“As choral conductors, we're first and foremost educators, and we have to realize that we have to come with compassion in everything that we do when we listen to choirs. All too often we sit there thinking, ‘the intonation wasn't so great, or maybe their phrase endings could be better,’ but we don't understand what people are working with. No two choirs are the same. No choir operates in the same context.”

Dr. Michael Joseph Barrett is the conductor of the University of Pretoria (Tuks) Camerata and a senior lecturer in Choral Conducting in the Department of Music. He obtained the degrees BMus in Performing Arts and MMus (Performing Arts), specializing in choral conducting, in 2008, both from the University of Pretoria. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education and a Performance Licentiate in Singing, both received in 2008, from Unisa. In 2017, Michael was awarded a Doctorate of Music degree (Performing Arts) in Choral Performance by the University of Pretoria.

Michael’s choirs have won numerous national and international awards, as well as choral competitions all over the world, including the Grand Prix of Nations; the 8th World Choir Games; the St Petersburg Choral Competition; the Llangollen (Shlangoshlen) International Musical Eisteddfod (ICEtedfud); and the International Youth Music Festival. In 2017, Tuks Camerata was invited to perform at the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain.

The choir has released three CDs, which were all nominated for South African Music Awards. In March, the Tuks Camerata will perform as an invited choir to the National ACDA Conference in Dallas.

Michael is an active composer and arranger whose music is published internationally by Santa Barbara Music Publishers and Walton Music. He is regularly invited to present workshops and adjudicate choral competitions both locally and abroad. He is also the executive director and co-producer of Capital Singers, South Africa’s largest community choir project.

To get in touch with Michael, you can email him or find him on Instagram (@mbarrett1310) or Facebook (@michael.j.barrett.54). You can also visit the Tuks Camerata website or follow them on Instagram (@tuks_camerata), Facebook (@UPCamerata), or YouTube (@universityofpretoriacamera357). To support the Tuks Camerata's travel to National ACDA 2025, visit their funding website.

Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.

Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

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Dr. David Fryling is director of choral activities at Hofstra University, where he conducts both the select Hofstra Chorale and Hofstra Chamber Choir and teaches beginning and advanced studies in choral conducting, as well as graduate-level studies in choral conducting and choral literature. In addition, he is an adjunct professor for the Hofstra School of Education, and has served as music director and conductor of the Hofstra Opera Theater. In fall 2014 David was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame as the “Educator of Note” in recognition of his years of leadership in the Long Island music education community, and in the spring of 2017 David was named the winner of the American Prize in Conducting in two categories: community chorus and college & university.

In fall 2013 David founded the eVoco Voice Collective, a nonprofit organization of singers of the highest musical, technical, and expressive abilities, who together believe in the transformative and educational power of music.

From 2007 to 2013, David served as coordinator of the Vocal Artists program at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, where he was conductor and music director of the World Youth Honors Choir and Festival Choir & Orchestra.

Before his appointment at Hofstra, David served as music director and conductor of the University of Michigan Arts Chorale and assistant conductor of the Michigan Chamber Singers, University Choir, and the internationally acclaimed Michigan Men’s Glee Club. While in Ann Arbor, he was also the music director and conductor of the Michigan Youth Women’s Chorus, a year-round all-state honors choir composed of select high school sopranos and altos from across Michigan.

In addition to his professional teaching and conducting responsibilities, David is the current President of the American Choral Directors Association.

To get in touch with Dave, you can find him on Facebook (@david.fryling) or Instagram (@davidnfryling) or email him at david.n.fryling@hofstra.edu or Dfryling@acda.org.

Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.

Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

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Photo in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“A lot of what I end up teaching with regards to all of music, but certainly improvisation, has to do with becoming comfortable. You can do all kinds of different technical exercises, improvisation exercises, conceptual brain project exercises, all of which serve to help the musician become comfortable and fluid with their musical expression so that they feel free enough to act on a musical impulse or a musical gesture, to respond freely to the moment.”

The first year of the pandemic was a deeply creative time for Vermont based fiddle composer and song-writer Lissa Schneckenburger. When everything shut down (including her touring schedule), writing music became an essential outlet. Schneckenburger explains, “I had to write music to process my experience of living through such a difficult time. It was my life line”. The result was what Schneckenburger jokingly calls “overflowing bucketfuls of music” and enough new material for several album releases. The first album, Falling Forward, is a collection of Schneckenburger’s original fiddle tunes and two traditional New England songs, released in March 2023.

Lissa hired a star powered all female cast of musicians to record her compositions, and Falling Forward was recorded in December of 2022. The ensemble included fiddling producer Katie McNally, pianist Rachel Aucoin, bass player Mali Obomsawin, cellist Natalie Haas, and accordion player Karen Tweed. “These women are my heroes,” Schneckenburger says, “they are leaders in the acoustic music world, and it was such an honor to record with them.” The tunes range from lively to somber and introspective. Many reflect the tone of a riotous fiddle party with floorboards thumping, bow hair flying, and instruments and dancers in every corner. Falling Forward provides music for both meditation and release. Both of which feel appropriate in processing our collective experience as a society over the last few years.

During the past few decades, Schneckenburger has made music showcasing everything from traditional dance tunes, to original songs. The latter inspired by her experience as a foster and adoptive parent. Falling Forward has blended her love of traditional music with her love of writing, in her first fiddle forward album release in over a decade.

To get in touch with Lissa, you can find visit her website, https://lissafiddle.com/, or find her on Instagram (@lissafiddle), Facebook (@lissafiddle), or Tiktok (@lissafiddle).

Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.

Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

Podcast music from Podcast.co
Photo in episode artwork by Trace Hudson