Latest Community Posts

 Dear Colleagues,   I am planning a concert entitled “American Roots” — a celebration of musical genres that take their roots in North America. It’s a very exciting yet understandably daunting task for me, and I hope to get your expert advice.  Here is what I have so far:  first part of the concert: Will […]

 How does the Arabian Passion According to J.S. Bach featuring Arab musicians, two jazz saxophonists, a string quartet and a Lebanese singer grab you? The Arabian Passion is the brainchild of Vladimir Ivanoff, who is the Bulgarian founder and music director of the culture straddling ensemble Sarband. Ivanoff sees parallels between the story of occupation and persecution in the Middle East […]

Hello, I have been having some difficulty finding a downloadable choral arrangements of My Favorite things. Does anyone have the 2.part  (at least i believe it is a 2-part treble?)arrangement by Anita Kerr that i could have in pdf format or something? Or do you know where i can purchase it digitally? ? I believe it […]

Amid the desperation and despair in earthquake-ravaged Port-au-prince, musicians from Haiti’s national chorus, jazz band and philharmonic gave their first post-quake concert. The musicians were able to rescue some instruments from the rubble, and they held the concert in the devastated neighborhood of Bell Aire to bring hope to the displaced.   Audio report on […]

The state of Kansas and my local school district are looking at unfortunate and drastic cuts to public education.  I teach both middle and high school choir in a smaller district (500 students in the high school) and have always enjoyed a great deal of administrational and financial support.  I’m fearing the worst for the […]

Does anyone have any experience paying for performance fees for a one hour composition for choir, solos and orchestra? How about Meet-the-Composer fees? Is there a general fee schedule?

 I direct a large Episcopal church choir ministry, including children trained in music literacy using RSCM “Voice for Life” standards. Once my kids reach high school or voice change, they move out of boy and girl choirs into the adult choir. They do very well there, but the rehearsal schedule allows no time for additional […]

I’m putting together a program of works by women composers from New England. I know about the works of Gwyneth Walker, Alice Parker and Amy Beach, but am interested if anyone has other ideas. I’m looking for shorter works, either sacred or secular, accompanied or a cappella. Thanks much!

I am programming a concert centered on songs from the years during which America was involved in wars. I have been successful in finding songs from the Civil War and WWII but would welcome any other suggestions from the Revolutionary War, WWI, Vietnam (or appropriate protest songs) and anything recent (Desert Storm and post 9/11 America). […]

Please help!    The community college where I teach has long relied on a small handful of volunteers to supplement the membership in our ensembles. These volunteers are non-music department faculty, alumni, and current students who have taken the ensemble so many times that their financial aid will no longer cover it. The college has […]