tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230492111764243437.post-43293457294299822822008-03-22T18:02:00.000-05:002008-03-22T18:02:00.000-05:002008-03-22T18:02:00.000-05:00This is a poor decision on Julliard's behalf; I hope the school's successfull choral alumni raise hell to get this decisio reversed. <BR/><BR/>In response to the opinion that most choral conductors knowing too little about the voice: that may be true. It is important that conductors are excellent musicians and teachers. But it is not the vocal pedagogy textbook alone that makes a conductor: it is our ability to take all of our technical knowledge and learn that in the end, it isn't the most important aspect of working with choirs. What is most important is creating a community for your singers in which you can enhance their capacity for sensitivy through the music. <BR/><BR/>I direct a 32 voice chamber choir of almost all undergraduate students at a university, with about a 50/50 music major-non music major ratio. I also have performance and education majors in my ensemble. The day that I start running rehearsals like voice lessons is the day that I lose focus on the point of what choir is all about: reaching through to our human spirit , and not pumping up egos.<BR/><BR/>Asserting that a conductor at Julliard should tiptoe around "special" members is absurd, and goes to damage the one all-encompasing goal of teaching a choir that they are a team, and not individuals. <BR/><BR/>I hope that Julliard will reflect on their decision, and perhaps they could use a new point of view on what makes a choir.Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06830060364108294553noreply@blogger.com