As a hypercritical choir director, I often find myself a pessimist in rehearsals, focusing on ways my choir can improve instead of focusing on everything that is already great! With the holidays just around the corner, I decided to take the opposite approach and tell you what I am thankful for: 1. People who practice 2. Music theory lovers 3. Men that sign up for choir and aren’t embarrassed… at all 4. Sopranos who can sight-sing 5. People who help set up and take down before/after rehearsal 6. Pencil bringers 7. Non-gum chewers 8. Singers who listen to others and not themselves 9. Singers who listen to me! 10. People who read my notes and mark their scores 11. And finally… people who understand my weird sense of humor while directing Thank you to all the singers out there helping to make the world a better place with your music. And thank you to all the women in my choir who put up with my crazy antics every rehearsal – you are heroes!
November 2, 2026 Encore Tours Venue Spotlight: Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral Explore St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna: its history, its deep ties to Haydn and Mozart, and what it’s like for your ensemble to perform there. Backstage Blog
October 27, 2026 Encore Tours Music Tour Planning Mistakes: 7 Horror Stories to Avoid Every music director has heard one. The tour where the price went up after families had already paid. The concert where the ensemble outnumbered the audience. Backstage Blog
October 21, 2026 Encore Tours Meet Encore Tours at the 2026 Midwest Clinic Encore Tours is heading to The 80th Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, taking place December 16–18, 2026, at McCormick Place West in Chicago. Backstage Blog