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Advocacy Happens!
See an article in the state newspaper, The Oklahoman, that features the work of Dr. Sneed at Choctaw High School.
See a video in the state newspaper, The Oklahoman, that features the work of Dr. Sneed at Choctaw High School.
My number one goal as a teacher is to share my knowledge with students so that they may then share it with their students and/or audiences. I am fortunate to have worked with outstanding teachers, professors, musicians and administrators who are the reason for my success as a university choral educator. The legacy we are all given as students, when shared with our own singers, is a gift which must continue to be given to new generations of singers.
Teaching is, for me, an art based on good science. Being organized, prepared, knowledgeable, experienced, and enthusiastic for the choral art makes my rehearsals enjoyable, challenging, and musically rewarding. My singers often say that they learn more than just musical concepts of rhythm, melody and harmony; they also learn about the import of the texts, the historical context of the music and, hopefully, they learn the best way in which to convey the words to the audience. The juxtaposition of text and music is a powerful combination, and if we, as choral musicians, can enhance that synergy, then our audiences, as well as ourselves, are richer for it.
My students also remember the many non-musical moments we shared together: funny moments in rehearsals when we tripped over words; getting lost in Milan on choir tour; singing behind the bushes in a park while one of the basses proposed marriage to one of the altos (who said yes). I would like them to remember first that it is about the MUSIC! We enjoy each other, the relationship-building aspects, and the team effort, but we come together because of a shared love and passion for choral music. I hope they remember the satisfaction we felt when we finally accomplished a difficult a cappella cadence, or when we heard a clap of thunder immediately following our performance of Nystedt’s O Crux, and the singers thought it was all part of our plan to make the text even more meaningful for our audience. Finally, I hope they will remember the great time we had together trying to improve in every rehearsal, and what a joy it was to sing Josquin in the resonant hallway of a high school in Dothan, Alabama. These are the things I hear back from former students years later, and these are moments that I live for as a teacher.
To be a successful teaching/conductor, I must continue to research, explore, perfect and, most especially, learn from my singers. I find it exciting when I have someone in the choir who is fluent in a foreign language and challenges me to be as precise as possible when teaching that language. It is also great to have someone like that when working on the word-by-word translation of the text and attempting to teach it to the singers. I hope that my ensemble members learn that they are much stronger musically by being part of a team then they would be if they were on their own as soloists. There is a joy in the shared effort of perfecting a vowel sound or a rhythmic pattern that cannot be felt as strongly if one is singing alone.
But, is our work together about process or product? This is a question we all wrestle with as teachers and as students of music. For me, it is more about the process, and yet, as I often tell my singers, we do have to sing in public, so the product had better be good. It is the journey that makes it all worthwhile; it is the sense of accomplishment, and of gaining great knowledge and competence in singing that is the “why” of what we do. When listening to the applause, and later the recording, we grow more as musicians; when touring, the opportunity to sing pieces multiple times allows us to find even more nuance in the music, and reach a greater understanding of what the composer wanted.
My teaching philosophy is about the music, the singers, the text, the audience and the aesthetic experience of all of the above. Each moment in rehearsal and in performance is unique; each an opportunity to find a new way to connect to the music and to share it with our audiences. But the best part of teaching is simply sharing music with others who are as passionate about perfecting what can never be perfect as I am. I feel lucky to have connected with so many singers; and I look forward to many more years of meeting new people and singing great music.
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