Latest Blog Posts
The Conductor as Yogi: No More “Less Than”
Sometimes, I divide our large mixed choir into separate treble and bass ensembles to give them a different experience singing SSAA or TTBB repertoire. Great for programming and for variety in rehearsal, and for listening in a different way for blend and balance and color. When I resumed this practice a couple of years ago […]
Fostering Belonging in Choral Contexts
The November/December 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Fostering Belonging in Choral Contexts” by Elizabeth Cassidy Parker. Following is a portion from the article. _________________ Belonging has made an impactful resurgence in schools, universities, community music spaces, national organizations, and corporate America.1 As amplified by “A Place of Belonging,” ACDA’s 2023 National […]
Choral Ethics: Christmastime Is Here
“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.” Winston Churchill I’m rerunning some Choral Ethics blogs from years past with a few modifications where needed. Two of my MOST REQUESTED December Blogs will also be making their yearly appearances. In a few days, it will be Christmas Eve. Your plans have been […]
Advocacy & Collaboration Committee Monthly Blog: Burnout – tricks and tips (and research)
Featuring Dr. Peter Steenblik When you read the word “burnout” what comes to mind? Is it a feeling? A time of year? Is someone you know experiencing it, maybe even you? We’ve been hearing from folks that the season and the schedule are ramping up to pre-pandemic standards (and beyond) and the burn is starting […]
Go and Shine! Nine Strategies for Cultivating a Positive Rehearsal Space
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 Summer 2023 issue […]
Episode 177: Teaching Skills not Songs with Anthony Trecek-King
This week, Dr. Anthony Trecek-King joins the Choralosophy conversation by joining me to discuss two related topics. The teaching of musical fundamentals in our classrooms AND how we can have better and more productive conversations about social justice and the inequities in our society. We range from concrete, in class activities to try with a […]
Choral Ethics: “…..and the tongue of the dumb shall sing”
I’m rerunning some Choral Ethics blogs from years past with a few modifications when needed. Two of my MOST REQUESTED December Blogs will be making their yearly appearances, including today’s. Happy December! ~MLGA I love “Messiah”. Truth be told, it is probably one of my favorite large choral works. There’s a little something for everyone–from […]
Mental Health and Choral Music
We are looking back at the October 2021 issue of Choral Journal in this week’s post. That issue was a focus on mental health, and it featured several articles related to mental health and choral music, including “Remember You: Mental Health in a Life Dedicated to Choral Music” by Stephanie and Troy Robertson. You can […]
Choral Ethics: Last Man Standing
Charles Grass (Dad) left, and Bob Fosse, right. They were about 12 years old. “If you think you can do better, then do better. Don’t compete with anyone; just yourself.” Bob Fosse Today is my father’s 96th birthday. He is still with us, still as sharp as a tack, still very independent and still telling us what to do. We know […]
ChoralEd: Alternative Sight-Reading Activities
Daily sight-reading in the choral classroom is a beneficial instructional practice that promotes music literacy skills. However, this pedagogical approach is, at times, disinteresting to students due to the repetitive use of exercises from a methods book. While consistency is important when teaching music literacy, variety is also beneficial, providing students with a new and […]