Latest Blog Posts

It occurs to me that we sometimes underestimate the emotional capabilities of those in the choirs we conduct.  Take for instance men’s ensembles.  I love “Brother’s Sing On,” the various college fight songs, and the other rousing standard repertoire for the men’s chorus.  Listen though to the text of this too-seldom heard work by Lee […]

In an conversation with famed conductor Eric Ericson published in the Choral Journal, interviewer William Wyman asked, “If you were advising a choral director as to what you felt were the important pieces that he or she should be attempting to study and perform, what might some of those pieces be?”   Ericson’s reply:  “It […]

YANKTON, SD – It’s every student’s dream to earn All-State honors. From the hardwood to the stage, those opportunities abound across KELOLAND. But one Yankton student was turned away because his talent breaks the rules for a state-sanctioned event. The music flowing from these walls on Roberts Street is enough to make anyone want to […]

Always the master showmen, in this performance from an ACDA National Conference the King’s Singers show us how a selection from the late Renaissance can come to life in a very clever manner (While yes it may look spontaneous, you can bet this was meticullously rehearsed).  Who know we could do so much singing and […]

Two publications recently caught my attention related to the concept of learning from mistakes. In a September 14 New York Times article entitled “What if the Secret to Success Is Failure?”, Paul Tough references the work of David Levin, co-founder of the KIPP network of charter schools, who spent years investigating how to provide lessons […]

Here’s a little something for you from the kind folks at SoundWaves (the firm responsible for recording the concerts at ACDA National Conferences). Soundwaves would like to offer a gift of one free CD. Simply browse MEtunes, choose any album, and use the coupon code below for a free choral CD when you check out. Contact […]

In a blog entitled “Teacher in a Strange Land,” Nancy Flanagan provides some great advice for teachers that echoed some thoughts I have had lately:   Listen to advice — but trust your gut. Your goal is becoming an authentic teacher, one with autonomy, mastery and purpose. You will inevitably build a practice by stealing […]

A ChoralNet user forwarded me this article: 14 year-old Garrett Adam is good at many things. Music is one of them.  “I play the flute and piccolo in the band,” Garrett said. “And I've been interested in singing a long time now, really interested in singing.”  He's been in junior honor choir, band, marching band […]

Dear colleagues,   We are writing today regarding recent federal education policy developments of interest to the music education community.  In a brief speech this morning at the White House, President Obama, flanked by education administrators and students from across the country, outlined his new plan for providing states with relief from the ongoing pressures […]

The progress made in the past month is a true testament to the energy and dedication that continues to drive the planning of the 2012 World Choir Games, now less than 300 days away. Along with hitting the 300-day mark, the past month brought meetings with representatives from Interkultur, the World Choir Games’ governing body, […]