[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from almost 30 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions ac...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from almost 30 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions ac...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from almost 30 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions ac...

he world premiere of "Forgiveness by Dane A Carten with text by Emanual Wolff. Recorded at the First United Methodist Church in Tucson, AZ on May 6th, 2023. Full text: "Show me eyes like scars to soothe and seethe the thoughts thrice far an...  morehe world premiere of "Forgiveness by Dane A Carten with text by Emanual Wolff. Recorded at the First United Methodist Church in Tucson, AZ on May 6th, 2023. Full text: "Show me eyes like scars to soothe and seethe the thoughts thrice far and smoothly breathe calm vision light - ajar and free, this vision gift that's deep as dust, and hard as feather leaves; sweet nectar light of lust and color brilliance; this stroke of sight's delivery."​​ ​ Program notes: As I was searching for text for a new composition in 2019, I stumbled upon a long-time friend’s poetry book and devoured it. Emanual Wolff’s MooNlight HoWling spoke to me in its dark corners, surrealist takes on reality and visceral accounts of battles with mental illness and the struggle of existence therein. Forgiveness especially so; the first stanza of which painted an image of loss, of regret, and of reconciliation. My composition then took on a programmatic aspect – coming ...    less

Mini documentary about Ola Gjeilo's 13 min. 'Dark Night of the Soul' for Choir, piano and string quartet (now available from Walton Music/Hal Leonard), with interviews and rehearsal footage from a recent performance at University of Southern California in...  moreMini documentary about Ola Gjeilo's 13 min. 'Dark Night of the Soul' for Choir, piano and string quartet (now available from Walton Music/Hal Leonard), with interviews and rehearsal footage from a recent performance at University of Southern California in Los Angeles, as well as archival footage from the premiere performance by the Phoenix Chorale with Charles Bruffy. For a full recording of the work, please visit www.olagjeilo.com  

"Lollipop" by Julius Dixon and Beverly Ross, arr. Deke Sharon. Recorded live on Friday, March 16, 2014, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Performed by the Chamber Singers and Men's Auxiliary ensembles of the Gir...  more"Lollipop" by Julius Dixon and Beverly Ross, arr. Deke Sharon. Recorded live on Friday, March 16, 2014, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Performed by the Chamber Singers and Men's Auxiliary ensembles of the Girl Choir of South Florida. Artistic Director: Wallis Peterson.  

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from almost 30 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions ac...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned Community Choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...