One of the things we do “at” the List is to track milestones, and this is a big one. The classical music critic for the Los Angeles Times has worked his last day at the paper. And this is not just the end of an age for Los Angeles — he was the last man … Read more
Some announcements are especially fun to share, and this one lets us brag about one of our own. LA Master Chorale announced today that Katherine Powers, a longtime Lister and colleague, is moving from her post at POP to become LAMC’s new CEO. This position is difficult, influential, and requires intelligence, poise, and strategy… a … Read more
Do you celebrate getting through the tough gigs? You might need your own “spark fuel” policy.
If you’ve been around Southern California for awhile, you may remember a sublimely talented baritone named Babatunde Akinboboye (known to some of us back then as Bobby) who appeared with a variety of organizations in the early 2000s and beyond. The first time I heard him sing was with the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, and … Read more
…and what actually has to change Third post in this summer’s Church Hiring Series Impressions, feedback and scuttlebutt This is the third post in a series on hiring and retaining singers for church music programs. If you’re catching up, the first post looked at why some singers are quietly opting out of church work, and … Read more
I’ll admit it — as of Monday morning (June 29th), only four people had RSVP’d for the schmooze, and I was mentally rehearsing my “well, intimate gatherings have their charms” speech. Then, somewhere between the freeway and the restaurant, my phone started buzzing. By the time we sat down at Pitfire Pizza in Pasadena — … Read more
This was originally posted in our private Facebook group, but I’ve been asked to add it to the blog for general information. The following is inspired by that original post: If you’re new to singing the Jewish High Holy Days, there’s one thing you need to understand before you say yes to a gig: once … Read more
Church Hiring series, Post 2 Since the first post in this series went up, the response in our community has been immediate and pointed. Directors, singers, and more than a few people who are both have weighed in with observations that deserve to be part of this conversation. What follows draws on those voices — … Read more
After a long search, the Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced the successor to the wildly popular Gustavo Dudamel — British conductor Daniel Harding, who will take the helm in fall 2027. While this seems a fairly safe choice and contrary to the rumors that the next artistic director would be from another underrepresented group (buzzes … Read more
There are teachers and colleagues who will always tell fellow vocalists that a professional never works for free — and that position isn’t wrong, exactly, but it ignores semantics and situational details. “Never” doesn’t account for passion projects, learning opportunities, family culture (!), or judgment calls that don’t fit neatly into a rule. Every singer … Read more