USC Thornton Department of Choral and Sacred Music Graduates

USC Thornton Department of Choral and Sacred Music Graduates happy to announce placement this spring: Jeremy Bakken: DMA candidate,  Director of Worship and Sacred Music for Northwestern Publishing House Dr. Yejee Choi: University of the Pacific, Interim Director of Choral Activities Dr. Audrey Chung: Singapore Serena Eichhorn: ABD,  Teaching Artist Program Manager for the Young Musicians Foundation Nathan Fryml: ABD Amarillo College,… Read more →

Jo-Michael Scheibe: Concert Schedule

 Jo-Michael Scheibe: Concert Schedule July 19-22, 2016 | Waco, TX Alleluia Conference at Baylor University, Conductor   July 22-23, 2016 | San Antonio, TX Texas Choral Directors Association, Clinician   August 3-5, 2016 | Big Rapids, MI Michigan School Vocal Music Association 43rd Annual Summer Conference, Headliner   November 11-12, 2016 | Corpus Christi, TX Texas Regional Honor Choir, Conductor   February 3-6, 2017 | Minneapolis,… Read more →

jo-michael scheibe formosa singers

Jo-Michael Scheibe: January-May 2016

Schedule of Events This semester Dr. Scheibe is on sabbatical. While away from the USC campus, he eagerly anticipates performances and appearances in places near and far, such as Taiwan and Germany. Follow Jo-Michael Scheibe on Twitter @JMScheibe for the latest updates.January 19 : Carnegie Hall, New York, NY January 23 :  Bach’s Cantata “Sleeper’s Awake” with Jeffrey Kahane, Pasadena, CA February 3-6 : Colorado SATB High School All… Read more →

What Makes Bach So Great?

Ah, Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)  is one of the most famous musicians of all time. What makes him so great? Like many famous artists, Bach wasn’t highly regarded in outside of a small devoted circle of fans. He didn’t hit cultural caché until just about a hundred years after his death. In hact, Bach would probably be amazed at his fame today.… Read more →

teaching the recorder

Why Teaching the Recorder Matters

In third or fourth grade, depending on the curriculum of the  school, classrooms of energetic, fidgety, over-excited students will be handed their first musical instrument: the recorder. The recorder can be distinguished by a distinct thumb-hole for the upper hand and seven finger-holes: The instrument was first documented in the Middle Ages, and while sometimes considered an amateur instrument, a range of illustrious… Read more →

A Brief History of Carnegie Hall

This year, Carnegie Hall in New York City is celebrating its 125th anniversary. This architecturally outstanding building has embraced a wealth of talented performers in a variety of arts. So, how did it all begin? The building of this hall was pinnacle of a dream of two friends – conductor Walter Damrosch and industrialist Andrew Carnegie.  Damrosch intentions to build a new… Read more →

Vocal Hygiene: Three Easy Tips

Singing is the art of producing music with one, human instrument: the voice. Singing can happen in many forms, from an individual walking down the street, casually reciting their favorite melody, to large choirs harmonizing to a highly choreographed piece. When our lungs expel air through the larynx, our vocal chords vibrate, producing the sound that we manipulate into song. Pianos… Read more →

Wholehearted Attention, Part 2:

The physical and creative demands of musical education require intense concentration, for both the students and the teacher.  The type of concentration necessary may feel familiar to students active in dance and theater. These activities, like music, require consistent practice combined with a desire to excel.  Any performance, in particular, musical performance, demands the wholehearted attention of the performer. Have you… Read more →

Wholehearted Attention, Part 1:

Teaching and learning tends to occur differently in music classrooms versus other classrooms. Other teachers have difficulty understanding the teaching process and in a standards-obsessed education climate as such, music activity is not always appreciated or understood and ultimately funded. Music classes do not lend to being part of a checklist. This does not mean that discrete objectives do not… Read more →