Latest Blog Posts

October can be both a PRODUCTIVE and FUN month in your choir. Don’t miss the opportunity to utilize HALLOWEEN and all of its festivities to engage your students, build community DEVELOP SOME ADVANCED MUSICAL SKILLS! CHECK OUT MY BLOG POST: 11 Choir Halloween Tricks (and Treats)

“Fine Manners need the support of fine manners in others.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Fine manners are really not about showing off but showing respect for others. When you are shown respect, you become respectful. My late mother used to tell us, having good manners was not showing off how ‘fancy’ you are but showing respect […]

The October 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Choral Pedagogical Tools and Vocal Exercises: A Practical Guide to Teaching Handel’s Messiah” by Zerrin Agabigum Martin. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Within the choral canon, Handel’s Messiah is one of the most frequently performed works by non-professional choral ensembles. While […]

“The best effort of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.” Ralph Waldo Emerson The term “choral ethics” has always confused me. Do we as choral conductors and directors have ethics?  Do we need ethics?  The Presbyterian Association of Musicians, as do other denominations musicians’ organizations, has a code of ethics. […]

In episode 25 of ChoralEd, Dr. Nathan Dame shares creative approaches to moveable-do sight-reading.  When implementing moveable-do in the classroom, Dr. Dame encourages a sequential instructional approach that develops musicianship skills.  For the beginning choir, this instructional sequence includes: Step 1: Count Rhythms Step 2: Figure out starting solfège based on the key signature Step […]

“Our intention creates our reality.” Wayne Dyer We sit or get grounded in a comfortable position. We begin to breathe. We acknowledge our busy minds, without judging or criticizing, and let the breath do its magic. Creating space for good with the inhale, letting go of what we no longer need with the exhale.  A […]

The October 2023 issue of Choral Journal is available online. ACDA members can log in with their username and password to view and download the newest edition. You can also read our electronic version. If you are not already a member of ACDA, join today to start receiving your monthly Choral Journal! _ _ _ _ _ _ IN THIS […]

When it comes to choir members singing by themselves, there are generally two schools of thought: 1. Singers in a choir should never be forced to sing by themselves. 2. All singers need to be graded individually for how they perform because choir is a skills-based class. My approach differs from the two. HERE IS […]

This week, I am excited to have Melanie Trecek-King as our guest. Melanie is a science educator who specializes in teaching science to non-science majors. In addition to her expertise in the field of science, Melanie is passionate about helping individuals improve their thought processes and metacognition. She is making major waves online with her […]

“I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.” Khalil Gibran Why Kindness?  Why write about kindness in the music profession?  Is it really necessary to be kind? In order to be kind in all things, we must have been […]