Latest Blog Posts
ChoralEd: Fun Vocal Exercises, Part 1
As students enter the choral classroom, they often arrive from classes in which they passively listen to lectures or complete bookwork. In contrast to these uninspired lessons, it is advantageous for teachers to incorporate at least one fun vocal exercise in each rehearsal to promote an enjoyable classroom environment. ChoralEd, Episode 17 features a demonstration […]
Lifting Up the Littles: Highlighting Your Youngest Singers Through Commissioned Works, Effective Rehearsal, and Performance Opportunities
ChorTeach is ACDA’s quarterly online publication, designed for those who work with singers of all levels but specifically K-12 and community choirs. A full annotated ChorTeach index is available online at acda.org/publications/chorteach. Over 160 articles are organized into seventeen categories. For more information, email or visit acda.org/chorteach. Following is an excerpt from an article in the Fall 2022 issue […]
The A Cappella Connection with Deke Sharon
When you perform, it’s your job to go out there and save a life.Deke Sharon This week, I welcome the “Father of Contemporary A Cappella,” Deke Sharon onto the show. We discuss the origins of the modern “A Cappella” genre as well as the “family tree” of other types of A Cappella vocal music genres […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: January Emails
“The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity.” Walt Whitman I get emails about Choral Ethics issues from all over. Several times a year, it’s a flurry of emails. I have gotten MANY emails this January in particular. I think it’s because restrictions have ended […]
One from the Folder: Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choir
#75: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
“Skin” – composed by Mari Esabel Valverde
Poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye
SSAA, piano
Are you looking for a brand-new piece for your SSAA ensemble? Something lush and sweeping, with thought-provoking text? Composed by, and using the poetry of, two wonderful women with diverse, expansive, multi-faceted backgrounds? Then read on!
The Conductor as Yogi: The Bigger Picture
Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees, takes off his shoes; The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries. Elizabeth Barrett Browning I recently came across this quote and had an immediate, visceral response. Brilliant! So insightful. Leave it to Elizabeth to knock it out of […]
International Journal of Research in Choral Singing: 2022 Volume 10 Overview
The International Journal of Research in Choral Singing (IJRCS) is ACDA’s scholarly publication that welcomes studies that apply rigorous, systematically-grounded methodologies, either quantitative or qualitative, to investigate phenomena of potential interest to all who sing in, work with, or are otherwise interested in choral ensembles. Below is an overview of the Volume 10, articles published in […]
How “Meeting Students Where They Are” Can FAIL….
When meeting students where they are at, some choral directors make a big mistake: they keep the students where they are. In my new blog post, I explain my journey with teaching middle school chorus for the first time in over 20 years. Check out my latest blog post: How “Meeting Students Where They Are” Can […]
Car Thoughts: Student Led Sectionals
“Whoever is doing the talking is doing the learning.” Jen York-Barr In this special car thoughts I will not only DESCRIBE how I use sectionals in rehearsal, I will show you! (Video recommended) I am a big believer in student ownership, and there are few better ways to accomplish this than building a culture of […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Subtle Sexism in Classical Music
“Sexism is real in this country.” Kamela Harris It’s part of a being woman conductor or composer to be looked on as something unusual. We’re called “strange” or “weird” and certainly not taken seriously. Folks focus on things about us, often not relating to the music, such as what we wear or how we present […]