Latest Blog Posts

“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 […]

In today’s episode, we have a special guest, Jennaya Robison, who is an accomplished conductor, vocalist, and music educator. In this episode, we delve into the topic of vibrato in choral singing. Dr. Robison would like to advocate for a world where female voices in particular are freer to vibrate in choral singing. Jennaya recently […]

“It is always during a passing state of mind that we make lasting resolutions.” Marcel Proust Last week, I blogged about trying to remain calm as the end of the semester/choir year approached. Several of you contacted me about how timely this blog was, and I THANK YOU for your kind comments! This week, in […]

Recently I went on a vacation to Seattle and Vancouver for 10 days and returned at the end of last week. It was wonderful to relax and explore two cities I had not previously traveled to. Although it was cloudy and rainy for much of my time in the Pacific Northwest, I enjoyed exploring the […]

The March/April 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Reflections on Conductors, Composers, and Commissions” by Andrew Crane. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Over the course of the past two decades as a full-time director of choral activities (three at the high school level and eighteen at the university level), I’ve […]

Getting observed can be really stressful, even for seasoned teachers. When an authority figure is watching us, it can easily affect the way we deliver our intended lesson. I want to help you to NAIL your OBSERVATION each and every time. The most important thing regarding an observation is understanding your observer’s viewpoint. What is […]