Latest Blog Posts

This is the 5th and final posting in the five-part series called “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” To start with the first reason, click here! Reason #5: We don’t know how to introduce music. It is possible to turn this age group against a new piece of music in the three minutes of […]

AVoice4Peace The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) ~ Established in 1981 by resolution, the United Nations General Assembly declared each year on 21 September a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Every year on the International Day of Peace, the United Nations calls on […]

We often seek permission and approval from others in order to live the life we wish to live, both personally and professionally. The problem is that when we do this we give up control of our lives to everyone else but ourselves. Since we love what we do so much, there is a very blurry […]

Tonight I watched and listened as choral directors, each members and leaders within ACDA, led choirs to sing in remembrance of those that have lost their lives in the recent senseless acts of violence in the US. I remain stunned, but somehow grateful, that there are choral directors and choirs available to sing and to […]

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.” Vincent van Gogh  I am privileged to be able to work with a group of arts and business organizations in my community on […]

Host Stan Schmidt of “Going Beyond Words” offers you a special invitations to a taste of the romantic as we hear a great operatic voice from the past and this is a work that choral directors should investigate and perform. Hear the exciting Grosse Messe by Johann Von Herbeck. Marvelous choral music from the mid 1800’s.

Who doesn’t know the mission of the Star Trek voyages, narrated by William Shatner in the original series? The mission was stated at the first of every episode: “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new […]

The May 2015 issue of Choral Journal featured a fascinating article on Antonio Vivaldi. Vivaldi is one of the most performed composers in music history, but until the 1950s, Vivaldi and his music were virtually unknown to the concert-going public. The article “Discovering the Rediscovery of Antonio Vivaldi” by Miles Dayton Fish “recounts the true […]

This is part 4 of the series “Why Won’t My Middle School Choir Sing?” Click here to see the first post in the series! Reason #4: We focus too much on technique and not enough on developing their true artistry. In my 24 years of teaching this age group, I’ve seen lots of middle school […]

 “‘Do you know, I always thought unicorns were fabulous monsters, too? I never saw one alive before!’ ‘Well, now that we have seen each other,’ said the unicorn, ‘if you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you.’” –Lewis Carroll; Through the Looking Glass  Several weeks ago, I was at my usual SAMBA (a community arts/municipality/business […]