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“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 made for months if you’re anything like me. But this is the Christmas of 2025, so you probably have a “Plan B” if you’re smart and I know you are. Here in the Midwest, there could be a blizzard predicted, so that always adds another layer of planning. Just when we think things are back to “normal,” something happens to mess it all up!

Advent and Christmas, more than Lent and Easter, are much more stressful for our profession. I’m not sure why, but perhaps it’s the gift giving and baking and traveling to see family and friends and all the concerts and services we must prepare or attend. Or maybe it’s just the time of year, who knows? We have many things to accomplish, usually in the dark, and we rarely get all accomplished. I do know for a fact we’re all stressed.

I am here today to remind you to try to be as relaxed as you are able to be, in this super busy season for Choral Folk. Take a breath and when you are thrown for a loop, take another breath. And be kind. Be kind to those around you, whether they be your family, your choir or those you work with. Make kindness “your thing” this Christmas, no matter what happens. Be kind, my dear friends, and reap the benefits later.

Stress cancels out the beauty of the season and there is plenty of beauty so take a breath, do your Alexander Technique breathing or yoga breathing, and take a moment to relax and enjoy. You deserve the beauty; you deserve the goodness you’ve been creating for everyone else this holiday season. You deserve to have some cookies and eggnog and punch, so have some. And you deserve to have some Fa-La-Las directed by someone else for a change!

Know you’ve made a difference in someone’s life this holiday season and you may never know it. Be okay with not knowing because that will be your gift to the world. Your choir singing “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen” may have comforted a child who lost a parent this year or someone newly widowed. Singing “Silent Night” may be the only time a rough and tough teenager uses their voice and finds they like singing. Something you do, something you have planned, something you are not aware of will make a difference. You may find out, you may not, but know you have made a difference.

Much love to you all, ChoralNet, as we ’round the corner to Christmas.

Search Results for: choir

What’s on Great Sacred Music, Sunday, July 12, 2015

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Great Sacred Music airs every Sunday morning from 8 until 11 a.m. eastern on The Classical Station. Much of the music on this week’s playlist can also be found on Spotify at this link: Great Sacred Music – July 12, 2015 Also on Sunday evenings you can hear more choral music both sacred and secular on Wavelengths and […]

ALBION – Camelot

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Camelot: The Shining City The Albion Choir (VERY appropriately named, no?) were magnificent in singing some of the song arrangements for the show. They’re a fairly new choir based (handily) in Sheffield, a small but mighty bunch of ridiculously talented, close-harmony voices. Here’s a sneak peek at their skills in action: Camelot: The Shining City […]

ALBION – Singing and Supping

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The long-established link between music-making and liquid refreshment is strengthened by the partnership between two local organisations that specialise in doing things differently. When the singers of Albion got together with the beer-makers of the Abbeydale Brewery, something interesting was always likely to result.And the fruits of it are set to be celebrated in a […]

Hendrix College Candlelight Carol Competition

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The Hendrix College Choir welcomes submissions for its inaugural Candlelight Carol Competition. Compositions must be submitted electronically by August 1 for consideration. The winning composition will be selected by Dr. Andrew Morgan and Dr. Karen Griebling (both of Hendrix College), Dr. Stephen Caldwell (University of Arkansas), and Dr. Matthew Mehaffey (University of Minnesota). Upon selection, the […]

Dr. Stephen Caracciolo Named Artistic Director of Lancaster (OH) Chorale

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  Date: July 9, 2015 by Ivan C. Smith Location: Ohio, USA Choir Type: Professional Choir   Nationally recognized choral conductor, composer/arranger and choral music educator Stephen Caracciolo has been appointed artistic director of the Lancaster (OH) Chorale.   Dr. Caracciolo is assistant professor of Music in Choral Conducting at University of Maryland Baltimore County […]

Borrow or rent music

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Item: Kalmus edition “The Bartered Bride” choral books Composer/Arranger/Edition: Kalmus Starting: Immediate For: Through November 1, 2015 Copies: 25-50 copies Willing to rent: Yes   My choral ensemble, VOCI (Voices of Canton Inc) will be partnering with Opera Circle Cleveland to present “The Bartered Bride” in October, performances in Canton and Cleveland.  We already have […]

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