Motivation

Archived Posts from this Category

The three-step breath

Posted by editor on Sep 24 2007 | Category: Craft, Motivation, Technique

Recently I asked my chorus members this question: “What do you do when you run out of air?” The general consensus answer was: “Take a breath.” Sounds reasonable. And right they are. Well, almost right. I then told them: “Yes, that is a very good start, but it’s not the entire picture. What else do you do when you run out of air, besides taking another breath?”

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We don’t need no stinkin’ director!

Posted by editor on Mar 12 2007 | Category: Motivation, Performance, Rehearsal

That statement is a crazy thing for me as a director to hear. But as our annual show approaches, I am reminded of some advice that I received from Dr. Paul Drummond, one of the faculty at Harmony University last year. [Harmony University is an annual music school presented by the Barbershop Harmony Society.] Dr. Drummond told the directors to get out of the way.

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The power of one

Posted by editor on Sep 19 2006 | Category: Motivation, Performance, Technique

You have heard the old adage: You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. A variation on that theme goes like this: You can lead a person to knowledge, but you can’t make him (or her) think. That is an important realization as far as barbershop music, or anything else for that matter, is concerned.

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