Got this email today:
I have been following your choir blog for a time now and I really love how you use it to communicate with your singers. It seems great for the technical, logistical stuff, but even more so for the sense of community and esprit de corps it promotes. I am planning doing the same thing with my group on an experimental basis to see if it works for me (will I be able to post regularly) and my kids (will they read it).
I hope you don't mind me stealing your idea. I see a lot of potential, for a very low cost (basically free). If you have any tips for getting started, I'm all ears. I plan on using wordpress at this point.
Thanks. Have a great rest of the summer.
Joshua Bronfman
Director of Choral Activities
University of North Dakota
11 comments:
Aaaaaaaaaand nobody says anything.
Chris Barbee
yeah, i was waiting for someone to..
really didn't know what to say. haha
but it is pretty cool the blog can reach out and inspire people across the country...who knows? maybe even across the sea!
Yeah, everyone gets like that sometimes... I normally don't say anything unless it involves chin jokes...
And I'll agree with you if no one else will. It is pretty DARN cool the type of effect that things like this can have in the nationwide or even worldwide choral community. It seems like a step in the right direction to having a really great alliance between all choirs to help each other better ourselves in the context of our art. Sort of like that choralpedia effort that's going on, as well as other things mentioned at the ACDA summer thing.
plus, ERIC FREAKIN' WHITACRE WROTE ON OUR BLOG!!! ISN'T THAT SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK?!?!?!!!!!!
Chris Barbee
It's true...there are plenty of people from all over the country who read your blog. Including me, a conductor from the University of Washington.
Even though I've never met you, I know what you're singing, I know what you're talking about, and every once in a while, I even know what you're wearing! (Not duplicate sweater vests, that's for sure!) And all those things help me in my teaching. For example, when I'm looking for a piece that the choir will love I can read about what you loved.
I'm so glad, I'm so lucky to know you all the way from Washington. Perhaps someday I'll even be able to meet you IRL.
p.s. I think it would be an awesome project to see how many composers you could get to communicate with you. Maybe I'll give it as a project for my choir and we can compare...
haha..
this is so awesome...
thanks for the kind words Ms. Parsons. The University of Washington
has a fantastic graduate program from what I hear. If I'm not mistaken a really cool composer named Eric Barnum is/was in the program right now or is/was on faculty there, one of the two.
But Copeland, I think it would be a great task to see how many other directors, composers, or even students from different areas that we could get to come express their views/feelings about the blog. Like you said at the summer festival...we (choral directors, or even as musicians) are all working towards the same thing...to make great music, inspire, educate. It seems this blog is helping to do just that. Pretty tight.
(hehe @ the comment about the sweater vests.)
Okay, I'm going to go ahead and agree with Ryan. That would be a really cool idea. To see how many people this blog actually affects and influences. How many conductors/composers/choir members in however many states or even countries read this stuff?
Geeze, this could get really big.
Chris Barbee
Chris...I hate/love it when someone says something that makes my brain work in 25 different ways. I'm thinking that maybe your choir and my choir and the UND choir and whomever else should do a project together.
Maybe we can get living composer commentary and feedback for the pieces we do this year...I would love to get my students more involved with the pieces we do, this might be an in.
How awesome would it be to have all the choirs who perform "Dreams of Thee" (Barnum) this year to talk to each other? To share their understanding of the text, their process of learning, their performances with each other? Or is that a lame-teacher-y thing to want to do?
Ryan...I'm glad the UW has a good reputation. I'm starting on my 4th (!) year as a DMA choral conducting student, and I love it. Eric is a good friend of mine, starting his 3rd year of DMA study. He's awesome...a good person and a great musician.
Oh, and you can feel free to look at our blog. http://uwusingers.blogspot.com/
I should start a blogroll of other choirs who blog.
You, us, UND, I know there are more...
Ms. Parsons that sounds like a great idea to me...
Let's all share the love and get hyped up on CHOIR!
lol.
Copeland, have you started a revolution?
:)
wow. i'm glad i didn't say anything.
i hate making a fool out of myself in front of multiple unknown people.
:D who says the internet is anonymous?
lol..
it can be Sadie.
just don't sign your name above your comment. : )
Post a Comment