Latest Blog Posts

It's the millennium for the Abbey of Solemnes — this French abbey, which has been the world center for Gregorian chant scholarship since the 19th century, was founded in the year 1010.    When I was an undergraduate and took a course in chant, I found the early manuscripts fascinating, particularly the ones which pre-dated […]

This graphic demonstration of Bach’s “Crab Canon” from the Musical Offering has been making the rounds in my various social networks recenty.  A great visual demonstration is offered here, and will make an appearance in my music appreciation course this fall!   If you haven’t seen it before – I hope you enjoy it!  

The September issue of the Choral Journal is out and ready for you to peruse it – online of course.   Did you know that all of the back issues of the Choral Journal are available for download?  ACDA Membership has value!

      Truth #1 As Conductor, You Make the Difference. Before you lead you have to believe you can have a positive impact on others. When you believe you can make a difference, you position yourself to hear the call to lead.  Truth #2 Integrity is the Podium on which you Stand. If people don’t believe […]

As one of my primary life and career mentors retired and moved to a location closer to children and grandchildren, this giant in my career made a point of sending some of the physical reminders of his work and craft to his protégés. It was a personal and extraordinarily meaningful gesture on his part. The […]

David Griggs-Janower lists his selections of the greatest choral works of all time.  The first three:   Anyway, I think my first three are (drum roll~~~~~~~~): Bach B Minor Mass Bach St. Matthew Passion Brahms Requiem I even think that’s the order.  The B Minor is more universal than the Passion, though neither is truly universal, and maybe that’s why it’s […]

From the Front of the Choir gives us twenty ways to build your audience.   The first one is hilarious:  use a smaller venue!   use a smaller venue – of course you won’t fit a bigger audience in, but the audience you do get will seem bigger and give the choir confidence, you might […]

Hymnography Unbound points us to the news that the Dominican nuns sang the Stabat Mater as a Sequence in the late 13th century, which was much earlier than had been thought.   This site has more information.

It’s a new academic year brimming with possibilities!  Are you excited?   Are you ready to get into that all familiar habit of overcommitting at the beginning of the year and then finding yourself awash with too much to do in the time you have available?   Zen Habits gives us some reasons we find […]

  Not enough choral directors review choral concerts!   But here is one — Jeffrey Carter reviews Libera:   Lovers of the British cathedral sound, and of the boychoir sound (and I count myself among these happy few), were in blissful delight as Libera worked their way through two long sets. To be clear, theirs […]