Latest Blog Posts

In this episode, I am thrilled to be joined by guest Jasmine Fripp, a music educator and advocate for cultural sensitivity and anti-racism in music education. Many of us FIRST met Jasmine when she posted a viral letter on Facebook. We will be discussing the importance of cultural sensitivity within music education, and why it’s crucial […]

“With the coming of spring, I am calm again.” Gustav Mahler During the first part of my choral career, I was also a dancer, ballet teacher and choreographer. My ballet background, coupled with understanding and the ability to read complicated scores, made me a natural to choreograph musicals on all levels. I specialized in making […]

“To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.” Eckhart Tolle It’s concert day.  My to-do list has been updated regularly and I check it once, then twice (OK, more than that), to be sure all is in […]

The March/April 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Words and Music: A Conversation with Poets and Composers” by Robert Bode. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Many of us wonder about the process of bringing a new piece of choral music into the world. Where do composers get their inspiration? How […]

(April is National Autism Acceptance Month) “Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” — Henry Van Dyke We all assume certain things about others.  Those assumptions are usually based on something we know about them–whether they’re up bringing or professions or […]

This year, I decided to take a vacation after Holy Week and Easter, so I have more mental bandwidth than the past 2 – 3 weeks. As I learned from 2020, if I go too long without time off, stress builds up. With all the activity this calendar year such as The Secret Garden and […]

The May 2022 issue of Choral Journal is available online. This issue includes several articles on the topic of women in choral conducting ACDA members can log in with their username and password to view and download the newest edition. You can also read our electronic version. If you are not already a member of ACDA, join […]

Does your entire choir SUFFER from choir senioritis? Are your choir seniors RUINING your rehearsals with their NEGATIVE attitudes? I have news for you….this IS avoidable If we want to avoid the senior burnout, apathy, and negativity, we must make the final months MEANINGFUL FOR THEM. SENIORITIS IS REVERSIBLE, just like poor behavior in the […]

“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.” Victor Hugo This Choral Ethics Blog repeat is from a few years back. I hope you are able to enjoy all your hard work for this […]

In American choral music three sight-reading methods are most commonly utilized by educators.  These methodologies include Moveable “Do,” Fixed “Do,” and Numbers, with Moveable “Do” being the most common.  As choral educators begin their career, they must decide which method to incorporate in the classroom.  Not all methods are equal as each has its own […]