Latest Blog Posts
CJ Replay: Brahms & Clara
(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “Brahms and the ‘Clara Emblem’: Musical Allusion as a Key to Understanding the Thematic Sources at the Heart of Ein deutsches Requiem,” by James John) Musical allusion is often a provocative subject, especially in relation to Brahms, who rarely disclosed any clues regarding the nature of […]
Saturday Respite: How Many Hours Did This Take?
Clever and cool. However, just imagine how much time it took to do this. Some of us have to spend our time eking out a living . . . .
Saturday Respite: Oh, the Fun These Two Will Have
It’s been a tough week, hasn’t it? Come to think of it, this semester’s not exactly been a picnic. Time for a smile.
Choral Caffeine: Teaching Text
One is by no means a great bassist. On our best day we manage only to muddle along. But it doesn’t matter how well one plays, there is no way to communicate on ANY instrument the word “love, the word “blue,” the word “chocolate,” or any words at all. Therein lies the obvious (and to […]
Choral Caffeine: Small Change, Big Results
We are always on the hunt for new (or new to us) rehearsal strategies, those little things that can bring a revived approach to the environment, and ideally reinvigorate our singers. In her article, “May I Suggest a Better Blend?” (Oregon ACDA’s Choral Focus), Donna Spicer offers a concise list of techniques for making […]