Choralosophy
Episodes
How to have “The Perfect Choir”and 2025 Top 10!
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Don’t you love it when everything about a performance, and it’s preparation is completely perfect?! Well, it must be nice for you… I...
Episode 271: Responding to the Challenge in Education with Clelyn Chapin
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Education’s Race to the Bottom of the Brainstem,” episode 264 generated a lot of discussion. But, none more productive than this on...
Episode 270: Balancing Tradition with Innovation with Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy C. Takach
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Choral Music Art form, AND the economics of the art form are changing. That makes some people uncomfortable. But, others, like Jocelyn and Tim are...
Episode 269: “Classical” Music: An Endangered Species
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Possibly the most important philosophical divide in music education, and we rarely discuss it outside of echo chambers. A deep dive into the claim tha...
Episode 268: More Music for More Students with Shane Colquhoun
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are some fascinating philosophical divides in Music Education. And we don’t discuss them enough. What does “inclusive” music e...
Episode 267: The Choir Teacher that Sucks with Mitch Al-Ubaidi
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Young teachers bailing from the classroom within the first 5 years is an epidemic. Many things contribute to this, but one factor is the expectations ...
Episode 266: Leading with Intention with Dr. Justin Baeder
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“We need to go beyond compliance in evaluations.” How many teachers experience administration in their classroom for the purpose of unders...
Episode 265: What’s Next for the Most Dangerous Choir Podcast?
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hey I didn’t say it… But some think it. We are Better Conversation Activists here. And this episode is a CALL TO ACTION! I want to hear fr...
Episode 264: Education’s Race to the Bottom of the Brain Stem
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I did not coin this phrase. I borrowed from former Google Exec Tristan Harris. Social media companies are trying to outcompete the others for attentio...
Episode 263: Parents As Key Players in Music Education with Marianne Forman
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
‘If we see that this is a beneficial thing for our kids, then that’s my burden of responsibility as a parent to make sure that my kids are...
Episode 262: How to Avoid Making Our Singers Worse
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Group vocal tips, and singing instructions can be a mine field. Every voice in the room is different. It really is possible to say things in a choir r...
Episode 261: The Art of Programming with Jo-Michael Scheibe
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The name “Jo Michael Scheibe” has been known to many in the world of choral music for decades for more than just the sound of his choirs. ...
Episode 260: The World is Your Chorister with Jonas Rasmussen
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many choir directors share warm ups and other activities in the form of video clips. But few have gained as much traction as Jonas Rasmussen. Tune in ...
Episode 259: But You Don’t LOOK Like a Conductor with Dr. Nicole Mattfeld
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Much is said about gender disparity and imbalance in the Arts and Education. But, this week, our guest gets personal by sharing some specifics. The mi...
The First Days of Choir Part 6: Installing a Personhood Curriculum
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the POINT of a solid, well installed, Choral/Vocal Pedagogy for young people? Why does it matter? Just to make good performers? Or is it somet...
Episode 258: Crafting Identity Through Music with Shruthi Rajasekar
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Everything in my music journey was my own drive… I actually love this.” Shruthi’s story of “falling in love at first si...
The First Days of Choir Part 5: Voicing, Reflecting and Redirecting
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even when all the plans are best laid, we sometimes miss. How do we reflect and redirect before we lose the whole school year? The episode is the FIFT...
Episode 257: Music is My Language with Ananya Venkateswaran
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ananya has made music in many places around the world, and she believes that “choir is everywhere” and for everyone. This week, I am discu...
Episode 256: Teaching Expression from Day One with Craig Hurley and Rebecca Atkins
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A an honorary addition to the “First Days of Choir Series” could not have been more serendipitous. In this episode, the two researchers an...
The First Days of Choir Part 4: Repertoire with Intent
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“In an effective classroom, students should not only know what they are doing, they should also know why and how.”- Harry Wong. In this episode, w...
The First Days of Choir Part 3: The Feedback Cyle
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Assessment continues learning,” -Harry Wong. When we are making decisions about what gets “graded” it is important first to d...
Episode 255: Uncovering the Overlooked with Hilary Apfelstadt and Alan Davis
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We often say we value diverse voices in the choral world, but programming habits don’t always reflect that. What are the biggest structural or c...
The First Days of Choir Part 2: The Power of Infrastructure
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“It could be dangerous to teach the way you were taught.”-Harry Wong. Research is not something only scientists do. Businesspeople do rese...
The First Days of Choir Part 1: Introduction and Day 1
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“You will be able to be successful, because what we do here works.” Day 1 is when the indoctrination begins. You heard it here. We ARE ind...
Episode 254: Finding Passion in EVERY Note with Elena Sharkova
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elena Sharkova is a an artistic leader and pioneer in American Choral Music. But, her roots are Russian. This shared identity has its complexities now...
Episode 253: Car Thoughts with Chris Maunu
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Choralosophy first. A podcast, with a guest, recorded in my car. Chris Maunu and I riding to the airport, discussing how our roles change, or don...
Episode 252: Literacy is Agency with Kareem Weaver
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The American Education System(s) are facing a crisis that too few within these systems are wanting to name or face. It is a Literacy crisis. As educat...
Episode 251: Audience Mailbag
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A special episode where I read audience questions, comments, raised points for the benefit of all listeners. I have also updated the form on the main ...
Episode 250: Accessible IS Beautiful with Edryn J. Coleman
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For those of us who have been in the classroom since 2019, we KNOW things of changed. Programs are shrinking and kids are coming to us with lost years...
Episode 249: The 10,000 Foot View of Choral Repertoire with Dennis Shrock
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we decide what is and what isn’t a “Great work of choral repertoire?” Dennis Shrock says, “Time.” Let a few hundr...
Car Thoughts: Evidence of Engagement is Not Evidence of Learning
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kids learn at a young age how to show teachers that they are learning. Even if they aren’t… And with many kids, ESPECIALLY when they are n...
Episode 248: What is a Vowel Made Of?
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is there value to teaching the “science of singing” to young kids? I say yes. The goal is not to over-intellectualize the voice. It is to ...
Episode 247: Solving Music Education’s Literacy Crisis with Carol Krueger
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“If they cannot pick up a piece of music at the end of the year (at whatever level) and do it themselves, I would question what we had been doin...
Episode 246: Don’t Sleep on Filipino Choral Music with Reagan Paras
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Choirs across the Western world are making huge strides as we push for more diverse repertoire as well as approaches to vocalization and instruction. ...
Episode 245: Want to Make it on Stage? Take Choir! With Zoie Lee
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Zoie Lee is making a name for herself as a Musical Theater performer, and triple-threat. While on break from the National Tour of Chicago, she stopped...
Episode 244: An Ambassador for African Choirs with Ken Wakia
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recently named one of the 100 most influential Africans, Ken Wakia joins me to share his story as a Kenyan Choral musician and founder of the successf...
Episode 243: Seeing With Sound with Re Robinson
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A blind teacher’s take on Is “music” reading or “sight” reading important enough to provide resources to both blind and ...
Episode 242: Vocal Ped! Don’t Blame Classical Music with Justin Petersen
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Next up on the Vocal Pedagogy series!:Justin Peterson is a voice teacher with some very interesting and thought provoking things to say about how we t...
Episode 241: Instrumental and Vocal Music United! With John Hinkle and Chops Podcast
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A collaboration episode! Chops podcast has been making a splash in the Band world, so we decided to team up to create this “comparing of notes&#...
Episode 240: First, Do No Harm with Megan Farison
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grooming isn’t always obvious. It’s a gradual process that can occur in many forms. Educators have a special responsibility to keep our spaces saf...
Episode 239: Shaping the Future Through Leadership with Jessica Nápoles
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recently selected President-Elect of the American Choral Directors Dr. Jessica Nápoles joins me to talk imposter syndrome, leadership and her ACDA pa...
Episode 238: The Art of the Consort with Apollo5
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, Apollo5 was touring through the US, and stopped not too far from me. So I grabbed my road kit and drove to St. Louis to speak with them, obs...
Episode 237: The Must Haves in Your Conducting Tool Box with Richard Sparks
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I grew up as a conductor in a world where conductors were measured by their ears. We were kind of obsessed with it. And maybe for good reason. In addi...
Episode 236: Unlocking Student Musicianship with Dictation with Cindy Ellis
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A common theme on this show is “teaching the WHOLE language of music.” So, I was pleased to link up with Cindy to hear how important dicta...
Episode 235: The Technique of Expressive Singing with Donald Brinegar
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I often see “technique” and “expression” discussed as opposite sides of the coin. This couldn’t be further from the trut...
Episode 234: Advocating for the Symphony Chorus with Anthony Blake Clark
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Symphony and its Chorus provides us with a rich history, Canon, and tradition. It also provides us a powerful medium for living composers, and asp...
Episode 233: A Natural Laboratory for Reconciliation with Ryan Luhrs
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Music has long been celebrated as a universal language, capable of moving hearts, bridging divides, and bringing people together. But what exactly is ...
Episode 232: Choral Music in Chile with Javiera Lara Salvador
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US is a cultural exporter, and often times, we don’t do a great job of importing. I find it fascinating and valuable, as an American, to see...
Episode 231: It’s Process AND Product with Andrew Schmidt
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is a paradox between performance and pedagogy. Are we teaching our ensembles to perform? Or are we teaching them skills that LEAD them to become...
Episode 230: Enneagram in Ensembles, Classrooms, Music and Life with Sarah McMahill
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Enneagram study has been used to heal families, relationships, work places and more. It is also used by individuals seeking to simply have a better re...
Episode 229: 2024 Year in Review. HIGHLIGHTS!
27 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
2024 comes to a close this week! What a ride its been. This episode features highlights of YOUR favorite episodes of the year, as well as a preview of...
Episode 228: Skip the Education Fads and Stick With What Works with Marcie Samayoa
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fads like “learning styles,” “restorative justice,” “inquiry based learning” and more, versus Cognitive Load Theor...
Episode 227: The Age of Fine Arts Icons is Over with Samuel Andreyev
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The “Classical” or Concert Music tradition has traditionally relied on a nobility or an institution for funding. This is a challenge in ou...
Episode 226: Breaking Down Vocal Ped with David Jones
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the core functions of a choir director or vocal music educator is to teach people to love and understand their voice. This episode is the lates...
Episode 225: Growing Young Musicians in Elementary Music with Chy Billings
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nothing we do as choral singers, directors teachers, music appreciators and consumers would be possible without the “garden” that grows ou...
Episode 224: What the Heck Even is this Show?
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We have had an influx of new listeners, subscribers and Curious George’s to the show over the last week. Welcome! This program began in February...
Addressing Concerns From Equity Sings about Choralosophy
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I plan to keep it is short as possible. Presenting what I see as three categories of this controversy ranging from legit criticisms I need to seriousl...
Episode 223: Music As Healthcare with Dr. Olapeju Simoyan
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The quest to advocate for music education as integral to all stages of human life, continues on Choralosophy. I am excited to welcome Dr. Peju Simoyan...
Episode 222: Why Your Favorite Music Ed Theory May Be Wrong
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Filling in the Gaps,” simply refers to a premise I believe we should consider: 1. No Theory gets it all right. 2. All good theories get S...
Episode 221: Authentically South African with Michael Barrett
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The music of South Africa is not unlike its people. It is built on layers. Layers of complexity, all rich with meaning, and difficult to understand fr...
Episode 220: This is Your Brain on Music with Anita Collins
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of my go to TED animations to play for students at the beginning of every year is the one that explains compellingly, the story of music as the be...
Episode 219: Individual Literacy Assessment
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It is my strong belief that students have a RIGHT to receive individual instruction, feedback and assessment based on individual work in every class t...
Episode 218: The Heart of the Matter with Kyle Pederson
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Does the world say that you don’t look the right way? Does the world say a that you’re just not enough.” Text written by this...
Episode 217: Building Collaborative Learning Environments
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode pulls wisdom from Betsy Cooke Weber, on building a culture of leadership, ownership and professionalism in our classrooms and ensembles. ...
Episode 216: What is a Choir “Warm-up” Anyway with the LSHS Choirs
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I have published many peeks into my classroom before on the show. I have never shown you our opening class minutes before. This is where the real work...
Episode 215: Thinking in the Language of Music with Libby Larsen
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When I work with emerging composers trying to get noticed, I ask them “What are you trying to be noticed FOR?”- Libby Larsen. Could the so...
Episode 214: Church to School- Gospel in Academia with Dr. Emorja Roberson
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For those who sing Black Sacred music, “it is The Academy of the Black Church that taught us.”-Emorja Roberson. To see if you are a convin...
Episode 213: A Back to School Focus From the Convention Floor
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Labor Day weekend. We are almost all back to school. This is the time that makes or breaks your whole school year. This summer I got a boot...
Episode 212: Wrestling With Tradition with Craig Hella Johnson
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The “Choral Music Canon” is one of the many concepts that I believe can only be grappled with if we are able to hold two conflicting truth...
Episode 211: Smashing Cultural Barriers in Classical Music with Babatunde Akinboboye-Audio Only
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Having some very weird tech issues today. Shownotes from normal post Known online as Babatunde “Hip Hopera,” this week’s guest may l...
Episode 211: Smashing Cultural Barriers in Classical Music with Babatunde Akinboboye
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Known online as Babatunde “Hip Hopera,” this week’s guest may look like he is just out there having fun on TikTok. But, a closer loo...
Episode 210: Jazz and Theory in the Choral Classroom with David von Kampen
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Should vocal jazz join other forms of ensemble singing in the “mainstream” of music education? Or does best fit within a niche? In our sec...
Episode 209: Research vs. Reality with Ellie Johnson
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I find that too often, as practicing teachers we either ignore new research all together, or we read the boiler plate summary, take it as gospel and m...
Episode 208: Choir is Not my Family, Do I Still Belong? With Dr. Jason Dungee
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Often in choral instruction, we utilize the word “family” to describe the cohesiveness of our ensembles. But what about the students who d...
Episode 207: Next Gen Music Education with Mak Barton
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I frequently engage in and read discussions with young music educators about the ways in which the music education profession is or is not “adap...
Episode 206: Building Enduring Classroom Culture with Dr. Kari Adams
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As teachers, we often try to build culture and foster a sense of belonging by seeking out the “right checklist” of games, ice breakers, fu...
Episode 205: Teaching Our Choirs to Listen with James Jordan
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“If you don’t learn what listening is, your choirs will never sing in tune.” James Jordan is one of the most prolific choral conductors in the m...
Episode 204: Literacy Live Hive Mind (Highlights with the Community)
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, we offered a free virtual meetup to practice “Choir Nerdery.” If you missed it, I have carefully curated some of the most useful...
Episode 203: Programming as Storytelling with Donald Nally
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“It is not my job to answer the questions. It’s my job to ask the questions.” Programming for our choirs carries with it a wide rang...
Episode 202: Excluded in the Name of Inclusion with Michal Dawson Connor
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“I cannot believe I’ve been muzzled by my own people.” All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, CA cancelled a concert that was set ...
Episode 201: Music is Movement with Mark Changizi
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The scientific consensus is that our ability to understand human speech has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. After all, there are whole po...
Episode 200: Expanding the Boundaries of Choral Music with Katerina Gimon
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Standard music notation that is now used ubiquitously around the world does some things really well. But it also has limitation. Katerina Gimon is a c...
Episode 199: Singing Alone, “The Boogey Man in the Closet”
25 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Standard #1 from NAfME is the best one I think. “Singing alone AND in small groups a varied repertoire of music.” It is of course, crucial...
Episode 198: Beating the Odds Through Choral Music with Steven Hankle
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Because of music, in this time and space, we can hold hands. And we can sing a common song.” From a story Steven tells in this episode to...
Episode 197: Ripping off the Band-Aid Volume 2
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Choralosophy Podcast has been at the epicenter of the music education conversation since 2019. The first episode that really made a splash was #18...
Episode 196: Educating the Anxious Generation
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Choralosophy Book Club is back with a discussion of the book I am currently reading. “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt (author of...
Episode 195: Elementary Choirs-Our Manhattan Project with Bruce Rockwell
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible that we are all grasping at the wrong straws trying to reach program growth in an equitable way? Bruce Rockwell believes we need a tran...
Episode 194: A Round Peg Voice in a Square Hole Choir with Timothy Mount
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tim’s article “How to Ruin an Alto” was published in 1982-83 in The Choral Journal and in MENC’s publication. It included some...
Episode 193: The Aeolian Way with Jeremy Sovoy Jordan
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Oakwood University Aeolians have a long standing and proud tradition. Over the last few years, they shot to international fame. Jeremy Jordan is t...
Ep 192: Music Literacy for All: Debunking Myths and Embracing Diversity by Odell Zeigler
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Odell’s presentation was discussed in a recent Choral Journal article, but not named. This is his side of the story. Find more blogs at Choralos...
Episode 191: Rise Up and Sing with Shanan Estreicher
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Queens is one of the most diverse places in the world. How can music serve as a “common language” for diverse students? This week, I am jo...
Episode 190: Girls Voices Change Too! With Dr. Bridget Sweet
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Bridget Sweet is the first scholar to examine adolescent female voice change through systematic research protocols This week, we fill in a major g...
Episode 189: Can We Meet Kids Where They Are Without Lowering Standards? With Jonathan Talberg
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is “Tough Love” outdated? Or is it the tool of caring parents and educators? Recently, a “Facebook post dialogue” of sorts wen...
Episode 188: Why Don’t Boys Want to Sing? With Martin Ashley
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor and researcher Martin Ashley from the UK is back to talk about more recent research related to the boys changing voice from both a biologica...
Episode 187: Five Years of Changing and Expanding the Conversation and
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the digital realm where voices meet ideas, there’s a podcast that’s become a community hub for Choral Music: The Choralosophy Podcast s...
Episode 186: It’s Time for Anti-Racism with Love, with Chloé Valdary
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Activist, author Chloé Valdary is a diversity and anti-racism trainer with a refreshingly loving approach. This week, on Valentine’s Day, I am ...
Episode 185: Bringing the Wisdom of Hebrew Texts into the Choral Canon with Nicholas Weininger
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nicholas Weininger, software engineer and composer, joins me this week to discuss the power of the Hebrew language in choral settings. Both in terms o...
Episode 184: Should We Stop Assessing Sight Reading at All State Choir? With Drs. Marshaun Hymon and Chantae Pittman
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast has become the place to go for Music Literacy pedagogical training tools for teachers over the last five years. As a result, I have never...
Episode 183: At a Crossroads in Higher Ed with Lynn Atkins
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are there core skills that MUST be acquired in order to teach music? Should there be? This week, I welcome Lynn Atkins to discuss the current challeng...
Episode 182: Getting off on the Right Foot with a Young Teacher Panel
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are doing something different and fun this week! Just me, and three young colleagues about half my age. Over the last few months, I have gotten sev...