Latest Blog Posts

Windt, Nathan.  A Conductor’s Guide to Selected Short, Pre-Viennese Liturgical and Sacred Choral Works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  Doctor of Musical Arts dissertation, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 2008.          Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91) composed a significant number of liturgical choral works, including several shorter pieces that deserve recognition in the American choral […]

(NOTE: It has recently been suggested that we re-post this column to remind all of us in the choral profession of the incredible value of our daily efforts.)           With the new choral season upon us, you will soon settle into a regular schedule of teaching and rehearsing, pouring yourself into the wonderful process […]

Starting tomorrow (Saturday, August 11), the Choral Blog portion of ChoralNet will feature “Scholarly Abstractions.”  This column, the first in an on-going series, will highlight brief abstracts from recent graduate projects in choral music.  Scheduled in the coming weeks are abstracts on choral score study, influential conductors, and composers ranging from Bach to Bingham,   […]

Moody, Philip. A New English Libretto for Haydn’s The Creation.  Doctor of Musical Arts dissertation, University of Arizona, 2012.          This document was created to provide a new English translation to Franz Joseph Haydn’s (1732-1809) oratorio The Creation that both respects Hadyn’s original musical content and employs contemporary English language and idioms. In preparing […]

Baek, Jung Jin Baek. A Conductor’s Guide to J. S. Bach’s Quinquagesima Cantatas. Doctor of Musical Arts dissertation, University of Cincinnaty College Conservatory of Music, 2012.          Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantatas occupy a significant portion of his output. This document focuses on his four cantatas written for the Quinquagesima Sunday in Leipzig. The first […]

This sounds vaguely familiar.  Oh, yeah, I was at the ballpark last night.  

Warm-ups are an integral part of any physical activity.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re going to swing a golf club or swing the eighth note, a warm-up period is necessary.   In the article, "Vocal Warm Ups, Repertoire, and Resources for Male Choir" (Georgia Sings!  Vol.7, No.1) Amy Hughley shares the results from a poll […]

With the passing of Labor Day two days ago, we can (sadly) close the book on the summer of 2012.  Most schools are now in session, and a great many church choirs resume their regular rehearsal schedules this week.   There seems to be an increase of churches seeking to fill a singular Organist/Choir Director […]

The matter of choral tone has probably been a topic of discussion in studios and rehearsal halls for longer than any of us cares to ponder.  So we continue from last week’s “Choral Caffeine” with another point of view; in this case from Leanne Freeman-Miller’s article “The Vocal Edge” (Kansas ACDA Choral Range), in which […]

The start of a new school year gives us a chance to lay a foundation that we hope will serve us throughout the entire season (and beyond).  Among the countless considerations in this seemingly unending process is the matter of vocal tone.   In his article, “The Call: Teaching Singers to Project Healthy Tone” (Georgia […]