Sharp Notes Tim Sharp's Blog

During this century of rampant causefusion, as entire industries such as banking, energy, communication, transportation, entertainment, health care, and virtually every segment attempts to come to grips with the changes taking place in the world, choral directors could be lulled into some sort of false security about our area of work.  After all, Petrucci could return tomorrow, and, in effect, be able to still use the same choral music delivery technology he created in 1501. He and Guttenberg would be amazed at every technology other than their own.

Happy New Choral Year to the membership of the American Choral Directors Association! As you think about new starts this year, I will share some lessons that I have drawn from one of my heroes that I use to help me in the leadership and the managerial aspects of my work.

In February of 2009, I participated in a Conducting Residency for the Lima City Schools of Lima, OH. As "Gleeks" know, Lima is the fictional home of "Glee." Here is some reality from Lima as elementary students learn what it means to be a conductor through their study of Vivaldi and his "Gloria."

Four years ago, my wife, daughter, and I had the joy of spending a year in Cambridge, England, while I was on sabbatical leave at Clare Hall, Cambridge. My sponsors for my work were Sir David Willcocks (King's) and Tim Brown (Clare). My associations in Cambridge were a literal "who's who" of English choral conductors. My daughter, Emma, attended King's College School, the school established by King's College to train boy choristers that form part of the famous choir of King's College.

If you haven't noticed, choir is cool these days. I don't mean just for those of us that have always known; I mean it is cool everywhere. Have you noticed the number of television commercials using choral sounds, the choral medium, or large groups of people to demonstrate the power of community? Sure, it isn't Poulenc or Britten cool, but it does approach Bobby McFerrin cool.