Latest Blog Posts
Morph Choir
I know some choirs have less-than-beautiful members in them, but this seems like an extreme way to handle them. For the embedded-impaired: http://youtu.be/C9zf_ImNa5w
World Choir Games Update
Hitting the ‘High Notes’ An insider’s look at 2012 World Choir Games event progressSPECIAL EDITION Dear 2012 World Choir Games Supporter: We are extremely excited to announce that Tony Award-winning star Idina Menzel will headline the 2012 World Choir Games Closing Ceremony on July 14. You may know Menzel as the first-ever Elphaba in Wicked, as Shelby in FOX’s television […]
Carmina Burana, now with subtitles
In case you were wondering what the words were: Or, for the embedded-impaired: http://youtu.be/nIwrgAnx6Q8
Choral Caffeine: Make a Plan
Looking for a way to maximize your rehearsal time and improve the responsibility of individual singers? Maybe Deborah Fristad can help. In her article, “How about a 5-5-5 Plan? Sive Songs, Five Weeks, Five Concerts!” (Resound, Spring 2012) she lays out a method that just might work for you. Each day was […]
Choral Caffeine: Aging Singers
As the baby-boom generation enters retirement, the U.S. will struggle with new medical, societal, and economic realities. As choral conductors, we, too, will see changes in our adult choirs, from the smallest church choir to large symphonic choruses. In his article, “The Aging Voice” (MCDA Reporter Spring 2007), Mark Lawley queries six conductors on […]
Stick Time: What Do You Hear?
Here is a selection from a performance at a recent ACDA Divisional Conference. A couple things to listen for today: (A) What did our colleague do with the phrase structure? (B) What decisions were made about the choir's tone, both for individual singers and the entire ensemble? (C) What sort of surprises did the composer […]
Stick Time: Jester Hairston “Amen”
Jester Hairston chats with an audience before leading a performance of Amen in Europe. Note the passion he has for the art form, the music itself and the text of the work. And how many conductors have that much energy, enthusiasm, and resolve at 80?
Stick Time: Memorize the Score
Did you know that it takes exactly thirteen hours to memorize a piece of music? Yup! Twelve hours to complain about it and one hour to get the job done. Of course, I’m being glib. Depending upon the complexity of the work at hand, memorization can be almost instantaneous, or it can present significant […]