Dr. Joel Plaag

I love conducting.

In high school, I was teaching parts to other students, and by the time college came, I couldn't wait to buy my first baton. I found many loves in music, including teaching theory, analysis, and history, but I keep coming back to conducting choirs.  I love musical analysis too; it always gives me a thrill to know why something sounds good or bad.

I taught conducting classes and enjoyed opening my students' eyes to the good and the bad points of conducting. I developed a systematic way of helping others become better conductors. My books further explain my methods. Most importantly, I explore how regular prayer, honesty, and good technique lead to good, grounded, easy-to-follow conducting.

I love to help others. I wrote my books to do that.

In my spare time, I love to explore.  The picture at the top of the site was from a trip in 2021 to New Mexico, where I got to fly in a Pilatus PC 12 and visited places like El Malpais and El Morro National Monuments.  I fix things, too, making fountains or doing some minor woodworking (I always am careful with my fingers). 

The little conducting box I stand on every week?  I made it.