Blog
Zagging in a Zigging World
I think it’s safe to say that I can be something of a contrarian. (Duhh!) So – when I decided it was time to introduce a new line of orchestra arrangements (after considering it for years), it should come as
The Kindness of Strangers
This is embarrassing on two levels. First – I find myself once again trying conjure up an excuse for blogging soooo infrequently. But it always boils down to the same thing: I get so wrapped up in composing, or editing
News of the Day
Seeing as how I’m the world’s most inconsistent blogger, I thought I might oughta post a little update blog. So here are some truly Random Neural Firings that might be of passing interest. Thanks to all the sympathetic responses I
James Randolph Smith
Looking back on more than four decades of a career in music, there are people who made a crucial difference along the way. Yesterday, I lost one of those people, and too soon. James Randolph Smith, Randy to everyone who
Showing – the (Mostly) Finished Stage of Creativity
I recently I finished a new choral composition. When I say “finished,” I don’t mean “finished” finished. I mean more like “mostly” finished. In my catalogue, I’m not so sure anything is ever “finished” finished. But I digress. (Look! A
Changes
Wow. Has it really been some five months since I last posted??? Truly – I am the World’s Most Inconsistent Blogger. Where is my award for this great distinction? Somebody call the folks at Guinness! So – what have I
For the Children
Anytime a government huckster (and they are ALL hucksters) want to grab more money for something, one of the standard appeals is – it’s “for the children.” Now this is a blatant, emotional approach. But it works – because grown-ups
The Twelve Choral Books of Christmas
I haven’t published a new choral book in a decade. For one thing, I don’t know what I could possibly add to the mountain of cantatas, choral collections, and musicals that is already out there. For another thing, nobody has
Behind the Song: “Amazing Love! How Can It Be?”
“Amazing Love! How Can It Be?” Words by Charles Wesley & Robert Sterling Music by Robert Sterling In my book, Principles of Choral Arranging… wait, what? You didn’t know I wrote a book on choral arranging??? Well, here’s a link.
Room for Improvement 2
If you were to dig through my blog archives (and I know you all do that), you would find an old blog from years ago, titled “Room for Improvement.” In that blog I wrote about re-visiting, and subsequently re-writing, one
Behind the Song: “Leaving us to Say Goodbye”
“Leaving Us to Say Goodbye” (words & music by Robert Sterling) The unexpected death of a friend lands like a body blow. It leaves you stunned, even speechless. You receive the bad news and go numb. Hearing of Luke Garrett’s
Emerging From Our Caves
I’ve often said that if I were to compare myself to an animal it would be a bear. A Grizzly, to be more specific. Grizzlies eat half the year and sleep the remaining half. And they spend a lot of