumn.” Sir Walter Scott Happy anniversary to US! It is hard to believe, but I have been writing the Choral Ethics blog every week since the Fall of 2015 when Scott Dorsey asked me to become a regular […]

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a rehearsal, wishing you had a secret window into your singers’ minds?[i] A way to see, not just hear, if they’re truly grasping the music? If so, you may want to consider incorporating Curwen hand signs. For those unfamiliar, Curwen hand signs are a system of […]

“You are this vastness. This vista you see, this grandeur, this enduring strength—if you go deeply enough inside yourself, you will find not something small but something immensely spacious.  This is the essence of the human spirit.” Donna Farhi, Yoga Mind, Body, & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness The new year or season has begun.  […]

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of the intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the beauty in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden […]

Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers, is fresh take on the classic advice column—this time for all things choral music! Modeled after the beloved “Dear Sally” format, this blog will answer your questions about choral music education, performance, and leadership. Whether you’re curious about vocal technique, rehearsal tips, repertoire selection, or the “other” side […]