14 Mistakes Choral Directors Make in their “Demo” Lesson
If you've made it past the interview round, there's a good chance you may be asked to give a demo
10 Reasons Why I’ve Created A Choir Senior Solo Recital
A solo recital within any choral program is usually a great idea; this first-ever senior recital is a culminating experience
10 Tips for Gaining Rehearsal Time
Our rehearsal time is finite, so finding ways to maximize rehearsal time can be extremely important. Many of us have
Your 10 Question Choir Midterm Exam
As we reach the middle of our academic year, students are likely taking exams to evaluate their progress, while teachers
My “NO CHORAL MUSIC in JANUARY” Approach
For more than a decade, my rehearsal approach in the month of January can be labeled as: NO CHORAL MUSIC!
This Choral Director’s New Year’s Resolutions for 2019
So many of us make New Year's Resolutions in our personal lives, but do we set them as choral directors? Our
How to “Fill” Those Last Few Rehearsals Before Break
The vacation is so clearly here and everyone has one foot out the door. We may have just held our
8 Reasons I Repeat the Same Holiday Concert Music Every Year
There's plenty of high-quality choral music available for the holiday season. A large work such as Pinkham's "Christmas Cantata" or
Why Choir Elections Are A Bad Idea
We live in a democratic country, but that doesn't mean our officers should be chosen democratically. When students enter our
“Tone-Deaf” is an Excuse….not a Diagnosis
"Tone-Deaf" is an Excuse....not a Diagnosis.....and I blame the person who makes the diagnosis. Anyone can learn to sing. If
How to Grade a Concert Performance
Concert performances can be assessed in a multitude of ways; perhaps the most fair and least time-consuming way to grade
How to Self-Assess their Way toward Rehearsal Success
The two main components of any successful rehearsal are the planning/execution of the director and the planning/execution of the students.
The “Secret” Your Weakest Sight-Singers May Be Hiding
A wise man once told me to never believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. Your
8 Keys to Turn Sight-Singing Fear into Fun!
Turning Fear into Fun My 3-year-old daughter, Lyla, and I have the same natural disposition when it comes to starting
What To Do When They Break The Rules….
Our Choir culture stems from both how we prepare AND how we instill the fabric of our desired ideals. When we prepare our Guidelines
12 Tips to Keep Them from Dropping Choir!
Retention is more important than recruitment. Recruitment is a means to get students in the door but retention is how
Before Testing Their Sight-Singing, Assess This….
Before Testing Their Sight-Singing, Assess This.... Sight-singing is not an all or nothing skill, but when it comes to assessing
The 7 Keys to Having Awesome Sight-Singers Throughout Your Choir
If you've always wanted to have a choir filled with singers who can sight-sing, this blog post is for you!
The Best Ear-Training Exercise You Will Ever Use
Kodaly & Me I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm not a Curwen hand signal user; I know it is
6 Reasons Why Your Singers Can’t Sight-Sing
6 Reasons Why Your Singers Can't Sight-Sing All students, regardless of talent or prior experience, can learn how to sight-sing.
The Erosion of the Choral Middle-Class
My previous post describes the traditional Choral Caste System which consists of “The Best” vs. “The Rest”. For those of
Read This BEFORE Making New Year’s Changes
For many of us, the New Year brings about a desire to make changes to our choral program; some examples
15 Tips for Caroling with Seasonal Spirit & Maximum Impact
Caroling Day is my choir's favorite day of the year. We carol every year, the day before the Winter Break.