Latest Blog Posts
Intonation X – Calibrating the Ear II – John Goldsmith
This is the second part of John Goldsmith's Calibrating the Ear warm-ups. To understand this, you must first read Part I! The singing of chromatic and whole-tone scales will be done every day, along with the earlier exercises. The more advanced exercises can be added later if you wish. These are great exercises which will […]
Intonation IX – Calibrating the Ear–John Goldsmith
John Goldsmith is a terrific musician, directs the Heinz Chapel Choir at the University of Pittsburg, and teaches the musicianship courses for the Music Department. He was a member of Chanticleer and sang with Robert Shaw in France. If you wish to reach him directly about his workshops, contact him through his email address at […]
ACDA Seeking New R&S Leaders
One of the greatest benefits of ACDA membership is the opportunity to hold appointive or elective leadership positions in the Association. There are currently three openings within ACDA's national Repertoire & Standards structure: Children's & Community Youth Ethnic & Multicultural Male Choir Those interested in applying for these positions should submit […]
Intonation VIII – A Few Other Vocal Issues
A few other vocal issues to consider in terms of intonation: Extremes of range – moving to the top of any singer’s range will be a challenge–vocally and therefore for intonation as well. This is an area that needs the kind of long-term vocal work that I’ve already described: vocalizes that help singers learn […]
ChoralTech: The Creative Commons, and a Different Way to Share
(wikipedia.org) As conductors, both we and our ensembles generate a tremendous amount of information – some of it in aural or visual performance, some of it in our research and program notes, and some in our presentations, journal notes and articles for professional organizations. In the past, we had only two options when it […]
One Last Thought as Summer Begins
Except for a very few holdouts, the academic year is over. Time for a little rest and rejuvenation. A change of scenery is in order, as is some time for reflection. Here, then, is a little something to ponder from your hammock. The following is by Kevin Peter Hand, a planetary scientist/astrobiologist in Pasadena, California […]
Choral Caffeine: Professionalism Defined
(An excerpt from the article, “Unprofessional Airmanship Redefined” by Robert Mark on May 6th, 2013 Though the following comments are from an article on professional aviators, they are applicable to professionalism in every walk of life – including choral conductors. Professionalism is a way of thinking about your work. Professionals don’t just […]
CJ Replay: The Canzonets of Giles Farnaby
(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “The Canzonets of Giles Farnaby,” by James McCray.) Giles Farnaby was born about 1565 although the actual date is not known. Because his music does not occur in The Triumphs of Orialla, many scholars believed his death to be about 1600, but recent investigation puts it […]
CJ Replay: Voice Lessons in Choir
(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “Voice Lessons for Your Choir,” by Gene Grier.) Beautiful tone is the desired result of all good singing. Understanding the vocal mechanism and its unique capabilities will lead to this result. Good singers need to develop an awareness of 1) breath control, 2) tonal support, 3) […]