Latest Blog Posts

Part Two: Amateur Versus Professional I am re-running a series on Choral Ethics this July. I am taking a bit of a break but will be back soon with new blogs. Enjoy! MLGA “Every artist was first an amateur.” Ralph Waldo Emerson The word amateur is taken from Old French and means ‘lover’.  Many definitions […]

I am re-running a series on Choral Ethics beginning today and for most of July. I am taking a bit of a break but will be back soon with new blogs. Enjoy! MLGA The five parts are: Part One: An Introduction Part Two: Amateur Versus Professional Part Three: Kindness is NOT for Wimps Part Four: […]

In a previous episode of ChoralEd (Episode 39), Dr. Robert Jordan shared a democratic framework for repertoire selection. In Episode 55, Dr. Jordan expands on this philosophy discussing a democratic approach to the rehearsal process. To foster student ownership and agency, Dr. Jordan encourages feedback from students by recording and listening back to portions of […]

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I love to look out my kitchen window, sipping my morning coffee and watching the birds, rabbits and squirrels caper around my yard. Especially in the spring and summer, it helps me focus on […]

“You don’t have to deserve your mother’s love. You have to deserve your father’s.” Robert Frost As I write today’s blog, I am sipping a glass of iced tea, brewed with mint from my own garden. The mint was the first thing we planted when we bought our house over 30 years ago, but we […]

“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart One of my sons is also a musician and when he was quite young and had started lessons, we played a game. It was a game […]

“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” John Steinbeck With the end of the school year, I have […]

In the twenty-first century, knowledge of audio recording equipment has become an essential tool for every choral director.  From submitting national and state honor ensemble auditions to creating learning tracks for at-home practice, producing a quality audio recording is now a pedagogical necessity. Despite its importance, many directors lack the technical expertise and confidence to […]

“Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction.” Lord Byron Writing this blog here on ChoralNet, I receive a good number of emails about Choral Ethics every week.  Folks who contact me either want to thank me or to tell me their stories. And their stories are amazing.  Some seem outlandish at the outset, but then […]

Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers, is fresh take on the classic advice column—this time for all things choral music! Modeled after the beloved “Dear Sally” format, this blog will answer your questions about choral music education, performance, and leadership. Whether you’re curious about vocal technique, rehearsal tips, repertoire selection, or the “other” side […]