From the Editor

The Chorister • Fall 2021 | 4 F r o m t h e E d i t o r

Welcome to the end of another wonderful, grueling, rewarding, draining, fulfilling, trying, amazing year! Especially given the challenges we face—the lingering effects of the pandemic, the outbreak of war, rising inflation, and just normal, everyday life—I hope you feel proud of what you and your students have accomplished.

If you’re like me, you’re probably keenly aware of what might have been accomplished “if only __________.” I think that’s really valid. We musicians tend to be perfectionists, and as choir directors in particular, a large part of our job is to find problems and solve them. So we tend to be very aware of problems. But if you’ve survived more than a few years in the profession, you’ve almost certainly also developed the ability to see and value progress as much as the final product. We know our students, we know their background and prior experience, and we know how hard they work to accomplish what we ask of them. So in many ways it’s easy to overlook the flaws and blemishes in their performances and help them know how

proud we are of them, and how proud they should be of themselves.

But do we treat ourselves the same way? If my experience in grad school is any indication, we do not—at least, not always. Choir directors can be really hard on themselves! We expect our best every day, and don’t always allow for today’s best to be a little (or a lot) different from yesterday’s. We’re understanding if our students have a difficult day because they got broken up with, or they’re going through drama or crisis at home. But when we ourselves experience similar heartache, stress, and pain, sometimes we still expect today’s best to be the same as yesterday’s.

Maybe this is a lesson you've figured out better than I have. Maybe you already know that you’re a human being, too. Or maybe you’re somewhere in between—aware that you need to be kind to yourself, but struggling to apply that knowledge. Whatever the case, my encouragement is the same: be as kind and understanding with yourself as you are with your students. Yes, we’re adults and know better how to handle life’s difficulties, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to allow ourselves to take things a little slower the day after our beloved pet dies.

We all know that our students need us; just don’t forget that you can only give them your best if you also make sure you yourself are getting what you need.

Happy summer!

Brent Rogers Dickinson State University Editor and Designer, The Chorister