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NOTES FROM ERIC ERICSON'S CONDUCTING SESSIONS AT HAYSTACK , 1986   These notes are from several sessions (hence I've abbreviated in some places) that Eric Ericson did on basic conducting technique. This took place at the Haystack Workshop in Astoria, Oregon. I was singing in the 16-voice chamber choir that did a concert as well […]

EXCERPTS FROM MARGARET HILLIS' At Rehearsals (First published 1969) by Mary Lynn Doherty   At Rehearsals is an 18 page document written by Margaret Hillis (founder and conductor of the Chicago Symphony Chorus for almost 40 years).  Her advice on singing, score marking and diction is comprehensive, concise and highly effective.   If it was good […]

COMPOSITION SPOTLIGHT ~ by Jack Senzig   (Each week we look at one or two of the best choral works posted in the Composition Showcase here on ChoralNet.  This is where we store a treasure trove of works that your choirs will love to sing and your audiences will love to hear.)   Agnus Dei by william copper for SAB a cappella […]

In the early days of listening to music on the Internet, the only available offerings were those “commercially viable” genres that could attract enough attention to warrant the high set-up and operation costs. Now that streaming music online has become standard and widespread, there are wonderful sources for choral music and other classical/art musics available […]

WHY SINGERS MAKE GOOD LAWYERS, by Marsha Nagorsky I haven’t sung in a choir in over 20 years. Between a full-time job and parenting two young sons, regular rehearsal just isn’t in the cards. But there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss singing in a group, yearn for my days working […]

THE 26-YEAR OLD RECORDINGS AND THE 42-YEAR OLD LAWYER, by Marsha Nagorsky          This guest post came about because of spring cleaning. I got it in my head recently that it was time to clean out some old things, and this weekend it was going through old cassette tapes. I no longer have the […]

INSPIRED CONNECTIONS by Mary Lynn Doherty          When was the last time you were truly moved by a musical experience?  This past week, I had the distinct honor of hosting Nick Page for a three day residency with my college students and children’s choir.   Nick is one of those rare individuals who are extremely […]

       If you have attended even a single ACDA Conference, you’ve seen it.  It’s the look on the face of every conductor as they turn to acknowledge the applause of peers at the conclusion of their appearance on the main stage of the Conference.  One calls it “The Grin.”        But it’s the NEXT look […]

A CHORAL CHALLENGE by Amanda Bumgarner          Once a month, the Choral Journal appears in your mailbox or inbox. I am not so unrealistic as to think that you eagerly devour every word from cover to cover, down to the last book review. Perhaps that is the case for some (and if so, I […]

(An excerpt from the interest session “From the Ground Up: Building a New Student Chapter,” presented by Andrew McNair during the 2014 ACDA Southwestern Division Conference)          One thing that anyone wanting to start or grow an ACDA chapter should consider is how you plan to publicize and spread information about your chapter.  The […]