One of my favorite choir tricks was to telling my singers to ‘aim for the top side of the pitch.’  This was, of course, because they were singing flat, and I thought the imagery would give my singers a way of thinking about an abstract co...

Piano music for choir? Why not! Written originally for solo vocalist, I turned this into an SATB choral tongue-twister--a cappella--and then added a piano part, which was further orchestrated for Choirs performing with orchestra during the holiday season....

Dear Choirs and Lovers of Choral Music,   We know that your schedule could be tight as well as preparing extensively for an international competition needs time. That’s why we would like to assist you in planning and show you our events for c...

Okay- so I've been a bit slack about blogging lately.  Not that I have been idol- there is so much to blog about but 24 hours in a day a full time job and more music than I can ever learn to play means there  isn't enough time!   In the l...

Greetings to all SSAA Choirs and conductors,   Are you on the lookout for an extraordinary piece that will elevate your choir's repertoire and leave an indelible mark on your audience? As a composer deeply passionate about choral music, I've always...

One of the most common mistakes that choruses and Choirs make when they create their websites is also one of the most obvious 'doh' moments possible.  It's so obvious that you might not even think of it, but it's surprising how many websites are mis...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I often get people writing to me for advice about Choirs. Some of them don’t agree with the direction their choir leader is taking them, some ...

In this special Oxford Series episode, I catch Dr. Zanaida Robles for a conversation about her philosophy as a composer, as well as the way all of her musical and personal identities mingle to create a context for her music making. We discuss the composit...  moreIn this special Oxford Series episode, I catch Dr. Zanaida Robles for a conversation about her philosophy as a composer, as well as the way all of her musical and personal identities mingle to create a context for her music making. We discuss the compositional process, including the philosophy she holds related to the "end product" for singers. Namely, the importance of the singers exploring their own communities and connections WHILE also exploring the music. We also bounce ideas back and forth related to composers having to be careful about "over refining" a composition, as well as the music world's attempt to balance goals of equity with the human need for each composer to be valued based on their OWN music and individual expression. You won't want to miss this conversation!If you enjoy this content, please consider supporting the show at http://www.patreon.com/choralosophy for as little as 3$ a month AND receive subscriber only content there. Please support our sponsors by checking out these sites. Be su  less

Premiere performance: Saturday, May 21, 2011 (Notre Dame de Namur University) (Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Daniel Cerutti) Palo Alto High School Concert Singers, Las Positas Community College Chamber Singers, and the California State University, ...  morePremiere performance: Saturday, May 21, 2011 (Notre Dame de Namur University) (Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Daniel Cerutti) Palo Alto High School Concert Singers, Las Positas Community College Chamber Singers, and the California State University, East Bay Choral Union (The East Bay Singers and Oratorio Society), Buddy James, conductor Palo Alto High School Concert Choir, Michael Najar, director Las Positas College Chamber Choir, Robert Lappa, director