Footnotes: In Search of the Meaningful Relationship

Exploring the Marriage of Music and Text—Part 2

Like in any relationship, the more sensitive each partner is to the other, the better the relationship will be! The same is true with the relationship of music and text. 

I Know Sousa Not Sopranos!

A Survival Guide for the Band Director Teaching Choirs

About a month ago, I was asked for an interview by Andrew Berman, a contributing feature writer for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) publication, Teaching Music, as part of an article for February, 2014, entitled Trading Chairs! The article is about music teachers who were trained in one area, yet ended up teaching in another area. I was reminded of my book with Heritage Music Press, I KNOW SOUSA, NOT SOPRANOS! A Survival Guide for the Band Director Teaching Choirs.

The Creative Process—Melody

Often in the process of songwriting the words and music seem to be so deeply intertwined as to be inseparable. Think about the carol Silent Night or the folk song Mockingbird. It’s difficult to think of those lyrics with any other melody, isn’t it? This should be a songwriter’s goal—to create a work that is more than the sum of its parts, and a work where the lyric will seem married to its melody.

Footnotes: In Search of the Meaningful Relationship

Exploring the Marriage of Music and Text—Part 1

I have always believed that it is the successful combination, or marriage, of two art forms—verbal expression, spoken word, sounds or poetry with the elements of music—that is THE determining factor in a quality, meaningful choral work.

Footnotes: Text, glorious text!

Text, glorious text! It's the intriguing, special element that makes our art of choral/vocal music truly unique! And isn't the music we choose for our choirs really the textbook for that group or class since it serves as the

Welcome to our Music Ed Community!

Greetings, Music Educators!

On behalf of our writers and the entire Heritage Music Press team, we are so excited to welcome you to our new digital home! We’ve been so looking forward to inviting you for a visit over the past couple of months, and now the long-awaited moment to offer you our hospitality is finally here. So, just like any good housewarming party, we encourage you to make yourself at home while we give you a tour of all that our blog has to offer.