Show Notes
As we come to the close of the year, The Choral Director’s Toolbox offers a special Christmas edition, airing December 22 and again on December 29. In place of our usual format, Dr. William Baker invites members of the Choral Foundation faculty to share Christmas-time choral works that hold deep personal and musical meaning.
This reflective and joyful episode features favorite seasonal selections introduced by Thomas Dixon, Jennifer Lahasky, James Cordell, Dr. Jamea Sale, Ed Frazier Davis, Christine Freeman, and Dr. Baker himself. From quiet wonder and tender lullabies to prophetic hope and gospel exuberance, these pieces illuminate the many emotional and spiritual dimensions of Christmas.
With no listener question and no single “Today’s Inspiration,” this special edition becomes a curated musical meditation that honors memory, community, and the enduring power of choral song. We invite you to listen, reflect, and return to it again as the year turns and a new season begins.
More from The Choral Director's Toolbox
This week on The Choral Director’s Toolbox, Dr. William Baker challenges the old saying that “a rough dress rehearsal leads to a great concert.” In "Building a Great Dress Rehearsal," he offers practical strategies for creating a rehearsal that is efficient, professional, inspiring, and designed to set the stage for an exceptional performance. From preparing the performance space and welcoming guest artists to managing rehearsal time and communicating with singers, Dr. Baker outlines the details that can turn a good dress rehearsal into a great one.
Can one careless comment silence a singer for nearly half a century?
In this special Independence Day edition of "The Choral Director’s Toolbox," host Dr. William Baker reflects on the inseparable relationship between freedom and the choral arts in "Land of the Free." Drawing inspiration from America’s 250th anniversary and the nation’s role as host of the FIFA World Cup, Dr. Baker considers the freedoms that make artistic expression possible and challenges choral leaders to be steadfast guardians of liberty, creativity, and the human spirit. Through personal stories and historical reflection, he reminds us that choral music flourishes best where people are free to sing, create, and express their deepest convictions.
In this episode of *The Choral Director’s Toolbox*, host Dr. William Baker offers a deeply personal reflection titled *For the Must of It*. Inspired by the words of Robert Shaw and shaped by his own life experiences, Dr. Baker explores the profound human need to sing—not merely for enjoyment, but because music gives voice to joy, grief, hope, faith, and the deepest questions of the human spirit. Through touching stories from childhood, family, and his own musical journey, he reminds us that singing is far more than a pastime; it is an essential expression of what it means to be human.