Choral Ethics

“Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.” Nadia Boulanger How detail oriented are you? There are plenty of details, having nothing to do with the actual music which must be handled by SOMEONE for any music organization to run smoothly. And if you […]

“We don’t want nobody that nobody sent.” Timothy O’Sullivan, Chicago Ward Committeeman, 1948 It’s that time of year; we are finishing the academic year or our concert cycles and by rights, we should be able to relax.  You and I know that isn’t the case at all.  If we are in an academic setting, we […]

“Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down.” Jimmy Durante We’ve been busy, email-wise, here at Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics during the last few weeks as the choir year ends. Academic programs are finished when school ends. And community programs, with all sorts of different types of choral […]

“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.” Gertrude Jekyll It is SUMMER! Or will be tomorrow. It is the time of year I […]

“Just as the child is father to the man, so the impressions of one’s youth remain the most vivid in manhood.” Gustav Stresemann My Dad is 91 years old and sharp as a tack. He remembers much of his past, with the occasional “where did I put my glasses?” moments like many of us who […]

“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?” Jean-Jacques Rousseau It is easy to forget we need to work regularly with others.  Unless you are a soloist all the time, you must work with other musicians. Unless you conduct exactly the sort of ensemble you wish, with the musicians you wish, you must […]

“A concert is always like a feast day to me.” James Taylor Our spring concert is this coming Sunday. It’s been a wild and wooly rehearsal cycle this spring, with new and unexpected developments nearly every week. On the morning of our first rehearsal in March, we learned our concert venue had just been sold, […]

“Nobody would comment on what clothes male conductors wear. Or if they kind of put on some weight or something like that, and maybe their jacket is a little bit too tight. But if that happens to me as a female, then that’s immediately pointed out.” Ruth Reinhardt Several years ago, I was at a […]

“When you’re artistic director of a program, you present the music you want to present.” Stanley Crouch As the academic and concert year winds down, many of you are thinking about next year, if you haven’t already finished your repertoire selections. There are usually some restrictions or deadlines or something you need to consider, but […]

“I won’t be a rock star. I will be a legend.”  Freddie Mercury My youngest brother is a conservatory trained percussionist…..which means he’s played for a LOT of rock bands.  Classically trained, he likes playing for rock bands more than orchestras. Why?  The atmosphere.  According to him, most rock musicians are not the spoiled brats […]