It’s a love-hate relationship. The vocal warm-up is necessary but time-consuming! We directors only have so much time with our choirs each week, you know? It’s important, though. The vocal warm-up is where we teach our choirs to sing. Too often we neglect the warm-up routine just to save a few minutes in rehearsal. These […]
Christmas Cantatas for Small Choirs
You know it’s coming. It’s not like it can sneak up on you! Christmas comes the same time every year. But each year, you catch yourself asking the same question that I, myself, and many other church music directors ask – How do I plan creative, yet accessible music for my small choir? It’s a […]
Cannot Not Compose – Greek and Composing
The following post is by my friend and mentor, Dr. Nickitas Demos, Professor of Composition and Coordinator of Composition Studies at the Georgia State University School of Music. Nickitas is a prolific composer of music spanning multiple genres. He’s found the sweet spot where meaningful music and everyday life beautifully collide. He’s a brilliant composer […]
How 18 Composers Give and Inspire Through Their Art
For years, finance experts have agreed that there are three things you can do with money – spend, save, and give. Giving of our resources is important. But it’s not the only way to give. I know many people who give of their time and talent on a consistent basis. They inspire me. So how […]
The Song and the Story (What’s Your Story?)
What’s your story? We all have one. They speak to who we were and what we’ve become. Filled with funny moments, sad, and dangerous ones too, stories proclaim who we are and what we do. Life’s a journey brimming with twists, bends, and curves. Sometimes it’s hard to know which way to turn. Stories can […]