Latest Blog Posts

It seems criminally obvious to say that how we end a piece is at least as important as how we begin one.  Today let’s watch a colleague bring a choral work to a close.   First, note that his left hand cues the sopranos in a manner that guides them to a “floating” sound on […]

In the theatre, it’s known that the best actors don’t really act.  Rather, they inhabit a role so completely that it becomes a part of them.  I believe that something like that occurs in conducting, where one has rehearsed an ensemble to such a fine edge that the singers no longer need us to conduct […]

(From the Choral Journal article “The Large Ensemble and Social Loafing,” by David Socker)          It has been one of the prima facia assumptions of choral conductors that one of the benefits accruing to our ensembles is the greater aesthetic experience which results from singers working in a group,        A part of this […]

(From the Choral Journal article, “Thomas Tallis’ Spem in Alium Nun Quam: Grandur in 40 Parts,” by Brock McEhleran.)          There is only one lasting problem in performing Tallis’s celebrated motet – for the rest of one’s life a great deal of Renaissance music has been spoiled. Everyone I know who has conducted or […]

(From the Choral Journal article “Grading the Choral Ensemble: No More Excuses!” by Peggy Dettwiler)   Assessment of choral ensembles is often a challenging task for directors. Because much rehearsal time is spent with group activities that are difficult to measure objectively as individual contributions, many directors choose to grade their students on attendance alone. […]

Today, Judy Bowers discusses choral arts in the school curriculum during a session recorded during the 2011 ACDA National Conference.

Here is a list of recommendations for men’s choral literature from the interest session “Expanding the Repertoire: A Fresh Look at Programming and Literature for Male Chorus,” presented by Cameron LaBarr during the 2012 Southern Division Conference. Standard Zion’s Walls – Copland; Boosey and Hawkes At the River – Copland; Boosey and Hawkes Sometimes I […]

It must have been a busy weekend, because I’m late with a Monday morning ChoralBlog.     I found this little gem recently:  the Boy Choir & Soloist Directory.   Why do I like it so much?   Because it has a great directory of lyrics for well known choral pieces!  Don’t we all search […]

A home video of a brilliant piece: