Latest Blog Posts

Parents all have favorite stories about their children that they share when company comes over. These tales are usually brought out to illustrate some defining and possibly amusing character trait. In my case my mother tells the story of asking me what I wanted for my fifth birthday, and her surprise when I told her […]

                                                      “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do.” Lucille Ball   Right about now we are all gearing up for the next six or seven weeks of insanity. Our concerts loom ahead and so does the end of […]

            COMPOSITION SPOTLIGHT ~ by Jack Senzig   (The Composition Showcase is a unique resource for conductors.   Choral composers are allowed to share only a few of their best works.  Each week we offer you the best of the best on a silver platter.   The Silver Platter Award winners are works that […]

There are no words that I dread more, professionally, than "please submit your bio." It is a thing that must be done, and so I have a very basic bio that I wrote in college and keep on file, gradually being updated as the years go on.    Dale Trumbore's post "5 Things to Take […]

The King’s Singers A class act with a delightfully British wit    David Hurley, Countertenor  Timothy Wayne-Wright, Countertenor  Julian Gregory, Tenor  Christopher Bruerton, Baritone  Christopher Gabbitas, Baritone  Jonathan Howard, Bass             You've heard them, you have their albums, you respect them, and now you can Ask the King's Singers Anything! Please […]

  I'd like to share a personal anecdote, and ask for your responses. What do you think about the picture above?   It is a picture of the Mägi Ensemble (I am pictured here, with the white scarf), walking onstage to participate in the Seattle Sings festival. It was a 3-day long festival featuring 34 area choirs, […]

   “Appreciation can make a day – even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” Margaret Cousins   Not all of the Choral Ethic comments I receive are about “conductors behaving badly.” Some are wonderful, touching life and career affirming. Today we’ll speak about how a few […]

  COMPOSITION SPOTLIGHT ~ by Jack Senzig   (The Composition Showcase is a unique resource for conductors.   Choral composers are allowed to share only a few of their best works.  Each week we offer you the best of the best on a silver platter.   The Silver Platter Award winners are works that your choirs will love to […]

I am really liking a book I am currently reading on the subjects of creativity and innovation. The book by David Burkus is The Myths of Creativity, with a subtitle “The truth about how Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas.”   In this 2014 Jossey-Bass publication, Burkus gets right down to business by framing […]

                                                                              “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.” George Carlin   Jackie* and I became friends at a long ago ACDA national conference and have stayed in contact for several decades. She directs a community chorus two states over and recently emailed me about a situation which came up during her […]