Browsing Archive: November, 2010

Robert Shaw, Julius Herford, and How to Read Music

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Wednesday, November 24, 2010, In : Musician's Life 

When I was in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus back in the 1970’s, if Mr. Shaw said it, it was The Voice From The Mountain Top, and whatever he said, we did.  It never occurred to me to question any of the things that I learned from him, and even now I’m sometimes surprised that these things are not always common knowledge.  The thing I’m thinking about today is the way Mr. Shaw insisted that we phrase Baroque music.  He told us that if anyone ever asked us why w...


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Efficient Practicing

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Friday, November 19, 2010, In : Learning to Sing 
It's time to practice.  If you're lucky, you have headed into a private room with a piano, a mirror, recording and playback equipment, and maybe even video, and you have no responsibilities other than artistic ones.  If you're not lucky, you've just come home from eight hours at the office, and you need to practice before you eat, or maybe you've got somebody watching your kids so that you can focus on your music not the noise in the next room while you steal enough time to get ready for the ...
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Voice Studios at the End of the Semester

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Thursday, November 18, 2010, In : Voice students 
We're counting down to the end of the semester at the college at which I teach, and as usual at this time of year half the students are sick.  Several have just noticed that they only have a few weeks left to finish memorizing their repertoire for juries, and a few are actually on track and prepared.  Hail the few!

When I was new to college teaching, I used to be frustrated by last minute preparation, excuses, and too-late-to-do-a-good-job efforts from students.  It doesn't bother me so much a...
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GMTA Convention

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Saturday, November 6, 2010, In : Musician's Life 
The annual meeting of the Georgia Music Teacher's Association is something that I've missed out on for years.  I was usually there either attending or running the NATS Workshops that for years have been held in conjuction, but I was always involved with the NATS event.  This year the NATS Workshop was at Spivey Hall, and it was an excellent session with Warren Jones that many of the GMTA teachers would have enjoyed, but alas at a different time and place.

So anyway, this year I went to GMTA pa...
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