Latest Blog Posts
From “Raising the Voices of a Generation: The Role of Choral Directors in Increasingly Complex Times”
By Jeff M. Poulin In February 2019, I published a new framework for the field, through Americans for the Arts, which articulated the aptitudes, practices, skills and commitments, making up the “12 Core Competencies of an Arts Education Leader.” This framework is intended to guide all of us working in the field of arts education […]
Michael Praetorius’ Nigra sum à 6: A Pedagogical Experiment
The September issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Michael Praetorius’ Nigra sum à 6: A Pedagogical Experiment” by Kristina Boerger. You can read it in its entirety at acda.org/choraljournal. Following is a portion from the introduction. ____________________ When the Augsburg Choir at Augsburg University in Minneapolis was first shut down in spring 2020, I […]
Mastering Mindset and Literacy Instruction in the Classroom
A Back to School Special From Choralosophy Podcast Listen in, or watch on YouTube for the complete presentation focusing on the practices, philosophies and RESULTS made possible by Sight Reading Factory. I discuss the “first day of school” reading activity, the way I rip off the bandaid by removing all keyboard assistance for note reading, […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Ethical Dilemma, Part 2
“Let me give you a definition of ethics: It is good to maintain and further life, it is bad to damage and destroy life.” Albert Schweitzer Today’s Choral Ethics blog is a rerun from several years ago. It’s still applicable as we begin to get back to normal. MLGA Last week, I asked you to […]
Stories of Newness: Healing and Reimagining with Alan
*Alan had just finished rehearsing one of his choirs on a piece of music they were going to be presenting at an upcoming concert when he received the email: School was closing. They were projected to be out until April. “We’ll do [the concert] when we come back,” he thought. Within a week, though, it […]
Modulating/Adjusting to a New Era: Composition and a Conversation with Karen Marrolli
Welcome to this summer series on questions and possibilities for a new era in our personal lives, professional lives, the choral landscape, and in society! I’m so glad you’re here for the journey. Despite being locked down for so much of the pandemic, my awareness of music and composers grew. Colleagues, good friendships, and other […]
IJRCS: Real Voices, Virtual Ensemble 2.0: Perceptions of Participation in Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choirs
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 Stephen Paparo titled […]
What is “Expertise” in Choral Music?
Expertise cannot be earned as a student. We must test our academic ideas in the real world. Well, it looks like I stirred the pot with this one. I recently had a lot of time to think and reflect while driving home from the convention circuit, so I went LIVE in the Choralsophers FB group […]
Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Ethical Dilemma, Part 1
“Nothing is less important than which fork you use. Etiquette is the science of living. It embraces everything. It is ethics. It is honor.” Emily Post Today’s Choral Ethics blog is a rerun from several years ago. It’s still applicable as we begin to get back to normal. MLGA I have had two ChoralNetters contact me in […]
Leading Voices: Summer Reading
Whether you are recovering this summer from the past sixteen months of teaching vocal music during a pandemic or currently preparing for the next year, our challenge is that we have no way of knowing what the new school year will bring. The undeniable reality is that we will not and actually should not go […]