As most conductors and choral educators understand, 90% of our work is done in rehearsal. The 10% that the public sees reflects the success of every rehearsal. Whether it’s the day to day rehearsals of my high school choirs, the weekly rehearsals with my Community and College Choirs, or the special all – district/county choir events, getting to the heart of the composition and preparing it is an essential conducting skill that I relish.
As the conductor, I see myself as the liaison between the musical score and the ensemble with the delightful task of bringing the music to life. Therefore, I strive to have rehearsals that are full of life, sometimes boisterous, but always effective and efficient. The performance, for me is a celebration of the hard work that is the essence of every rehearsal. As educator my goal is for my choir to learn to sing well, as a performer the goal is to perform well. As conductor it is to allow the most important element to be expressed through the most important people. That is to say the music revealed through the ensemble.