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“The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.” Edmund Burke  Might be triggering. Maddie* and I have been emailing back and forth for weeks. Her story—only part of what I will share here—is tragic. As fantastic as it may sound, it is all true. And that is part of the tragedy of it; it […]

I’m not sure how the weather has been where you live, but it felt like spring took its sweet time arriving in Iowa City. Thankfully, about two weeks ago, the weather started getting warmer and more leaves on the trees are starting to emerge. It’s refreshing to be able to wear shorts when I’m not […]

The May 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Representation in Choral Music: An Examination of Choral Literature Performed by All-State Mixed Choirs 2000-2020″ by William McLean. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Choral conductors are constantly searching for and evaluating repertoire to program with their ensembles. This ongoing practice occurs […]

My 3-year-old Son Could Be Considered Tone-Deaf!   I have an adorable video to share of my son, Nolan, singing L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole. As you will hear, the correct pitches are rarely to be found.   But, there is a clear reason why this is occurring:   Young girls have the opportunity to successfully […]

In this unique episode of Choralosophy, we are taking it into the future that is now with a very special guest. It’s ChatGPT, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence language model that has been trained to understand and communicate with humans. ChatGPT is here to share its insights on topics relevant to choir directors, including innovative ways […]

“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca There has been much difficulty in my life as of late, too complicated and personal to go into here, but it has caused me to cancel my chamber choir’s June concert. Too distracted since January, I have […]

Developing sight-reading skills can be a difficult task for many teachers. ChoralEd episode 20 shares some general suggestions for enhancing your sight-reading pedagogy. Teachers frequently develop sight-reading skills during a dedicated sight-reading time. However, it is highly beneficial to incorporate music literacy skills throughout the entire class.  Elements of solfège (or your preferred system) should […]

I am in that slice of time between the end of classes and finals week with its culminating experiences, including honors ceremonies and commencement.  This “slice” also includes an out-of-state wedding, my first time on a plane since 2019.  My emails are all “now” items, my tasks are many, and as I begin to think […]

The May 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Discounting Our Colleagues: Gender Inequity in the Choral Conducting Profession” by Sierra Farquhar-Wulff. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Despite public discourse and trends toward gender equality in the United States, women choral conductors have continued to be considered second-class citizens in […]

As you approach your spring concert season:   Do you feel the PRESSURE starting to mount?   Do you feel the STRESS of making your concert successful.   Does this tension impact your demeanor in rehearsals?   Do you feel like YOU care more about the concert than your singers?   Well, if any of […]