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(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “Teaching Musical Concepts through Performance,” by Lois M. Wells)          Assumed basic concepts: High school students who perform a fine quality of repertoire at a high level of artistry must have already established certain basic concepts: a) A strong interest in choral music. b) A basic musicianship […]

ACDA needs YOUR creativity to name the label. The American Choral Directors Association has entered into an agreement with Naxos of America® for the development of a recording label devoted exclusively to choral music.  There is just one thing missing; a name for the label.  ACDA is staging an online contest to find an appropriate […]

(From the Choral Journal article, “Letters to a Young Musician,” by Royal Stanton)          You enter the field in times of turbulent change. Many of the traditional bases for choral music are being eroded away, have been reduced to mere tokens, or have been supplanted altogether. The media revolution of the last 50 years […]

OK, no such thing as "final" thoughts on a topic as big as choral intonation! But this IS the final installation in this long series of posts. No more (unless I respond to your comments) until late August–if you have thoughts on new topics of interest, send a note!   A resource I've used is a […]

(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “The Role of the Choral Conductor,” by Charles Hirt)          The composer first transmits his musical image to the conductor through the medium of the music score. The conductor in turn recreates this image as faithfully as possible in his own mind, and communicates it to his […]

(tx.english-ch.com)   We’ve talked several times about easy ways to share audio examples with your ensemble, and ways for your singers to share recordings back with you. While we all strive to support our musicians to be independent as much as possible, there are always limiting factors: time, both for us and for them, and […]

(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “Choral Music: A Force in Social Change,” by Alfred J. McNeil )          During the decade just past, we have gotten used to seeing the world divided into two parts-the developed and the underdeveloped. To bring this closer, the ghetto and suburbia have become America’s two worlds. […]

(An excerpt from the Choral Journal article, “Working Relationships of the Choral Director and the Singing Teacher,” by Robert E. Bowles)          Singers, whether as soloists or as choristers, are forever engaged in communicating text, often of profound import, which has been enhanced by and further revealed through its musical setting. The soloist becomes […]

For the first “Monday Motivation” of the new choral season, it seems appropriate for us all to be reminded of the incredible value of BALANCE amid the swirling maelstrom that will greet us each day in the coming ten months.  And for those who refuse to believe that it is the little things that are […]

As I bring this (long!) series to an end, I'll attempt to answer questions or highlight comments made by others to this series–a huge thanks to those who took the time to comment, correct, or add to what I've said. I will likely say a few things more on Saturday before signing off for the […]