Look, being an opera singer is hard. Many people undertake years of training, only to find themselves with no work and no prospects. Some singers make a go of it for a while, but then either the jobs of their voices dry up. And there are still others who are legitimate opera singers, but who […]
Category Archives: Tenor Tuesday
The Missing SNL Song
Like the rest of the country, according to the ratings anyway, I spent my Sunday night watching the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary special. Like any episode of SNL, it had its ups and downs, but overall I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane, with classic sketches, characters, and catch-phrases popping up almost faster […]
The Last Word on Earworms
I’ve made a huge mistake. Last week I wrote a post asking you about your worst earworms of all time. In an attempt to rid myself of the musical demons that plague me, I sought solidarity with you, my loyal readers, and thought that perhaps enduring together would be easier than enduring alone. But instead […]
The Worst Earworms of All Time
Chili’s Baby Back Ribs jingle. That, according to a study, is the most vicious, most pernicious, most unbeatable earworm of all time. Now, this is an old study, from over a decade ago. Maybe there are newer earworms, or songs that just won’t get out of your head, but for now, we have to assume […]
O Vague Pronouns (Bring Death to Them) – A Holiday Grammar Parody Video
This is a video with a song which I know you will like. Wait, will you like the song, or the video? Which is which referring to?! Argh! To avoid such horrible mistakes, whilst also, and at the same time, celebrating some Christmas spirit, please watch the video. It has some helpful parts and some […]
A Fun Game to Play When Faced With an Audience
There I was, sitting on stage for a concert of Magnificats. First row, front and center, surrounded by a chorus and hanging over an orchestra, I had nowhere to hide and nothing to do. First was an a cappella setting by Tallis that I was not singing in, and then came the Vivaldi version. That […]
You Are a Genius
You are a genius. I am a genius. Hey! Wow! We are both geniuses! Isn’t that awesome?! In fact, most people I know are kind of brilliant. At something anyway. Now, I don’t know what your specific IQ is, but the way we measure intelligence around here is seriously questionable if you ask me. And […]
2014 Christmas A Cappella Round-Up
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Christmastime! That magical time of year when choral music and a cappella singing suddenly become beloved by all. That brief period in which the rest of the world remembers what you and I have known all along: that using your voices to make music is aca-awesome. And quite aca-beautiful. I don’t […]
To Be a Better Singer, Stop Caring About How You Sound
There is an epidemic going around these days that I feel the need to weigh in on. It has been around for as long as I can remember, was probably around long before my time, and I too fell victim to this plague when I was first starting out as a musician. Amateur singers, professional […]
23 Christmas Carol/Pop Song Mash-Ups No One Will Ever Do
As the holiday season approaches and overwhelms us, it is important to make our way through the haze of it all and focus on what really matters. And music can be a beacon to guide us through, because it is everywhere, and because it summons memories of holidays past. But music can also be used […]