Latest Blog Posts

ChorTeach is ACDA’s quarterly online publication, designed for those who work with singers of all levels. A full annotated ChorTeach index is available online at acda.org/chorteach. Over 160 articles are organized into seventeen categories. For submission information, to view the index, or to read the latest issue, visit acda.org/chorteach. Following is a list of the articles in the Winter 2022 […]

Some of the same things we do to be invested in our choral program leads us down the path of no return: the path toward burning out. Over time, the energy and enthusiasm that pushes us through the extra rehearsals, extra concerts, and community events lead us to become warn out or feel like quitting; […]

An episode inspired by the Oxford Handbook of Vocal Studies by Dr. Alisha Jones called “Singing High: Black Countertenors and Gendered Sound in Gospel Performance.” The article dropped into my email box and I immediately thought, THIS is a podcast. I was so right. Patrick’s story is not only fascinating, but his experience is emblematic of the […]

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” Carl Sandburg Trudy* began a very nice church job last fall. Wonderful clergy, wonderful congregation, and wonderful choir. There’s only […]

Dr. Brittney E. Boykin is a native of Alexandria, VA. She began studying piano at 7-years-old with Mrs. Alma Sanford, who taught her through multiple competitions. Dr. Boykin studied piano at Spelman College with Dr. Rachel Chung, and after graduation, attended Westminster Choir College, where she was awarded the R and R Young Composition Prize. […]

What do you think of when you hear the word “work?” Some days, “work” feels like these dictionary definitions:  Exertion, Labor, Toil, Slog, Drudgery.  Ouch. Just reading these words makes us feel heavy, even if they accurately describe how we feel right now.  It’s not that we don’t still love our art or care about […]

The March/April 2022 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Toward ‘Transcendence’: Music and Meditation in Michael McGlynn’s O Maria” by Seán Doherty. You can read it in its entirety at acda.org/choraljournal. Following is a portion from the introduction. _________________ The term “transcendence” appears frequently in discourse regarding contemporary choral music. It is often used […]

The Third Anniversary Episode of the Choralosophy Podcast! The serendipity of having this episode ready to publish this week, on the third anniversary of the show is incredible. After all, three years ago I was motivated to launch this show because I saw a need stemming from how divided we were becoming as a nation. […]

“Any girl can be glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.”  Hedy Lamarr Being a musician, any type of a musician, is hard work. Practicing every day, rehearsing with others, listening to other performers, studying scores, and doing research about the music being practiced, rehearsed, and listened to IS work. […]

While the dictionary defines “equity” as a noun, the quality of being fair and impartial, this blog post (and the podcast that accompanies it) morphs “equity” into a verb, with tangible and actionable ideas. How do we define “equity?” What actions can we take and how can we employ from the various DEIB or ADEI […]