Latest Blog Posts
Guest Blog: Have YOU Ever Done It?
Have YOU Ever Done It? ~ by Mike O'Neill I often find myself having to defend the art form called barbershop that I so passionately love when conversing with other fellow music educators. The sense I get is my involvement in barbershop isn’t ‘legitimate’ music making. I can honestly say that I have learned […]
ACDA Member Lost to West Nile
Sometimes, news of dreaded conditions or situations seem far-removed from our individual spheres. We watch news of storms, of tragic events, or of epidemics and silently comfort ourselves thinking that it happens to “other” people. Not so today. The West Nile virus has come close to home with the passing of ACDA leader […]
The Bully Pulpit
Everyone, Might you be interested in speaking from the bully pulpit of choral music? Wikipedia gives this description of a bully pulpit: position of authority of sufficiently high rank that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter. The bully pulpit can bring issues […]
Composition Spotlight: Orpheus with His Lute
COMPOSITION SPOTLIGHT ~ Jack Senzig (Each week we look at a piece of useful repertoire from the ChoralNet Community Composition Showcase. A variety of voicings and levels of difficulty will be presented. Enjoy!) Orpheus With His Lute by Brian Holmes for SSA, Bb trumpet and piano Level: High school sophomore women’s choir and […]
ChoralTech: The Never-Ending Rehearsal
A core challenge for many choirs of all ages/ranges is helping our musicians practice between rehearsals. Thankfully, there are many ways that we can extend what happens in the rehearsal room and make it possible for our singers (of any level) to get work in on our literature in that “rest of their lives” time […]
CJ Replay: Studying the Orchestral Score
(From the Choral Journal article, “A Choral Conductor’s Preparation for Choral/Orchestral Concerts,” by Kerry Barnett) Orchestral scores can be confusing to choral conductors, many of whom are primarily used to looking at only choral parts, perhaps with some form of keyboard accompaniment. The process of becoming comfortable with the visual presentation of orchestral […]
CJ Replay: Choral Transfusion
(From the Choral Journal article, “The Need for a Choral Transfusion,” by Gary L. Anderson) A continuing challenge facing nearly all choral directors is keeping an established choral program fresh, exciting, and appealing. Unfortunately, many directors are committed to thesame recruiting procedures, the same number and types of choirs, and the same rehearsal schedule […]