What happens when you look at your choir’s packed performance schedule and realize you’ve been teaching the repertoire, but not the actual skills? But aren’t middle school kids too young for a rigorous choir class experience? Besides, won’t it drive them away if we don’t make it an easy A with lots of fun concerts? …

Continue reading "Episode 293: Middle School is JUST The Right Age for Rigor with Ryan Lindley"

Have you ever noticed that good pedagogy and the perfect methodology only goes so far? The job of a teacher, conductor or a coach is a complicated cocktail with almost infinitely changing ingredients. The main variables can be found within the groups themselves. In this episode, I’m sitting down once again with Gary Seighman, choir …

Continue reading "Episode 292: How to Be A Choir Coach with Gary Seighman"

Should would we reject AI, or embrace it? Or maybe neither? Like all new technologies, there will be problems. Early adopters, and late ones, and some that NEVER get on board. In what areas can AI tools help artists and educators be better at their jobs? But also, which AI tools are a genuine threat …

Continue reading "Episode 291: Wrestling With AI in the Arts with Beth Philemon"

Is there even such a thing as “Ethical Gatekeeping?” In modern discourse, the term seems to always be a negative. Maybe some gates need a keeper. Today’s conversation hits incredibly close to home as we pull back the curtain on power dynamics, public perception, and the hidden structures that dictate taste and legitimacy in choral …

Continue reading "Episode 290: Ethical Choral Gatekeeping with Samuel Grace"

This episode is GUEST HOSTED by Beth Munce! Our voices continue to change through our lives. This can affect us as directors, but also the singers under our charge. One of the most tumultuous vocal changes outside of the famous “boy in puberty” is the woman’s voice in Perimenopause and Menopause. Since, I have no …

Continue reading "Episode 289: Voice Change Isn’t Just for Adolescents with Joanne Bozeman"

Between process or performance. Between our philosophy and our job. Between what’s best for kids and what our colleagues want How do we navigate the conundrum of a performance based institutional system with the “slower at first” tools based philosophy that we know is best for long term growth? How do we convince an administrator …

Continue reading "Episode 288: When we are Forced to Choose…"

Part Four are the rhythm tools: Rap the words, Takadimi, count singing. Each have their roles, and particular problems that they help to solve. In this episode, peek into some rehearsals where students demonstrate their tool selection and application. Beat is felt in the body, constructed in the brain, and CAN be taught. Rhythm is …

Continue reading "Episode 287: Give Them Tools and Let Them Build Part 4 (Rhythm)"

Part Three is the Solfége or Pitch tool: Give Them Tools and Let Them Build is based on a premise. We are not the music makers. Our students are. So, are we teaching them songs? Or the tools used to build songs? So, what do we do if the students don’t know what the pitches …

Continue reading "Episode 286: Give Them Tools and Let Them Build Part 3 (Pitch)"

What can vocal and instrumental music education learn from each other? At what point does specialization become uneccessary siloing of what should be a “music ‘education” profession? Matthew Arau is the guest. Yes… ANOTHER band teacher… Back in January, I accidentally attended Matthew’s session at the recent Missouri Music Educator conference. You read that right. …

Continue reading "Episode 285: Teach Choir Like Band. And Band Like Choir with Matthew Arau"

I’ve said for a long time that music education is at a crossroads—but depending on who you ask, we’re either evolving… or we’re missing the point entirely. Are traditional school music programs—band, choir, orchestra—reaching enough students? And if not, why? There’s a growing narrative in music education right now that what we’ve been doing for …

Continue reading "Episode 284: Is the Ensemble Model Outdated? With Kevin Droe"