I know. . . I know you are thinking. . .”really—everything?”  But hear me out.   Over the years I have introduced at least a 1000 new anthems to various groups of all ages.  You probably have too.  I have introduced music to adult choirs, adult...

WOW!  That really sounds sexist doesn’t it? In a way, though, it is the opposite.   Over the last 3 decades I have had the opportunity to have 3 sabbaticals to do post graduate study in various subjects: music, theater, and advertising.  In virtually...

Everyone knows the answer to that right? It’s not JUST green, but it is greener.    The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.     While I can argue that it is important to be aware of what is going on outside your circle. ...

One day my 4 year old neice asked her mom, "Is Uncle Randy married?" My sister-in-law told her daughter, “Uncle Randy has always been single, he doesn’t have a wife”  My niece looked confused as she formed her thoughts and asked, “Then, who does all of his work?”...

A couple of you asked about the effectiveness of the advertising and choir promotion programs that we have done and I wanted to take a chance to respond.   But before I do, let me explain the picture that is above the article and chase a rabbit about spontaneous...

So, if your church is like Tallowood, we offer worship services in Traditional, with choirs, orchestra, and pipe organ AND we offer worship services in Contemporary, with guitars, bass, keys, and vocals.  What should the Youth Choir Director do in that situation?...

In this century, staying current with new communication ideas will be the BEST way to keep the students that you have worked hard to recruit. Today I want to tell you about a new way to communicate with your junior high and high school students—with an added benefit...

The Text Blast     This is an idea that have not ever done, but I plan to in mid-October.  However, if YOU have done it, I would love to hear how it worked for you. Here is how it goes.  I plan to invite the high school students in the Sonlight...

The editor of the blog has asked me to give a report of our recent choir tour to England.  I decided, at the very least, to give it a “recruiting” spin. Let your annual big event deliver once in a lifetime experiences!  Exceptional memories will help...

 Well, actually it should be called an "Usie", let me show you how it can work! Most of the ideas that I share in this blog have been things that I have done in the past, some of which are making a “come back” this fall.   A side note here—most of the time...

Do you want to make your kids RUN to the mail box everyday?  I can tell you how: One of our annual recruitment tools is the recruitment mailer.  Through the years, we have mailed all kinds of things to students to advertise the opening day of choir for the...

One of the best recruitment tools each year is your Big Event from the previous year.  Here is how it can work to your advantage. Each time our high school choir, Sonlight, travels on choir tour we make sure that the 8th graders coming up to high school know all...

OK—so you look at the picture and wonder, “what can a picture of a dish like THAT have to do with recruitment?”  More on that shortly. Notice that, so far, there has been no mention of the prize for winning.  I deliberately keep that a mystery—even from the...

The fall of 2014 we are bringing back a great tool for recruiting new choir members.  The Recruitment Game.  Here is how it works.  In September we will have regular choir registration for a couple of weeks.  You will always have those kids who can...

The closer you get to your annual Big Event—whether that is a choir tour or mission tour or some other big event— that is the exact time when rehearsal time is at a premium.   At the same time you should be learning notes and phrasing you are having to answer...

For years at Roundtable Conferences all over the country I have heard Randy Edwards say that talking is the most OVER-utilized form of communication in a choir rehearsal and that print media is one of the least utilized.  I can’t agree more.   Once I...

I am excited to host this new blog on the YouthCUE website.  Each month in this blog we will look at creative ways to interact with students and parents about choirs and their ministry.  However, this will always be a dialog, so please feel free to make...