Latest Blog Posts

I don't care much for sectionals. I do them, but in limited circumstances. My issue with sectionals is primarily that they breed dependence, rather than independence (see Richard Sparks' posts here and here). For a lot of choirs (non-auditioned, school age choirs, etc.), they make a lot of sense, as not everyone can be expected […]

(From the Choral Journal article Contristatus est Rex David: The Progressive Product of an Italianate Englishman by Robert A. Kvam)          English composers of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries produced several stunning choral settings of the scriptural text focusing on the death of David’s son, Absalom.Among the better known works based on […]

(From the Choral Journal article  Hebrew For Singers by Cheryl Frazes-Hoffman)          In recent years there has been an increasing interest in performing Jewish choral literature on programs other than within the Jewish Service. Academic training in higher education usually neglects this area in both repertoire and proper performance. There are no set guidelines […]

(From the Choral Journal article Guidelines from the MPA: Music Publishers’ Association of the United States [scroll to page 41].)   Each year, clinics and workshops increase in numbers and importance. They offer new opportunities, and every effort should be made to insure the success of each workshop. It iseasy to overlook some of the […]

Have you ever cleaned out a closet only to find a belonging that you had completely forgotten about?  It’s such a delightful surprise to re-discover a well-loved item that has simply slipped from the forefront of our mind.   Perhaps, then, it’s time to rediscover that the American Choral Directors Association has a YouTube channel.  […]

When a post called “PSA: Don’t Let Salami and Google Images Get You In Hot Water” from Edublogs flitted across my Facebook feed, I was tempted. Who doesn’t like salami?   But it was more than the desire for a tasty snack that made me click the link.  In all of my many jobs, I […]

I can’t think of very many places – especially not in the choral world – where you are going to hear the term “lactose intolerant cow.”  Good luck listening without laughing.  

COMPOSITION SPOTLIGHT ~ by 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!)   Full Fathom Five by Brad Burrill for SSATBB a cappella (click for PDF and audio) Level: High School or higher Uses: General Concert Use Programing themes:  […]

You.  Yes, YOU, are a miracle worker.  Pleasant Saturday.