Latest Blog Posts

“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 […]

In addition to serving as Director of Music and Worship Arts at Mandarin United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, FL, I also sing in the Festival Singers of Florida, a 100-voice auditioned choir comprised of music educators and conductors from all over Florida and beyond. Thankfully, my church had the privilege of hosting this inspiring choir […]

The newest issue of Choral Journal is available online. Following is a list of the articles you will find in this issue. ACDA members can log in with their username and password to view and download the newest edition. You can also read our electronic version. If you are not already a member of ACDA, join today to start […]

I must confess that even though I write about Choir Valentine’s Day every year, I have yet to prepare anything for my February 14th choir rehearsal. Lucky for me, I have my own blog post, “9 Last Minute Choir Valentine’s Day Rehearsal Ideas”, that I know is filled with last-minute ideas I can implement Monday […]