Welcome to the Art of Rehearsal

Music in the details.

Thank you for joining in this discussion about the music-making that happens before the performance. My name is Jordan, I’m a conductor, teacher, writer, and coach, and I’m fascinated by the connections between the music, the people who make it, and the rehearsal process we use to put it all together.

Each month, I will surface a few interesting ideas from around the web that bear on the art and craft of rehearsal in all its musical forms, including some of my own writing on the topic.

The Format think of a digest, like Well from the New York Times. Another example would be 3-2-1 Thursday by James Clear. Like Clear’s newsletter, roughly 50% of the ideas will come from me. The other 50% will be the best information I’m finding on the web, in new books and research, and most importantly from my own journey chronicling the world’s best conductors, both observing rehearsals and interviewing them one on one.

For Longer Essays: For years, I have maintained a blog at The Conductor’s Notebook, and that project will continue. Currently, I post a new article most Thursdays. The Art of Rehearsal newsletter will not duplicate that effort.

• You can learn more about my blog here.

• You can subscribe to my blog using an RSS reader via this link.

Instead, the Art of Rehearsal newsletter will serve as a place to share a few things:

1. Rehearsal Tactics that you can put to use right away.

2. Useful quotes and principles from a great musician, teacher, or scholar of music.

3. Recent Essays on rehearsal from me over the past month, with an idea or two highlighted.

4. Rehearsal Around the Web: Any time there is something for musicians to read, watch, or consider in rehearsal effectiveness, or particularly relevant news, I’ll include that as well. With so many good websites, newsletters, podcasts, and YouTube channels, there will always be something you can use.

5. Books and More: I generally try to place my writing in conversation with great scholars and thinkers who come from related disciplines to music, and tie it to both to my personal experiences as a conductor, teacher, and lifelong student of music and what I’ve learned from watching great colleagues like you. I’ll share what I’m reading and relate it to what I’m learning.

6. Music: Lastly, great music, with real humans working on real music always remains at the core of it all. I’ll include some exciting music making and a great example of effective rehearsal leadership in the form of a video or two.

I expect to cover 4-5 of those areas each month, with an emphasis on the most tangible ideas you can use in your own rehearsals. I am an equal-opportunity lover of music. My focus is orchestral music, but I freely borrow great ideas from string quartets, choirs, opera, wind band, jazz, dance, chamber music, non-classical, and even non-musical activities like theater. I also freely mix from public school music, professional music, scholarship on the topic, and even delve into cognitive and organizational psychology if it seems like you might find it useful.

This is an experiment. I will be looking for your feedback to help me serve you better. All posts will be free, but I want to encourage anyone who can afford it, or who finds value in what you read, to consider a paid subscription.

One final note: In addition to this newsletter, you can also learn more about my coaching practice (by the same name) for conductors, music educators, and chamber musicians at artofrehearsal.com.

Thanks,

Jordan