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.
7 LAST MINUTE Holiday Repertoire Ideas that WILL work!
Sometimes we need a last minute holiday piece to fill out or balance our program. We may have chosen a
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
“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
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
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
Choir Halloween – 9 Very Last Minute Rehearsal Ideas!
Halloween is here.........surprise! Do you want to make your Halloween rehearsal special? If so, it's not too late! If you
11 Choir Halloween Tricks (and Treats)
As we search for ways to unify our ensemble as well as opportunities to change-up the monotony of the daily rehearsal, alas,