Latest Blog Posts

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 […]

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 […]