This page is dedicated to driving a conversation for choral musicians with the PHILOSOPHY of Choral Music at the heart of every post and podcast episode. Topics will be wide ranging from the technical aspects of our jobs and careers all the way to the artistic interpretations and values that make us who we are as artists. Join me in this conversation in which I hope we can learn from each other.
Episode 300: The Reason Boys Don’t Sing (That we don’t like to talk about…)
Aug 10, 2026
Show notes
Three years ago, I released an episode that got me called the “Joe Rogan of Choir Podcasts.” I was branded a “men’s rights advocate,” and I watched a non-trivial portion of the choral community throw up their hands in collective outrage or disbelief.
What was my controversial crime? I dared to argue that boys are an underserved—and in many educational and arts contexts, marginalized—group in our programs. And even worse, I suggested that their plummeting participation might actually be, at least IN PART, our fault as educators.
When you bring up the boy crisis in choir or education in general, the knee-jerk reaction from arts spaces is usually to point outward. It is sports culture. It is general societal pressure. Look, complex problems do not have single causes or simple solutions. But what we desperately avoid talking about is the climate inside our own house.
Give Them Tools Part 1
This episode takes the meatiest bits out of an EXPERT interview with Dr. Brendan Kwiatkawski related to the psychological research about boys, their relationships to their emotions and identity, and why age 13-15 is SO crucial for them…and for our choirs.
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and Facebook
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 299: Organizing Your Choir for Day 1
Jul 31, 2026
Show notes
Over the last 2 summers, Choralosophy has been focused on teacher and conductor preparation for the day their singers walk in for the first time. What does it mean to really be “ready?” Summer vacation is important, but preparation is peace of mind.
This short episode will simply summarize the First Days and Give Them Tools series, so that you have a clear and concise guide to the materials and can easily find what you need when it’s time to build that syllabus, and sing the first notes!
We will also summarize a recent Choralosophy Community essay that asks the question, “Does Music Education Need it’s Own Science of Reading Moment?”
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com
Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and Facebook
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 298: You Can’t Please Everyone All the Time with Russell Scott
Jul 24, 2026
Show notes
There is nothing better than seeing development—watching someone start at the bottom level and, through time and dedication, step onto a stage and realize what they are truly capable of. No matter what your choir’s starting point, it is GROWTH that keeps the members coming back.
Welcome to a special joint-presentation episode where cross-continental perspective meets the art of the choral conversation! Today, I get to welcome another new choir podcaster, with London-based conductor Russell Scott, host of the new show, The Choir Director Podcast, to bridge the gap across the Atlantic. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to lead an ensemble today. How do we thread the needle when it comes to inclusivity? Often, the flat, platitude rich online conversation of ensemble inclusivity misses the reality.
We tackle the massive balancing act every director faces: what happens when we want to aggressively raise our musical standards without accidentally driving our singers out the back door. And the flip side: do we loose people when the environment is not rigorous enough? Plus, we dive into the psychology of choral communities, the modern pitfalls of academic self-censorship, and why the lasting bonds of a choir are ultimately forged in the shared vulnerability of the breath—not just the social hour. Whether you lead a school program or a community-based ensemble touring international stages, this unscripted conversation is a refreshing, honest look into the heart of the choral craft.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
Sign up for an annual membership and save over $50 by entering Choralosophy at checkout! Save 15% on monthly or annual subscriptions.
Russell Scott is an internationally recognised musical director, producer and conductor, with over 45 years’ experience across the music industry. A professionally trained singer, he has sold over 100,000 records across his solo releases and recording projects, and is known for his work across choral, musical theatre and large-scale performance.
Russell has conducted extensively across the UK, Europe and North America, including a landmark Christmas Concert at the Berlin Philharmonie in 2025. His international conducting work includes appearances with the Vancouver Pops Orchestra, alongside numerous performances with choirs and orchestras. He is particularly respected for his ability to create engaging, high-quality performances that connect strongly with both performers and audiences.
In musical theatre, Russell has conducted in London’s West End and worked alongside leading industry figures including Tim Rice, Don Black, Stephen Schwartz and Leslie Bricusse. His production credits include a major UK tour of Godspell following a sell-out West End performance, alongside a wide range of concerts and large-scale productions.
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.com
He is the founder of the World Voices Festival (formerly the UK Choir Festival), established in 2016, which has grown into a major international event bringing together thousands of singers and choir leaders for workshops and performances. As Musical Director of Next Stage Choir, which he founded in 2010, Russell leads a large, thriving multi-location choir and regularly tours internationally with its members.
Russell has also recorded at Abbey Road Studios on multiple occasions, further reflecting the breadth of his work across performance and production.
Alongside his conducting and production work, he is a highly sought-after vocal coach and mentor, working with performers from amateur level through to those preparing for drama school and professional auditions.
Russell Scott continues to inspire singers and audiences alike through his leadership, experience and commitment to musical excellence. He also hosts The Choir Director Podcast.
@russellscottofficial
RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 297: Give Them Tools and Let Them Build Part 6 (Tracking Data For Growth)
Jul 17, 2026
Show notes
“We keep data on students, not because we need to measure if they good enough. It’s how we as teachers measure if WE are good enough.” If I can’t show you what they have learned, how can I be sure I am doing a good job?
In many educational settings, choral music exists as a unique loophole where students can easily secure an “A” simply through passive compliance—showing up, sitting down, and miming the words. This issue persists because directors often avoid assessing individual skills, hiding behind the excuse of protecting students from the anxiety of solo singing when, in reality, it is a form of structural laziness. Camouflaging individual deficiencies within a collective wall of sound is not true teaching; if a student cannot demonstrate a musical skill independently, they may not have not actually learned it. And you wouldn’t know.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
7 Years of Choralosophy: The View from the Other Side of the Mic by Chris Munce
Seven years ago, Choralosophy was an experiment. Today, it’s a career. It is a job, no different than your job, albeit a bit more public? Today is the show’s 7th birthday. Here is what I’ve learned:
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and Facebook
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 296: How to Make a Musician with Allison Wilkinson
Jul 10, 2026
Show notes
Humans are a musical species. ALL humans. But, many move through their music education without realizing it. We are putting the most vulnerable part of the brain in the hands of overworked people. And that is a problem. Emotionally Intelligent Music Instruction can be part of the solution.
This week’s guest dropped a concept that completely shifted how I view my rehearsals: when we make music, we are operating in the exact part of our brain that recognizes our deepest vulnerabilities. Specifically, we are cross wired with the part of us that notices our own nakedness. It’s intense, it’s raw, and it explains why singing can feel downright terrifying for our students. Joining me is the brilliant Allison Wilkinson to talk about why music is the ultimate “bravery workout,” as well as the most “AI-proof” subject in schools today. We discuss how navigating that musical discomfort builds literal neural pathways for resilience that serve kids in the boardroom and beyond. Whether you’re a teacher balancing hundreds of students a week or a parent wanting the best for your child’s cognitive health, you don’t want to miss this one. Let’s jump into the conversation.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
Sign up for an annual membership and save over $50 by entering Choralosophy at checkout! Save 15% on monthly or annual subscriptions.
Allison Wilkinson is the author of Making Musicians and the Executive Director of the I Am Music Foundation. Each year, she teaches the tools of Applied Music Psychology through the I Am Academy to music educators from around the world, from Australia to Zimbabwe and everywhere in between. Find the book on GIA!
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 295: Give Them Tools and Let Them Build Part 5 (Vocal Freedom and Function)
Jul 03, 2026
Show notes
In part five we are dive into the importance of a simple to understand system of vocal instruction for groups of beginners. Many choir teachers say “I am the only voice teacher many of my kids will ever have.” While true in one sense, a choir class is NOT a voice lesson. Voice lessons are individual.
Give Them Tools Part 1
Choir directors absolutely should study voice, take lessons, sing and perform. It is crucial for us to know as much about the voice as voice teachers do. But…how we apply that knowledge and convey it to students is very different. In this episode, we will break down classroom procedures and priorities that can allow us and our students make the most of our time together.
After all, in group instruction its about a LOT more than Vocal Ped nerdery. It’s also psychology. We have to create the right “mood” in the room that is conducive to vocal freedom and a true “Sound Laboratory” where beginning and advancing singers feel safe to sing in front of each other, get feedback, and take multiple “practice swings.”
And just like in part 4, the secret is the sequence, the repetition and the QUESTIONS! The ones we ask, and eventually the ones they learn to ask. Here, you will also get vocal wisdom from Ken Bozeman, Jami Rhodes and Beth Munce.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
7 Years of Choralosophy: The View from the Other Side of the Mic by Chris Munce
Seven years ago, Choralosophy was an experiment. Today, it’s a career. It is a job, no different than your job, albeit a bit more public? Today is the show’s 7th birthday. Here is what I’ve learned:
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and Facebook
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 294: Reopening the All State Debate. Sight read, or nah? with David Ritschard
Jun 26, 2026
Show notes
We are revisiting a topic today to bring in more perspectives. Dave Ritschard teaches choir in Alabama, where they are considering ADDING sight reading to the All State Choir audition. Dave is opposed.
Today, we are diving headfirst into a hot-button topic that recently blew up on Facebook: what is the true purpose of an All-State choir? Is it a reward reserved strictly for the pinnacle of high school choral achievement, or is it a spark meant to transform smaller music programs from the bottom up? Joining me to parse out this classic debate is Dave Richard, a choral and drama director at a school in Marshall County, Alabama.
From growing up as a missionary kid in Papua New Guinea to navigating a 6th–12th grade schedule, Dave brings a unique perspective centered on student access. This perspective bumps up against mine in some friendly back and forth. He recently went public with his concerns over the Alabama Vocal Association’s plan to add a required sight-reading component to auditions, arguing that it creates massive equity issues for rural programs where students receive zero elementary music education. I, of course, hold a different view also citing equity concerns, setting the stage for an incredibly honest, constructive clash over the fine line between defending musical excellence and accidental gatekeeping.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
Sign up for an annual membership and save over $50 by entering Choralosophy at checkout! Save 15% on monthly or annual subscriptions.
David Ritschard (pronounced Richard), or “Mr. Ritz” as his students know him, is a 6–12 choral and drama teacher in Douglas, Alabama. After completing his first year teaching, he has become passionate about building choir programs in rural communities and creating meaningful musical experiences that inspire students to stay involved in music for life.
Dave grew up in Papua New Guinea, where his family served as missionaries, and is a graduate of Jacksonville State University with a degree in Choral Music Education. As both a choir and drama teacher, he is particularly interested in music literacy, accessibility, student participation, and the role of honor choirs in music education.
Find Dave on TikTok and Instagram at @mr.ritzchoir
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Car Thoughts: Programming Considerations with Chantae Pittman and Clelyn Chapin
Jun 22, 2026
Show notes
How do you choose your repertoire? Is it the same rubric for every choir? Or does it vary? What’s on your list?
Programming ideas!
Enjoy this short, bonus episode where I was able to squeeze in a short discussion on choral programming with the two guest clinicians at the Kantorei KC Summer Choral Institute. Dr. Clelyn Chapin and Dr. Chantae Pittman have both been guests on the show before, but this time, they were my houseguests and here in town to work with the students of the KC area in our summer program.
The three of us each shared details about the program we chose this week, and why. But, we also compared notes on programming philosophies in other contexts as well.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
7 Years of Choralosophy: The View from the Other Side of the Mic by Chris Munce
Seven years ago, Choralosophy was an experiment. Today, it’s a career. It is a job, no different than your job, albeit a bit more public? Today is the show’s 7th birthday. Here is what I’ve learned:
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and Facebook
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 293: Middle School is JUST The Right Age for Rigor with Ryan Lindley
Jun 19, 2026
Show notes
What happens when you look at your choir’s packed performance schedule and realize you’ve been teaching the repertoire, but not the actual skills? But aren’t middle school kids too young for a rigorous choir class experience? Besides, won’t it drive them away if we don’t make it an easy A with lots of fun concerts?
We often talk about wanting music classes to be treated with the same respect as core academic subjects, but are we holding ourselves to that same curricular standard? Joining me today is Ryan Lindley, an outstanding middle school director who found himself asking that exact question after finishing his eighth year in the classroom. Ryan realized his grading structure only measured one standard: performance. He set out to rewrite his entire curriculum to focus on deep, sequential music literacy, proving that middle schoolers are never “too young” for high expectations. We talk about the logistics of individual testing, building student autonomy, and modeling growth in real time.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
Sign up for an annual membership and save over $50 by entering Choralosophy at checkout! Save 15% on monthly or annual subscriptions.
Ryan Lindley is a music educator, conductor, and clinician based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He currently teaches fourth through eighth-grade chorus for the Oshkosh Area School District, serving students at Perry Tipler Middle School and the Advanced Learning Program charter school. His teaching emphasizes project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and the creation of inclusive, student-centered music spaces.
Mr. Lindley holds a Master of Music in Music Education from Boston University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. In addition to his school teaching, he is the Music Director of Badger State Youth Choir: Oshkosh and serves as President of the Oshkosh Chamber Singers. He is actively involved in professional leadership as the Middle Level Repertoire & Resources Chair for the Midwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association and as the Middle Level All-State Coordinator for the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association.
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.com
An accomplished musician, Mr. Lindley is a frequent clinician and presenter, with professional interests that include middle level choral pedagogy, SEL-informed rehearsal practices, and curriculum design. Outside of music, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Madeline, and their two children, Isaiah and Eleanor.
RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 292: How to Be A Choir Coach with Gary Seighman
Jun 12, 2026
Show notes
Have you ever noticed that good pedagogy and the perfect methodology only goes so far? The job of a teacher, conductor or a coach is a complicated cocktail with almost infinitely changing ingredients. The main variables can be found within the groups themselves.
In this episode, I’m sitting down once again with Gary Seighman, choir director and Chair of the Music Department at Trinity University. Gary is out with a fascinating new book published by Meredith Music and GIA called The Choir Playbook.
We dive deep into the striking parallels between athletic coaching and choral rehearsing, exploring how over-analyzing mechanics can completely paralyze execution—whether a kid is at the plate or a conductor is on the podium. Gary shares how moving past surface-level band-aids allows us to build adaptive, high-performing musical environments.
What We Preview in This Episode:
The Ecological Approach to Rehearsing: Why training your choir to “expect the unexpected” and adapt on the fly builds a more resilient ensemble than rigid, predictable repetition.
Joint Action Theory and the Mirror Neuron System: The hard science behind how ensembles create a subconscious “collective organism”—synchronizing breathing, body language, and heart rates to predict musical movements rather than just reacting to them.
Lego Vowels vs. Silly Putty: A look into Gary’s toolbox for vowel unification and why teaching English text requires fighting a lifetime of native, lazy speech habits.
Defeating Teacher Burnout: Why stepping completely outside the choral bubble to explore sports, sci-fi, or Pixar movies is exactly what your default mode network needs to unlock massive creative Eureka moments in front of your choir.
If you are tired of shallow fixes and want to understand the deep neurological and physiological mechanics of what actually happens when humans make music together, you are not going to want to miss this conversation.
Grab your notebook, clip board and whistle and stick around
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
Sign up for an annual membership and save over $50 by entering Choralosophy at checkout! Save 15% on monthly or annual subscriptions.
Gary Seighman is Professor, Director of Choral Activities, and Chair of the Music Department at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, one of the nation’s top private liberal arts universities. He is the recipient of several teaching awards, including the Most Innovative Programming Award from the Texas Choral Directors Association. His choirs have performed for the National Collegiate Choral Organization, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the 2026 Southwest ACDA conference. He is a regular guest artist with Worldstrides Performance for their Carnegie Hall festivals and has conducted across the world with multiple European tours, and 6 trips to East Asia conducting the Peking University Summer Opera Program, and performances throughout Taiwan and Japan.
His book, The Choir Playbook: Tools for the Imaginative Conductor, was recently published by Meredith Music and GIA. His degrees are from is from Westminster Choir College, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Maryland. Seighman enjoys other creative outlets including signed as a model and actor with Avant Agency, where he has appeared in print, online, billboards, radio, and television. He also loves coaching soccer, softball, and baseball for his 9 and 11-year-old children.
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.comRyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
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