As a hypercritical choir director, I often find myself a pessimist in rehearsals, focusing on ways my choir can improve instead of focusing on everything that is already great! With the holidays just around the corner, I decided to take the opposite approach and tell you what I am thankful for: 1. People who practice 2. Music theory lovers 3. Men that sign up for choir and aren’t embarrassed… at all 4. Sopranos who can sight-sing 5. People who help set up and take down before/after rehearsal 6. Pencil bringers 7. Non-gum chewers 8. Singers who listen to others and not themselves 9. Singers who listen to me! 10. People who read my notes and mark their scores 11. And finally… people who understand my weird sense of humor while directing Thank you to all the singers out there helping to make the world a better place with your music. And thank you to all the women in my choir who put up with my crazy antics every rehearsal – you are heroes!
March 30, 2026 Encore Tours A New Orchestra Festival at Boston Symphony Hall There are certain stages that change how students think about performing. Boston Symphony Hall is one of them. Backstage Blog
March 18, 2026 Encore Tours 5 Performance Tour Destinations Ensembles Are Choosing for 2027 (And Why They Work) When directors begin planning a performance tour, the destination shapes everything — the venues available, the audiences you’ll reach, and the experience students carry home. Backstage Blog
March 10, 2026 Encore Tours Inside an Encore Orchestra Tour In a previous article, we explored what orchestras can expect when touring internationally. Backstage Blog