Latest Blog Posts
Choral Ethics: Why I’m a ChoralNet Blogger
This is a Choral Ethics Blog post repeat from several years ago. I need to slow down and plotting out the rest of the summer now seems like a smart idea. I try to be here, one way or another, every week because I know many of you look forward to this blog and I […]
ChoralEd: Selecting Appropriate Repertoire
When selecting repertoire for the choral ensemble a great deal of care and thought should be given to each song as this music will serve as your curriculum for roughly eight weeks of rehearsal. By selecting repertoire that is at the appropriate difficulty level, (as opposed to music that is too easy or difficult) you […]
Scoping the Literature of Transgender Singing: Experiences and Pedagogical Insights in Choral Contexts
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 the abstract from this article, “Scoping the Literature […]
Choral Ethics: Music is the Easy Part
“I don’t care much about music. What I like is sounds.” Dizzy Gillespie When I was about 18 or 19, soon after I began my undergraduate program, my late mother, a coloratura soprano, told me music is the easy part of being a musician. Being 18 or 19 and knowing EVERYTHING (as you do) at […]
Choral Ethics: Honor
“The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” Socrates Today is the Summer Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s wonderful to have so much light during the evening of a balmy day. Sitting outside, with an adult beverage or lemonade or iced tea, is […]
Excluded in the Name of Inclusion with Michal Dawson Connor
“I cannot believe I’ve been muzzled by my own people.” All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, CA cancelled a concert that was set for June 2nd, 2024 citing the “pain and anguish felt by 18 Black members of the church.” The response was that Michal and the choir, and the music they were set to […]
Embodying the Music: A Survey of Choral Music Educators on Conducting Injury and Wellness Techniques
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 the abstract from this article written by Ryan […]
Choral Ethics: Father’s Day Ruminations
“You don’t have to deserve your mother’s love. You have to deserve your father’s.” Robert Frost As I write today’s blog, I am sipping a glass of iced tea, brewed with mint from my own garden. The mint was the first thing we planted when we bought our house 30 years ago, but we should […]
Choral Ethics: Loyalty
“Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” Arthur Conan Doyle Believe it or not, I get many emails about loyalty. Loyalty to a chorus or church choir or alumni group and perhaps another type performing group of some sort. I get questions such as: if my university […]
ChoralEd: Self-Efficacy and Pitch Matching
Self-efficacy (one’s belief in their ability to succeed) is an important component when establishing a positive and productive choral environment. In Episode 33 of ChoralEd, Dr. Greg LeFils describes methods for developing self-efficacy and pitch matching skills in the choral ensemble. An inability to match pitch can lead to negative self-perceptions of musical ability resulting […]