Finding a spark of joy in the tougher gigs
Do you celebrate getting through the tough gigs? You might need your own “spark fuel” policy.
Lister Living
What church directors can do this year…
…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
What professional singers are actually weighing
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
When to say yes to unpaid work (and when to stop)
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
Deciding
If it feels like everyone you know is rethinking something right now—career, schedule, genre focus, income mix, long-term plans—you’re not imagining it. The world is shifting fast, and the arts always feel it early. For singers, that often shows up as questions like: Do I double down? Pivot? Add something new? Let something go? Let’s … Read more
Singing the season into existence
This post is also available on the podcast! To the singers and musicians who have been working incredibly hard this season: You’ve been stitching together gigs like an elite sport, memorizing repertoire on the run, running choir folders and juggling costumes on too little sleep, and singing concerts that exist only because you showed up … Read more
Are you performing but not creating?
I’m writing you all a note. —> If you’re not sure who Epstein’s Mother is, look it up. There is another story behind this, starting with a mini-rant I posted recently in our Listerhood group on Facebook. (Have you joined us yet?) The idea has not only stayed with me, it has garnered some interesting … Read more
When you actually have time left over (and what to do with it)
Have you ever had one of those unicorn days where everything goes right and you somehow end up with (gasp!) time to spare? Probably not often — but when it happens? Pure gold. I recently had a Tuesday that certainly didn’t start out so beautifully, but it astonished me. But by 1:30pm, I’d wrapped my … Read more
Getting over it: The fine arts of resilience, adaptability and grit
Several years ago, I saw Angela Duckworth’s remarkable TED talk about the importance of grit and the ability to move on after difficulty. As we all face a certain amount of conflict in our lives, grit and resilience are key to success for most of us, regardless of the level of difficult we face, or … Read more
On arrogance
Speaking with one of our Listers recently, we discussed a situation involving an incredibly arrogant performer who just wasn’t fitting in. Sometimes this happens, and sometimes there are reasons. After some careful discussion, it was clear that the behavior was a significant issue. But it also seemed clear to the teller that this performer believed … Read more