Choir Fam Podcast

"I start every morning at the junior high, and we co-teach together. It's great for alignment in the program, for familiarity with the students and getting to know them and hopefully continuing in choir. Our students see that we collaborate. I like that they can see that because it shows them how to go about relationships. People need be modeled how to treat each other and work together and talk to each other.” -Daniel Gutierrez"It was super rewarding to be so invested in those pieces, and that's something that our middle schoolers are getting with conference performances. They're getting a set of songs for an extended period of time. We try to get our students to really invest so it can have an impact on them and in turn have an impact on the audience. That journey is just something that the kids don't forget, and that's why I keep submitting for conferences." - Blake RichterDaniel Gutierrez, the head choir director at Nixa High School, is an acclaimed conductor, clinician, and speaker nationwide. He has earned several prestigious awards, including Teacher of the Year for Springfield Public Schools, a finalist for the state award, the Springfield Rotary Award for Community Service, and honors from the Springfield Business Journal's 40 Under 40. Daniel has received the Missouri Choral Directors Association Podium Award. His choirs are renowned, frequently winning at music festivals and performing at notable conferences, including regional and national ACDA events and the National Conference for MS/JH Choral Music.Blake Richter is a middle school choir director in his hometown of Nixa, Missouri. Blake directs over 250 seventh and eighth grade students in his various ensembles at Nixa Junior High. Blake's choirs have been selected to perform at the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference multiple times. In 2017, Blake was named one of Missouri's 32 Regional Teachers of the Year, in 2019, Blake was awarded the Prelude Award from the Missouri Choral Directors Association for demonstrating exemplary work as a young choral professional, and in 2020, Blake was named a Semifinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award. In his spare time, Blake runs his Blake Richter Productions business which specializes in video production, audio engineering, photography, and music composition.To get in touch with the Choir Guys, you can find them on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Danny on Instagram and find Blake on X, TikTok, and Instagram (@drrichternixa).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I think during my formative years, shying away from my true self – my authentic self – that's definitely shaped how I approach being in front of choirs, using choir as a platform to really encourage kids to be themselves. I think there's a vulnerability to singing where it really is an avenue to accessing the truest parts of ourselves, and so that's kind of my life mission now that I get to be in front of choirs.”Chris Maunu is a conductor, educator, and composer dedicated to inspiring young singers and shaping the future of choral music. Based in Portland, Oregon, he serves as Artistic Director of the acclaimed Pacific Youth Choir, Affiliate Faculty at Portland State University, and Artistic Director of the professional ensemble Choro in Schola. Previously, he spent 17 years as the Director of Choral Activities at Arvada West High School in Colorado and 7 years as Co-Artistic Director of the professional Anima Chamber Ensemble. A four-time GRAMMY® Music Educator of the Year Finalist and two-time CMA® Foundation National Music Teacher of Excellence honoree, Chris is a passionate advocate for music education. Choirs under his direction have received national and international acclaim, performing at over a dozen major conferences, including National and Regional ACDA events. His ensembles have earned prestigious honors such as the American Prize in Choral Performance and the Gold Diploma at the Rimini International Choral Competition.In high demand as a guest conductor and clinician, Chris recently conducted the 2025 National 11-12 HS Honor Choir at the National ACDA Conference in Dallas, TX to great acclaim. As a composer, his award-winning works have been performed worldwide. He also serves as editor of the Pacific Youth Choir Choral Series with Pavane Publishing. An active member of NAfME and ACDA, Chris is the NWACDA Chair for Community Youth Choirs and frequently presents at both the regional and national levels. His writings appear in the Choral Journal, and he is a contributing author to A Choral Conductor's Companion.Chris holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor of Music Education from Northern State University. Most importantly, Mr. Maunu shares his life with his beautiful wife Aleisha, and their children Bodhi and Astraea.To get in touch with Chris, you can find him on Facebook (@chris.maunu) or Instagram (@chrismaunu) or visit his website, chrismaunu.com.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“You never know what anybody's potential is. I think about that now as a teacher, that we are expecting 17-, 18-year-olds to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. It's so early in your life to make those decisions, and so much can change during those really formative years. I want to help them to be the best version of themselves in the field and achieve the goals that they would like to do.”Jennifer Sengin is the Raymond R. Neevel/Missouri Professor of Choral Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory (UMKC) where she leads the graduate choral conducting program and conducts the flagship ensemble, Conservatory Singers, and the Choral Union. In addition to ensembles, Dr. Sengin teaches graduate choral conducting and choral literature. In the summer of 2024, Dr. Sengin received the inaugural Newcomer Award from the Missouri Choral Directors Association.Prior to coming to UMKC, Dr. Sengin most recently served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Georgia State University. Under her direction, the GSU Treble Choir won first place in The American Prize and Dr. Sengin received 2nd place in conducting. The Treble Choir has been invited to perform at the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference and twice at the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference. While at GSU, Dr. Sengin received two university-wide awards – the 2022-23 Non-Tenure Track Faculty Achievement Award and the 2021-22 GSU Instructional Effectiveness Award.An active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Dr. Sengin has conducted honor choirs throughout the country. Future engagements include guest conducting the Duruflé Requiem at Carnegie Hall with National Concerts.She recently participated as a Conducting Fellow with the American Choral Directors Association International Conductor Exchange Program to Germany where she led workshops in Hannover and Berlin. Dr. Sengin has presented sessions and served as a panelist at international, national, regional, and state conferences. In 2024, Dr. Sengin traveled to Helsinki, Finland to co-present at the International Society for Music Education World Conference. She currently serves on the National Board of the National Collegiate Choral Organization and as the Repertoire and Resource Chair for Youth and Student Activities for the ACDA Southwestern Region. She also sings in the award-winning professional ensemble, mirabai.Dr. Sengin holds degrees from The College of New Jersey (BM Music Education), Ithaca College (MM Choral Conducting), and Michigan State University (DMA Choral Conducting).To get in touch with Jennifer, you can email her at jsengin@umkc.edu.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“Sometimes my students ask me if I worry about the future of choral music with advanced technology, AI, but I really am not concerned at all. The way that I see it, the act of making music with each other, the need to connect with each other – I don't see that going away anytime soon. To connect through honest, authentic communication that is not a digital platform – people want that. I'm excited for the future of choral music.”Dr. Michael Murphy is the director of choral activities and a professor in Stephen F. Austin State University's School of Music, where he teaches choral conducting, ensembles, repertoire and methods courses, and oversees the graduate conducting program.Before joining the School of Music faculty in 2017, Murphy was the director of choral activities and associate professor at the University of Idaho for nine years. During this time, he was founder and artistic director of the Idaho Bach Festival and was recognized with the UI Faculty Award for outstanding scholarship, teaching and engagement.He is an active clinician, adjudicator and author, and research interests include training and developing the holistic conductor, rehearsal techniques, new choral compositions and investing and creating impactful connections in our global community through music.Murphy's international conducting and teaching experiences include Austria, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, Germany, Norway, Panama and Sweden. The Confucius Institute awarded Murphy with the "Understanding China Fellowship" and asked him to serve as visiting scholar at Sun Yat-sen University, South China University of Technology and Guangzhou University of Foreign Studies.Murphy is the coauthor and editor of "Conducting Primer in Practice," has been published several times in "Choral Journal" and contributed to volume four of "Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir."As a passionate champion of music for all, Murphy has experience teaching all ages and levels and several auditioned and non auditioned collegiate, community, school and church choirs. His choirs have been invited to perform for several state and regional American Choral Directors Association and The National Association for Music Education conferences. He also has held several international, national and state leadership positions in International Choral Conductors Federation, ACDA, NAfME, and National Collegiate Choral Organization.Murphy received his degrees in conducting and choral music education from Florida State University and East Carolina University.To get in touch with Michael, you can email him at murphymt2@sfasu.edu or find him on Facebook or Instagram.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I think the hardest thing in the world is to write easy music that still is eloquent. A piece relies on strength of idea and not strength of technique or difficulty. That underlying idea is so rich with potential and can be developed in so many beautiful ways within a 3-minute work or a 70-minute work. The pieces I'm the most proud of are the pieces where I've gotten down to the simplest necessary means to say something rich and full and profound.”Dan Forrest (b. 1978) has been described as having “an undoubted gift for writing beautiful music….that is truly magical” (NY Concert Review), with works hailed as “magnificent, very cleverly constructed sound sculpture” (Classical Voice), and  “superb writing…full of spine-tingling moments” (Salt Lake Tribune). His music has sold millions of copies, has received numerous awards and distinctions, and has become well established in the repertoire of choirs around the world via festivals, recordings, radio/TV broadcasts, and premieres in prominent international venues.Dan's work ranges from small choral works to instrumental solo works, wind ensemble works, and extended multi-movement works for chorus and orchestra. His Requiem for the Living (2013) and Jubilate Deo (2016) have become standard choral/orchestral repertoire for ensembles around the world, with LUX (2018), the breath of life (2020), and his new CREATION oratorio (2023) also receiving critical acclaim.Dan holds a doctorate in composition and a master's degree in piano performance, and served for several years as a professor and department head (music theory and composition) in higher education. He currently serves as Editor at Beckenhorst Press, Chair of the American Choral Director's Association Composition Initiatives Committee, adjunct Faculty at Furman University, and Artist-In-Residence at Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church (Greenville, SC). Details about Dan and his work can be found at www.danforrest.com.To get in touch with Dan, you can visit his website or find him on Facebook (@danforrestcomposer) or Instagram (@danforrestmusic).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I want students to function in a studio recording session and a live performance, which are very, very different worlds. I want them to be able to do not just jazz, not just classical, not just gospel, but everything so that they can be hired to sing backgrounds for Beyoncé one day and the next day be singing with Andrea Bocelli on tour. I try to give them the most well-rounded experience I can.”A native of Holguín, Cuba, Cindy Ellis immigrated to the United States in 2005. She earned her Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Jazz Voice from Florida International University and her Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri. Mrs. Ellis is a full time choral director at Miami Arts Studio, a 6th-12th grade public performing arts magnet school in Miami, FL. Her middle school and high school ensembles have been featured at numerous venues throughout the country. These include Carnegie Hall (2018 and 2024), and the Florida, Southern, and National Conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. In 2022, Mrs. Ellis' students performed in Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, a meeting hosted by President Joe Biden that brought together 40 Presidents and leaders from the Americas and Caribbean. Additionally, in the last 7 years, the students have recorded and performed background vocals for Gloria and Emilio Estefan and several music award shows including the AMAs, Latin American Music Awards and the Latin GRAMMY Awards. In 2024 Mrs. Ellis conducted her students at the Miami show of Jacob Collier's DJESSE Volume 4 World Tour. Beyond her school responsibilities, she frequently performs, conducts honor choirs and teaches masterclasses for music directors and students from elementary to college throughout North America. As a jazz vocal soloist and alto with the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, she collaborated with Jacob Collier for performances at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and recording projects including a performance alongside Coldplay for NBC's Saturday Night Live and the 2024 BBC Proms Music Festival in London, UK.In 2020, Mrs. Ellis was published by GIA Publications as a contributing author on “Teaching with Heart,” and in 2022, she served as instructional design editor and contributing author of “Teaching Beyond the Music,” the second edition in the series. Ellis is Miami Arts Studio's 2025 Teacher of the Year, a 2025 Grammy Music Educator Semi-Finalist, and currently serves as the World Musics & Cultures Coordinator for the American Choral Directors Association Southern Region.To get in touch with Cindy, you can find her on Instagram (@cindycellis) or Facebook (@ccellis) or email her at cindycellis@icloud.com. You can follow MAS Vocal on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Spotify (@masvocal) or on YouTube (@masvocal2765).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonPodMatchPodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

“Students will often refer to voice lessons, to choir rehearsal, as therapy. I felt that there was something to that. I wanted to make the connection between individual therapy and voice lessons and group therapy and the choral rehearsal. What is it about the choral organism that becomes a space that can be therapeutic? I found a lot of commonalities in group and individual counseling and what we do.”Dr. Sarah J. Graham was just promoted to Professor of Music at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, where she teaches courses in music, humanities, ethics, and conducts the Concert Choir. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Whitworth University, a Master of Arts in Classroom Teaching and English from Pacific Lutheran University, and both a Masters and Doctorate in Music Conducting from Michigan State University. She is currently finishing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Capella University in Minneapolis. Dr. Graham has been teaching for over thirty years, twenty of which have been in higher education. Much of her current work has to do with mental health and teaching pedagogy. She recently spent her sabbatical working on an internship in counseling and compiling a 15-week guide for incorporating “Mental Health Moments” into the classroom. At LC State, Graham is a co-founder of the Black History Experience, and a member of the President's Campus and Community Commission. She lives in Lewiston with her daughter and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Henry.To get in touch with Sarah, you can find her on Facebook (@drsjg) or Instagram (@drbooncha) or email her at sjgraham@lcsc.edu .Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonPodMatchPodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

“One of the things we know about the brain is that information that is acquired through problem solving is more likely to be retained. I might start rehearsal by saying 'take out the piece in D major,' 'let's start in the climactic moment of the Brahms,' 'take out the piece where fire is used as a metaphor for passion.' You start with a problem, so you're already engaging neurons. This works at any age."Sharon J. Paul holds the Robert M. Trotter Chair of Music at the University of Oregon, where she currently serves as Department Head of Music Performance and Director of Choral Activities. Her teaching includes graduate courses in choral conducting, repertoire, and pedagogy, along with conducting the internationally award-winning Chamber Choir.In March 2020, Oxford University Press published Dr. Paul's book, Art & Science in the Choral Rehearsal, which features many of the creative and evidence-based teaching strategies she has cultivated over her career.The University of Oregon Chamber Choir has placed first or second in four international choral competitions, most recently winning first prize in the Chamber Choir category at the Grand Prix of Nations Competition in Gothenburg, Sweden in August 2019. The Chamber Choir became a resident ensemble of the Oregon Bach Festival in 2014, performing each summer under conductors such as Helmuth Rilling, Matthew Halls, John Nelson, Jane Glover, and Joann Falletta.University of Oregon choirs under Dr. Paul's direction have performed at the National Association for Music Education's state and divisional conferences, and at ACDA Northwestern Division conferences.Dr. Paul has presented interest sessions at regional, state, division, national, and international conferences. She appears frequently as adjudicator, clinician, teacher, and honor choir director throughout the United States and abroad. In 2019, she received Oregon ACDA's Podium Award for “outstanding contributions to the choral arts,” and in the fall of 2014 she received the University of Oregon's Fund for Faculty Excellence Award.Dr. Paul completed her DMA in Choral Conducting at Stanford University, her MFA in Conducting from UCLA, and her BA in Music from Pomona College.To get in touch with Sharon, you can email her at sjpaul@uoregon.edu or find her on Facebook (@sharon.paul.50).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonPodMatchPodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

“You never know someone else's story. You never know what the experience of a concert or hearing a piece is to somebody. You don't know how that affects them. So much of my music and why I do what I do is to facilitate these moments of connection between choristers, to give autonomy to choristers to feel like co-composers of my music themselves each time they're performing the work. I always tend to seek out music, texts, stories, ideas that facilitate that.”Composer, improviser, and vocalist Katerina Gimon's uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style has earned her a reputation as a distinct voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. Her music has earned her several honours including multiple SOCAN Awards, nominations for Western Canadian Composer of the Year, and a Barbara Pentland Award for Outstanding Composition.In her music, Katerina draws influence from a myriad of places — from the Ukrainian folk music of her heritage to indie rock, as well as from her roots as a songwriter. Her compositions are performed widely across Canada, the United States, and internationally, with notable performances at Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Recent commissions include new music for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Youth Choir, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and re:Naissance Opera. Katerina is the composer-in-residence for Myriad Ensemble and is based in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.In addition to her composing work, Katerina is also a founding member (vocalist, electronics, co-composer) of dynamic new music and AR/VR collective Chroma Mixed Media alongside multi-media artists David Storen and Brian Topp. Excited by the ever-evolving landscape of technology in today's society, Chroma endeavours to explore new avenues and intersections for artistic expression by combining various art forms and new technologies to explore new possibilities and challenge audience expectations.Katerina holds a Master of Music in Composition from the University of British Columbia ('17) and an Honours Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and Improvisation from Wilfrid Laurier University ('15). When she isn't making music, Katerina enjoys playing board games, puzzling, adventuring outdoors, and relaxing with her husband and their two cats.To get in touch with Katerina, you can find visit her website, katerinagimon.com, or find her on Instagram (@katgimon) or Facebook (@kgimon).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonPodMatchPodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

“People may live in a place that's very different from us, but they have the same hopes, dreams, fears, and struggles with everyday life that we all do at some level. All the parents want education for their kids. Everyone wants a home, wants good food to eat, loves a good laugh and a good joke, loves to play and be silly together. If you find that out as a young person, you are less likely to quickly judge in a negative way someone who is different from you.”Nationally recognized as a leader in the field of youth choral conductors, Emily Ellsworth enjoys an active schedule as guest conductor and clinician both nationally and abroad. She has conducted all-state choirs and festivals in over 30 states, honor choirs for the Northwest, North Central, Southwest and Western regions of the American Choral Directors Association, and the 2019 national children's honor choir for ACDA's 60th anniversary conference. International appearances include festival choirs in Ireland, England, Hong Kong, Grand Cayman Island, Greece, and presentations for the national association of choral directors in Brazil.Collegiate work most recently includes teaching Conducting III at Elmhurst University, conducting the Elmhurst University Concert Choir, joining the Luther College choral faculty as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music, and conducting the University Singers at Northwestern University. She served as Artistic Director of Anima (Ah-nee-mah)–Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus from 1996–2018. She conducted Anima on several national conferences for both ACDA and Chorus America, led concert tours to six continents, and produced nine CD recordings. Ms. Ellsworth has served as music panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and spent 20 years as a professional singer and voice teacher in various college and university settings.Her home base of Chicago has featured Ms. Ellsworth's preparation of dozens of youth and women's ensembles for major musical organizations, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Berlin Philharmonic, and Ravinia Festival, and many more.Ms. Ellsworth holds vocal performance degrees from Macalester College under Dr. Dale Warland and the University of Southern California, as well as the Artist Teacher Certificate from the Choral Music Experience Choral Teacher Training Institute. Her primary choral mentors are Drs. Dale Warland and Doreen Rao. More information can be found at emilyellsworth.net.To get in touch with Emily, you can find her on Facebook (@emily.ellsworth.50) or visit her website.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“A big part of being a musician is believing in yourself and saying ‘yes' to the little opportunities that come your way. Sometimes we can get down on ourselves. We think, ‘I'm not cut out for that.' Believe in yourself and what you can do, no matter what the situation... Don't be afraid to say ‘yes,' to try out for that show or audition for that ensemble. Encourage your students to do the same thing because you never know where those opportunities are going to take you.”Jessica Koenig loves sharing her passion for music and the relationships it forges with people of all ages and backgrounds. She joined choir at the age of 9 and has never stopped singing! At age 17 she was selected as a featured soloist during Pope John Paul II's visit to St. Louis. Jessica went on to receive her BS in Music Education from William Jewell College in 2003. After several moves, she spent 13 years teaching general music at a private K-8 school where her children's choir consistently had 60-80 students. They were featured in choral festivals, twice performed the Star Spangled Banner at Harlem Globetrotters games, and led music at countless church services.Jessica accepted a public middle school choir position in 2022 in order to reach a more dynamic group of families. During her second year there, her treble ensemble was one of two middle school choirs to achieve a Superior-Plus rating at the Illinois Grade School Music Association's State Organization Festival and also shared the stage with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. Jessica's choirs are known for their pure sound and strong tonality.She became the Co-Artistic Director of Kantorei in 2024. Kantorei is the premier 4th-12th grade community choir in Rockford, IL. This organization is committed to offering an excellent choral education to all students who love to sing without the barriers of cost and is funded completely on donations. Jessica lives in Rockford, IL with her three talented children. Find more information about Kantorei at kantorei.com.To get in touch with Jessica, you can e-mail her at jessica.leigh.koenig@gmail.com or visit kantorei.com.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“In science, they're not tied to an outcome. They're open to the possibilities of what is going to result from an experiment. How freeing is that – not to be tied to a specific outcome. I've really tried to adopt that in my own personal life, the idea of just growing, learning, and being open. So many things are out of my control, so I might as well just be ready to go for the ride. I guess what I would tell young people is just equip yourself, make the best informed decision you can, then be at peace with it.”Dr. Julie Yu, an award-winning choral conductor and music educator, leads the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University as Director of Choral Activities and Canterbury Voices as Artistic Director. In these roles, she conducts and guides the acclaimed 150-voice Canterbury Voices ensemble and shapes the artistic vision of OCU's four major choirs, including the Chamber Choir and Ad Astra women's chorus. She also teaches conducting and graduate choral curriculum courses.Dr. Yu's choirs have performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and internationally in Austria, Czech Republic, France, and more. She was an ACDA International Conducting Exchange Fellow to Kenya in 2019 and has led All-State choruses across the United States.A sought-after presenter, conductor, and clinician, Dr. Yu has shared her expertise at state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and European Music Educators Association. She is a past president of the ACDA's Southwestern Region and has been featured at events such as the International Dublin Choral Festival and European Music Educators Association Conference.Dr. Yu holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas, a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from Oklahoma State University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.To get in touch with Julie, you can find her on Instagram (@julieyuoppenheim) or Facebook (@julie.yuoppenheim).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“Your first year is not going to be perfect. You're not going to feel like you're having a lot of success a lot of the time because you're figuring out how to work within a school system, how to work with other teachers, with parents, with students that may not be too much younger than you if you start teaching high school. So you do your best, and you do a lot of reflection at the end of every day, at the end of every week, and you just prepare to wake up and then try something different.”Ross Cawthon is a graduate teaching assistant at Louisiana State University, where he is progressing towards a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting with a minor emphasis in Music Education. He is the instructor of record for undergraduate choral conducting and a teaching assistant for the LSU A Cappella Choir and LSU Chamber Singers. Additionally, he is the Music Director at University Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge. Before coming to LSU, Ross was the Director of Choirs at DeLand High School in Deland, Florida, where he taught choir, piano, AP Music Theory and IB Music. The DeLand High Chorus has performed across the US, and was invited to sing at the Florida Music Educators Association conference in 2023.In addition to his choral interests, Ross has a passion for the poetry and music of J.R.R. Tolkien, barbecue, and exercising. He lives in Baton Rouge with his wife Kristina, who is a singer and licensed speech-language pathologist.To get in touch with Ross, you can find him on Instagram (@rossisastore) or Facebook (@ross.cawthon.3).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonBoomers, Bucks, and Bling PodcastUnlock the secrets to financial success with the Boomers, Bucks, and Bling...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

“Going back for a master's was exhilarating. So many of the things that I had been doing in my studio were corroborated with education. On the flip side, I had a lot of moments where I thought, “I've been doing that wrong. I should change that.” Having had years doing a lot of my own education—I attended conferences and did everything I could to soak up anything available to me—going back to school and having it corroborated and defined was career-changing.”Award-winning coloratura soprano Alisa Toy has an impressive thirty-year performing and teaching career. She currently teaches and performs at Washington State University as a Lecturer of Voice. Internationally, Alisa soloed in Great Britain, Canada, Pakistan, and Italy, including a concert for Pope Benedict XVI with the Rome Symphony Orchestra. Some of her past favorite soloing opportunities include Mozart's Requiem and Coronation Mass, along with multiple performances of Handel's Messiah and Judas Maccabeus. Opera and musical theatre roles include Pamina in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Gertrude in Humperdinck's Hänsel and Gretel, Maria in Bernstein's West Side Story, and Grace in Strouse's Annie.As a choral conductor, Alisa currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Lewis and Clark State College Concert Choir, the Assistant Conductor of the Palouse Choral Society, and previously served as the Artistic Director for the Columbus Choral Society.Memorable performances for her include the world premiere of John Purifoy's Chronicles of Blue and Gray in New York's Carnegie Hall and the world premiere of Benjamin Harlan's The Seven Last Words of Christ in New Orleans. She frequently serves in her church as a soloist, choral conductor, and organist/pianist.Alisa holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of Idaho and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Mississippi University for Women. Alisa enjoyed teaching K-12 music for several years in public and private schools and enjoys teaching voice through her private studio, Singingtoy Studio in addition to her appointment at WSU. She is currently working on her Ph.D.To get in touch with Alisa, you can email her at alisa.toy@wsu.edu, find her on Facebook (@toysrusfamily), or follow the SingingToy Studio on Facebook.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

"I think in many ways the pattern is the least important part of conducting. It's much more about showing what the music should be doing, not beating four. If it were just a matter of keeping time, we could use a flashing red light. That's not what your job is. Your job is to encourage and show the music physically. I believe very strongly that the conducting gesture is nothing more than your vocal process externalized.”Chester L. Alwes holds degrees in music from Hanover College, Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before joining the University of Illinois faculty in 1982, he taught at the College of Wooster and the University of Rochester/Eastman School of Music. Prior to his retirement in 2011 from the University of Illinois, Dr. Alwes taught graduate courses in choral literature, seminars on the works of J. S Bach and Henry Purcell and graduate and undergraduate conducting. From 1982-2009, he was conductor of the U. of I. Concert Choir, taking over the Women's Glee Club prior to his retirement. In addition, he frequently conducted the University's Oratorio Society, Summer Chorus, and the Illinois Summer Youth Music Senior Chorus.In 1996, he founded the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH), an ensemble drawn from the University and local community that specialized in music of the 17th and 18th centuries. As a choral conductor, Dr. Alwes was known for his innovative programming, his sensitivity to tone and musical line, and his dedication to the musical growth of his singers. He is the author of A History of Western Choral Music (2 vols., Oxford University Press, 2015-16), Handel's Messiah: the Complete Solo Variants (Roger Dean Music, 2009), the chapter on Choral Music of the Romantic era in the Cambridge Companion to Choral Music, Andre De Quadros, ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2012), articles on choral music and numerous choral compositions and arrangements (70+).To get in touch with Chet, you can find him on Facebook (@calwes) or email him at calwes@illinois.edu.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonSights N Sounds with Allen KigerInterviewing music and racing royalty.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

“You have to create the bridge between the instructor and the student. Talk about your passion about the music, why you're performing it, why the piece is so special, and mix some humor in there. Once that engagement happens, everything you teach is automatically transferred because all the performers want that excellence for themselves, which is different than just telling people what to do. When you can inspire them to really want it, that's when the results become infinitely spectacular.”Luke McEndarfer is a GRAMMY Award-winning American conductor and one of the most compelling visionaries in the classical music world today. His dynamic career spanning over two decades has been shaped by an unwavering commitment to ambitious innovation, artistic creativity, and musical excellence. Currently, he serves as Artistic Director, President and CEO of the National Children's Chorus, one of the fastest-growing and most successful youth arts organizations in the United States. In 2004, McEndarfer was appointed director of the acclaimed Paulist Choristers, and in 2008 his dream to create the National Children's Chorus took flight. Since then, the NCC has grown from only sixteen families in Los Angeles to over one thousand across the country. McEndarfer's Senior Division vocalists are GRAMMY Award-winning, having received music's highest honor for Best Choral Performance in 2022. In 2020, McEndarfer initiated the building of a new annual opera camp in Vail, Colorado, that would grow to engage developing voices in the art of opera, curated with an extraordinary curriculum designed exclusively for youth education.McEndarfer's background and experience encompass numerous conducting appearances on both coasts featuring adult choral and symphonic masterworks. Equally at home in the studio, he has worked on several motion picture soundtracks, such as Escape from Tomorrow, Snowmen, and Imagine That. Television credits include conducting performances and studio appearances with CNN, CBS, ABC, and Fox, as well as NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Since the age of six, McEndarfer has studied piano extensively, winning competitions and musical honors with the Music Teachers' Association of California. He is a two-time graduate of UCLA, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and a Master of Music degree in conducting.To get in touch with Luke, you can find him on Facebook or Instagram (@LukeMcEndarfer) or find the National Children's Chorus on their website (nationalchildrenschorus.com), on Instagram (@nationalchildrenschorus), or on Facebook (@nationalchildrenschorus).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I said, ‘I really wish a book existed with more women composers in it'... This book is so important in 2024 with equality and inclusivity being at the forefront of our profession. I think that this is timely, and I think it's a great representation of where we're going in our profession right now especially given the fact that I see a lot more programming to be equal with male composers and women composers.”Alan Troy Davis is a conductor, music educator, tenor, and voice teacher with extensive experience in both academic and community music settings. He has completed the coursework for a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in choral conducting at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and is currently finalizing his doctoral document. He also holds a Master of Music (M.M.) in Choral Conducting from California State University–Los Angeles, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Secondary Education from Portland State University, and a Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) in Music from Pacific Lutheran University.Davis has taught in public high schools across Oregon, Colorado, and California and has directed a variety of church and community ensembles. His research interests focus on choral intonation, conducting pedagogy and score study, vocal pedagogy within choral rehearsals, Renaissance and Baroque performance practices and repertoire, and the exploration of choral repertoire by women composers.As a compiler and contributing author, Davis is playing a key role in the forthcoming book Choral Repertoire by Women Composers, scheduled for publication by GIA Publications, Inc. in January 2025. In addition, he will co-present an interest session titled In Her Voice: Highlighting Female Composers at the 2025 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference in Dallas, Texas.To get in touch with Alan, you can find him on Instagram (@thechoralgeek) or Facebook (@alantdavis) or email him at alantroydavis@gmail.com.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

"I have always been very intentional about my programming. My students sit in front of me, they're 18 to 22 years old, but I would have programmed for their 35-,  40-year-old self, for when the hard times come. What are we singing? What is this choir mama feeding them that eventually, when the hard times come, bubbles up in their spirit to help them get through the harder times?"Dr. Pearl Shangkuan is a highly sought-after conductor, lecturer and clinician who has led performances and workshops on six continents. She is the National President-elect of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), having previously served on the Board of Directors of Chorus America, as well as ACDA central division president and ACDA Michigan state president. She is the chorus director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, a Grammy-nominated professional orchestra and Professor Emerita of Music at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.Appointed in 2022 as the Editor of Hinshaw Music, a major choral music publisher in North America, she also has a signature choral series with earthsongs and is the music editor of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Choral series published by GIA. She was an invited guest lecturer at the World Symposium for Choral Music held in Seoul, South Korea and her guest conducting engagements regularly take her to Europe, Asia, and across North America.Dr. Shangkuan has served on the jury of several international choral competitions in Europe and Asia. She has conducted numerous All State choirs and has headlined several ACDA state and other professional conferences. She has commissioned and premiered numerous choral works and her choirs have performed at ACDA national, division and state conferences.In 2023, the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) gave her its Honorary Life Member Award for “distinguished leadership and extraordinary service to the choral community, both nationally and internationally.”To get in touch with Pearl, you can find her on Facebook (@pearl.shangkuan) or email her at pshangkuan@hinshawmusic.com or pearl.shangkuan@calvin.edu.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I don't have a sound that I'm trying to make the choir fit into. I'm trying to understand and uncover the palette of sounds that are in front of me and then expand our sense of what we can sound like. This happens through the community building process, because the more we honor each individual and allow them to bring themselves into that rehearsal space, then the fuller and richer we are.”Dr. Joel Tranquilla (he/him/his) is a conductor and music educator noted for his versatile musicianship and creative programming. Originally from Fredericton, Joel is thrilled to have returned home to assume the position of Artistic Director of the Halifax Camerata Singers and Chorus Master of Symphony Nova Scotia. Formative choral experiences include touring with the American Boychoir as a boy soprano and singing as a member of the Nova Scotia and National Youth Choirs. He holds degrees from Mount Allison University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University where his doctoral research was in the area of Canadian choral-orchestral works.Joel relocated to Nova Scotia in 2023 after spending nine years as the Director of Choral Activities at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC, where he oversaw a program of six choirs and taught various courses within the School of the Arts, Media and Culture. Joel led the TWU Chamber Choir on tours to Ottawa, New York City, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. In addition to his work at TWU, Joel served as the Artistic Director of the Valley Festival Singers in Abbotsford and was the conductor of the award-winning Coastal Sound Youth Choir in Coquitlam. A singing member of the Canadian Chamber Choir since 2007, he was named the ensemble's Associate Conductor in 2013. As such, he contributes to the programming and long-term artistic visioning of that organization. Prior to his time on the West Coast, Joel lived and worked in Windsor, Ontario, serving as the conductor of several local ensembles including the Windsor Symphony Orchestra Chorus. In high demand as an adjudicator and clinician across the country, Joel is a past Guest Conductor of the New Brunswick Youth Choir and the Manitoba Provincial Honour Choir, and was the Assistant Conductor of the 2012 National Youth Choir.Major works conducted include Poulenc's Gloria, Vaughan Williams' Hodie, Ramirez's Navidad nuestra, Mendelssohn's St. Paul, Handel's Alexander's Feast, Requiems by Fauré and Duruflé, Bach's St. John Passion, and Allan Bevan's oratorio Nou Goth Sonne Under Wode. In spring 2023, Joel conducted the premiere of a new oratorio by David Squires and made his Carnegie Hall debut in a program featuring Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs. Joel believes in the power of choral music to build and strengthen community. His wife, Meghan is an audiologist, and they have three precocious children: Everett, Penelope, and Felix.To get in touch with Joel, you can visit the Halifax Camerata Singers website at halifaxcamerata.org or find them on Facebook (@HalifaxCamerataSingers) or Instagram (@halifaxcameratasingers). You can also find the Canadian Chamber Choir at their website canadianchamberchoir.ca, on Facebook (@CanadianChamberChoir) or Instagram (@canadianchamberchoir).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“Historically, in higher education and in music in general, it was a male-dominated podium expectation. When we step on the podium as women-identifying conductors, we're breaking that image. There's a long way to go, and WiCHEd is working on bringing a supportive community together, helping the next generation figure out how to navigate this complicated web.”Coreen Duffy is associate professor of conducting and director of choral activities at the University of Colorado Boulder where she conducts the CU Boulder Chamber Singers and oversees the choral program. Her duties at the College of Music include leading the graduate program in choral conducting at both the master's and doctoral levels.Duffy is also artistic director of the Seicento Baroque Ensemble, a Boulder-based semi-professional choral ensemble committed to working with period instruments and historically-informed performance practice. Prior to her appointment at CU Boulder, Duffy served on the faculties of the University of Montana and the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Under her direction, the University of Montana Chamber Chorale performed at the Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition, the 75th Anniversary Festival of Music at the Hochschule für Musik Saar, Cadogan Hall and Southwark Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, the Northwest Conference of the American Choral Directors Association, and the Montana International Choral Festival.Duffy is an active clinician and composer: Her works are published by ECS Publishing, Hinshaw Music, Pavane Publishing and Walton Music. She specializes in Jewish choral music and  has presented sessions on the subject internationally including the international conference of the European Center for Jewish Music (EZJM) in Hannover, Germany, and national conferences of the College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, National Collegiate Choral Organization, North American Jewish Choral Festival and ACDA.Duffy is vice president of the National Collegiate Choral Organization and recently served as president-elect of the Northwestern ACDA and Northwest representative of the NAfME National Choral Council. Duffy earned her DMA in choral music from the USC Thornton School of Music, Her MM in conducting from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, Juris Doctor at the University of Michigan Law School and her BMA and BA with honors in English from the University of Michigan.To get in touch with Coreen, you can email her at coreen.duffy@colorado.edu. You can also find her on Facebook or Instagram (@coreenduffy).Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“When people talk about what skills kids are lacking in America these days, two of the skills that come up a lot are the ability to listen to each other and have some empathy for each other. Some people would say it's not just kids that are lacking those skills; it might be what is really missing from our society. I think choir is the best subject to teach those skills.”Hailed by The Oregonian for providing “the finest choral concerts in Portland in recent memory,” Ethan Sperry is the Director of Choral Activities at Portland State University, where he conducts the world-renowned Chamber Choir and leads undergraduate and graduate programs in conducting. He is also the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Oregon Repertory Singers, one of America's most distinguished adult choruses. Choirs under his direction have performed at over a dozen ACDA and NAfME Conferences, won over thirty awards and medals at international choir competitions on four continents, and sung at The Hollywood Bowl, The Kennedy Center, and the United Nations. Under his direction in 2013 The Portland State Chamber Choir became the first American Choir ever to win the Grand Prix at the Seghizzi International Choral Contest in Italy, and in 2017 they became the first American choir to win the Grand Prix at the Bali International Choral Festival, the largest choral gathering in Asia. Sperry has recorded albums for the Naxos and Gothic labels. A prolific arranger of World Music for choirs, Dr. Sperry is the editor of the Global Rhythms series for Earthsongs Music, one of the best-selling choral series in the world, and is also published by Hal Leonard. Sperry is also a frequent collaborator with film composer AR Rahman and has appeared as a guest conductor for him numerous times including at Bollywood Night at the Hollywood Bowl and the 2008 Filmfare Awards, the Indian equivalent of the Oscars. He also serves as a consultant for the KM Music Conservatory in Chennai, the first classical music school in India, which opened in 2009.He has earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Harvard College and Masters and Doctoral degrees in Choral Conducting from the University of Southern California. Prior to moving to Oregon, Sperry served for 10 years on the faculty of Miami University in Ohio where he conducted the Men's Glee Club, Collegiate Chorale, and Global Rhythms Ensemble. He has also served as Artistic Administrator of the Arad Philharmonic Chorus in Romania and Conductor of the Coeur Regional de Guadeloupe, the only Symphonic Chorus in the French West Indies.To get in touch with Ethan, you can email him at ethansperry@gmail.com. You can find the Portland State University Chamber Choir on Facebook (@psuchamberchoir), Instagram (@psuchamberchoir), or Tiktok (@psuchamberchoir), and you can find the Oregon Repertory Singers on Facebook (@OregonRepertorySingers) or Instagram (@orsingers). Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

Thank you for listening to our show this season!!Here are the favorite choral pieces from our guests in the fourth season:St. John Passion, Johann Sebastian BachSt. Matthew Passion, Johann Sebastian BachAve Maria, Franz BieblRequiem, Johannes Brahms“Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen” from Requiem, Johannes BrahmsNo Time, Susan BrumfieldI Sing Because I'm Happy, Rollo DilworthRequiem,Gabriel FauréAfrican American Requiem, Damien GeterGloucester Service, Herbert HowellsLa Guerre, Clément JanequinSweet Rivers, Shawn KirchnerO Magnum Mysterium, Morten Lauridsen (x2)Le Cantique des cantiques, Daniel-LesurCoenantibus autem illis, Juan de LienasI Am Harvey Milk, Andrew LippaMiserere, James MacMillanMass for Double Choir, Frank MartinTerza Messa, Marianna MartinesLight of the East, Byung-Hee OhSicut Cervus, Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaTu Es Petrus, Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaThe Road Home, Stephen PaulusLet My Love Be Heard, Jake RunestadAbendfeier in Venedig, Clara SchumannAnd the Swallow, Caroline ShawFiddler's Hymn, Pete SutherlandAlleluia, Randall ThompsonEarth Song, Frank TicheliThe Sacred Veil, Eric WhitacreSerenade to Music, Ralph Vaughan WilliamsHere are the composers that our guests suggested you check out:Johann Sebastian BachMichael Barrett, see Choir Fam Episode 97Amy BernonSherry BlevinsMargaret BondsJohannes BrahmsSamuel Coleridge-TaylorChiara Margarita CozzolaniMaurice DurufléGabriel FauréDan ForrestJ.D. Frizzell, see Choir Fam Episode 91Katerina GimonLaura HawleyFranz Joseph HaydnDarius LimAndrew LippaCecilia MacDowallJoanna MarshFrank MartinSelga MenceKyle PedersonFlorence PriceZanaida Robles (x2)Marie-Claire SaindonCaroline ShawKen Steven (x2), see Choir Fam Episode 98Peteris VasksTracy Wong (x3), see Choir FamEpisode 58Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

“For me, choral music is all about the people. I write for the choristers. I've gone through that phase in my life where I've written only for myself, where I had a lot of things I needed to express and every note that went on a page was for me. Now I'm in a phase where I want to adore every note that's on the page. I want every note that's on the page to represent me well and to reflect who I am -- somebody who sees herself in partnership with conductors, in partnership with choristers, making music together.”Canadian composer and educator Sarah Quartel is known for her fresh and exciting approach to choral music. Deeply inspired by the life-changing relationships that can occur while making choral music, Sarah writes in a way that connects singer to singer, ensemble to conductor, and performer to audience. Her works are performed by choirs across the world, and she has been commissioned by groups including the American Choral Directors Association, the National Children's Chorus of the United States of America, and New Dublin Voices. Since 2018 she has been exclusively published by Oxford University Press, and she continues to work as a clinician and conductor at music education and choral events at home and abroad.To get in touch with Sarah, you can visit sarahquartel.comor email her at sarah.k.quartel@gmail.com. You can listen to her music on Spotify or SoundCloud (@sarahquartel) or find her on Facebook (@sarah.quartel).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonTexas ToastThe #1 Country Music Podcast in Texas!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

“No one cared about my accolades coming in as a freshman. It's not enough just to be good, because everyone is good. It forced me not to ride on my natural ability and to buckle down to figure out things like theory, music history, and performance practice. It made me realize that being an individual is paramount, and you have to prove why you are different from everyone else. What about your ability to emote a song or interpret a piece is going to set you apart?”Trey McLaughlin was born in Augusta, GA, where he graduated from John S. Davidson Magnet School in 2002. While in high school, Trey was a member of the non-profit performing arts organization, Creative Impressions, serving as both President and Student Director. Trey is a 2008 graduate of Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music in Columbus, GA. During his time at CSU, Trey was a member of its University Singers and Chorale. Trey is a member and past president of the professional music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and he is a former director of G.E.N.E.S.I.S. -- the Columbus State University Gospel Choir. In May of 2008, Mr. McLaughlin obtained a Bachelor of Science in Music Performance with an emphasis in Vocal Pedagogy.  In 2014, Mr. McLaughlin began his international career, conducting a Master Class and performing at the L'Opéra de Massy in Massy, France. In October of 2015, Trey conducted a 300-voice choir in Krakow, Poland, as the guest clinician of the annual 7x Festival. At home, Trey has been extended the honor of serving as the guest clinician for Honor Choruses throughout the state of Georgia.Trey is a passionate solo vocalist -- recognizing the beauty of and fusing together an eclectic mix of musical genres for all those who encounter his artistry. He composes and performs original works and prolifically arranged covers with his own recording and touring ensemble, The Sounds of Zamar.Trey currently serves as Director of Worship and Arts at Tabernacle Baptist Church of Augusta, Georgia, where he stewards and oversees 12 ministries and approximately 250 volunteers. Mr. McLaughlin has taught as adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, teaching graduate level courses where he continues his passion for writing and arranging music, teaching piano, and conducting classes in vocal technique. Trey was recognized by the Augusta Arts Council as its 2018 Artist of the Year. His international, national and local work in the arts continues to provide rich cultural, artistic experiences for all who encounter his programming.To get in touch with Trey, you can visit treymclaughlin.com or find him on Facebook (@trey.mclaughlin.503) or Instagram (@treymclaughlin)Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“In Indonesia, choral singing has just been really popular recently, maybe around ten years. It has become a lifestyle. Everyone wants to be part of a choir because choir is very interesting - you can go on tour, you can do concerts... What drives the choir most is joining a competition: they will have a goal they want to achieve, an opportunity to go abroad, building connection and building the ecosystem better to support each other.”Hailing from Medan, composer Ken Steven (b. 1993) is known for his fusion of Indonesian colours and elements with modern techniques and harmonies. He received his undergraduate degree in church music from The Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, Philippines, and completed his Master of Music degree from California Baptist University, USA.Since returning to Indonesia, his creative activity and work have made important contributions to the development of choral music in Indonesia. His music is picking up and starting to make an impact on the international choral music scene. His music is available through several publishers including Pavane, Hal Leonard, Earthsongs, and Walton.  Currently, he serves as the Director of Studies at SMK Methodist Charles Wesley Music Vocational School in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. He is also the conductor of Medan Community Male Choir, founded in 2015, and has led the choir to achieve many international awards in choral festivals and competitions. To get in touch with Ken, you can email him at st.25_ken@hotmail.com or find him on Facebook (@ken.steven) or Instagram (@st.25ken).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“As choral conductors, we're first and foremost educators, and we have to realize that we have to come with compassion in everything that we do when we listen to choirs. All too often we sit there thinking, ‘the intonation wasn't so great, or maybe their phrase endings could be better,' but we don't understand what people are working with. No two choirs are the same. No choir operates in the same context.”Dr. Michael Joseph Barrett is the conductor of the University of Pretoria (Tuks) Camerata and a senior lecturer in Choral Conducting in the Department of Music. He obtained the degrees BMus in Performing Arts and MMus (Performing Arts), specializing in choral conducting, in 2008, both from the University of Pretoria. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education and a Performance Licentiate in Singing, both received in 2008, from Unisa. In 2017, Michael was awarded a Doctorate of Music degree (Performing Arts) in Choral Performance by the University of Pretoria.Michael's choirs have won numerous national and international awards, as well as choral competitions all over the world, including the Grand Prix of Nations; the 8th World Choir Games; the St Petersburg Choral Competition; the Llangollen (Shlangoshlen) International Musical Eisteddfod (ICEtedfud); and the International Youth Music Festival. In 2017, Tuks Camerata was invited to perform at the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain. The choir has released three CDs, which were all nominated for South African Music Awards. In March, the Tuks Camerata will perform as an invited choir to the National ACDA Conference in Dallas.Michael is an active composer and arranger whose music is published internationally by Santa Barbara Music Publishers and Walton Music. He is regularly invited to present workshops and adjudicate choral competitions both locally and abroad. He is also the executive director and co-producer of Capital Singers, South Africa's largest community choir project. To get in touch with Michael, you can email him or find him on Instagram (@mbarrett1310) or Facebook (@michael.j.barrett.54). You can also visit the Tuks Camerata website or follow them on Instagram (@tuks_camerata), Facebook (@UPCamerata), or YouTube (@universityofpretoriacamera357). To support the Tuks Camerata's travel to National ACDA 2025, visit their funding website.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

Dr. David Fryling is director of choral activities at Hofstra University, where he conducts both the select Hofstra Chorale and Hofstra Chamber Choir and teaches beginning and advanced studies in choral conducting, as well as graduate-level studies in choral conducting and choral literature. In addition, he is an adjunct professor for the Hofstra School of Education, and has served as music director and conductor of the Hofstra Opera Theater. In fall 2014 David was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame as the “Educator of Note” in recognition of his years of leadership in the Long Island music education community, and in the spring of 2017 David was named the winner of the American Prize in Conducting in two categories: community chorus and college & university.In fall 2013 David founded the eVoco Voice Collective, a nonprofit organization of singers of the highest musical, technical, and expressive abilities, who together believe in the transformative and educational power of music. From 2007 to 2013, David served as coordinator of the Vocal Artists program at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, where he was conductor and music director of the World Youth Honors Choir and Festival Choir & Orchestra.Before his appointment at Hofstra, David served as music director and conductor of the University of Michigan Arts Chorale and assistant conductor of the Michigan Chamber Singers, University Choir, and the internationally acclaimed Michigan Men's Glee Club. While in Ann Arbor, he was also the music director and conductor of the Michigan Youth Women's Chorus, a year-round all-state honors choir composed of select high school sopranos and altos from across Michigan.In addition to his professional teaching and conducting responsibilities, David is the current President of the American Choral Directors Association. To get in touch with Dave, you can find him on Facebook (@david.fryling) or Instagram (@davidnfryling) or email him at david.n.fryling@hofstra.edu or Dfryling@acda.org.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“A lot of what I end up teaching with regards to all of music, but certainly improvisation, has to do with becoming comfortable. You can do all kinds of different technical exercises, improvisation exercises, conceptual brain project exercises, all of which serve to help the musician become comfortable and fluid with their musical expression so that they feel free enough to act on a musical impulse or a musical gesture, to respond freely to the moment.”The first year of the pandemic was a deeply creative time for Vermont based fiddle composer and song-writer Lissa Schneckenburger. When everything shut down (including her touring schedule), writing music became an essential outlet. Schneckenburger explains, “I had to write music to process my experience of living through such a difficult time. It was my life line”. The result was what Schneckenburger jokingly calls “overflowing bucketfuls of music” and enough new material for several album releases. The first album, Falling Forward, is a collection of Schneckenburger's original fiddle tunes and two traditional New England songs, released in March 2023.Lissa hired a star powered all female cast of musicians to record her compositions, and Falling Forward was recorded in December of 2022. The ensemble included fiddling producer Katie McNally, pianist Rachel Aucoin, bass player Mali Obomsawin, cellist Natalie Haas, and accordion player Karen Tweed. “These women are my heroes,” Schneckenburger says, “they are leaders in the acoustic music world, and it was such an honor to record with them.” The tunes range from lively to somber and introspective. Many reflect the tone of a riotous fiddle party with floorboards thumping, bow hair flying, and instruments and dancers in every corner. Falling Forward provides music for both meditation and release. Both of which feel appropriate in processing our collective experience as a society over the last few years.During the past few decades, Schneckenburger has made music showcasing everything from traditional dance tunes, to original songs. The latter inspired by her experience as a foster and adoptive parent. Falling Forward has blended her love of traditional music with her love of writing, in her first fiddle forward album release in over a decade.To get in touch with Lissa, you can find visit her website, https://lissafiddle.com/, or find her on Instagram (@lissafiddle), Facebook (@lissafiddle), or Tiktok (@lissafiddle).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“That's my job: to take the foundation of what they have – love of singing and basic vocal technique – and then just refine it, to challenge them to start being more musical artists themselves. I personally do a lot of giving the kids choices: ‘If it's not in the music, how do we want to sing this? What are your thoughts?' We listen, we reflect. I really want them to have ownership of what we're doing.”Karla McClain (she/her) is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescent/Young Adulthood Music in her 24th year of teaching. Currently, she teaches Choir and General Music at Illing Middle School in Manchester, CT. Prior to teaching in Manchester, Karla taught at Irving A. Robbins Middle School and East Farms Elementary in Farmington, CT, in West Hartford, CT and Hilliard, OH. She also is the former director of the Canticum Choir of the Connecticut Children's Chorus at the Hartt School of Music, Community Division. Karla is also an active staff member at Laurel Music Camp in Plymouth, Connecticut. Karla is an active presenter and clinician and has presented for state, regional, and national conferences. Her choirs have been Featured Showcase Ensembles for the CMEA State Conference. Karla has served on the Diversity Initiatives Committee of CT-ACDA and was the Co-Chair of Middle School Repertoire and Resources. She is a past member of the Professional Development Committee for CMEA. She is a frequent adjudicator for Regionals and All-State. As a performer, she has remained active by singing as a soloist and section leader, currently with the South Church Chancel Choir in New Britain. She has also performed in several musical theater groups. Karla received her Bachelor of Music in education from Ohio Wesleyan University, and her Master of Science in Music Education from Central Connecticut State University. In 2021, she was selected as the CT- ACDA Choral Director of the Year. She has a passion for using music technology and global music to engage students. She lives in Cromwell, CT with her husband and 2 children.To get in touch with Karla, you can find her on Instagram (@karlachips) or Twitter (@karlachips).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“My goal is that no child will leave my classroom thinking they can't sing. If I have a coworker say, ‘I can't sing,' I'm like, ‘no, no. First, give me 15 minutes and a piano and I will show you that you can. Second, you can't say that because if you say that, then the kids think it's okay to say that.' I'm really fighting all day to prove to them that yes, they can sing, and it's cool, so do it. That foundational skill is just confidence and belief in their instrument.”Bethany Main is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Conservatory of Music and Dance, where she received her Master's and Bachelor's of Music Education. She teaches general music in Kansas City. She also directs the 6th-9th grade choir, Intermezzo, with the Youth Chorus of Kansas City.In addition to teaching, Bethany is a composer and author. She has written her first children's book titled “Our First Day of Music,” featuring an original song. Her piece, “Becoming You,” was selected for the JW Pepper's Editor's Choice distinction, as was her piece, "Be Who You Are," written in collaboration with Ryan Main.Bethany is an active presenter and honor choir clinician, and has presented at numerous conferences and led various honor choirs. She is a two-time Olathe School District finalist for Teacher of the Year, and the recipient of East Central KMEA's “Outstanding Young Educator” award in 2021. Previously, she taught music and directed the Special Chorus at Manchester Park Elementary in the Olathe School district, serving students in grades K-5. During her tenure at Manchester Park, her students performed with distinction at the Kansas Music Educators Association state conference. Bethany is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Kansas Music Educators Association. When Bethany isn't teaching music, she can be found running, cross stitching, or snuggling on the couch with her husband Ryan and their two dogs, Pippa and Missy.To get in touch with Bethany, you can find her on Instagram (@mrsmainsmusicians) or TeachersPayTeachers (@mrsmainsmusicians) or visit her website: mrsmainsmusicians.com.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I wanted to get kids to work more collaboratively. We say we're a collaborative group, but the conductor is behind the piano teaching the choir parts rather than saying, ‘here's the part I want you to learn. Go learn it. Here are the expectations and come back and self-assess yourself.' So, I designed performance tasks. I'll work on it as a group first, so they have some capacity for it. Then I'll have them break into sectionals and go reinforce it.”William Gunn is the director of music at Plymouth Regional High School where he conducts the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and teaches a year long guitar elective. He is also the music director of the Pemigewasset Choral Society in Plymouth, NH, and a teaching lecturer in music education at Plymouth State University. Mr. Gunn received his bachelor of music in music education from Ithaca College and his masters of music in conducting from Colorado State University. Mr. Gunn has studied conducting with Wes Kenney, Dwight Bigler, Steve Peterson, and Eric Hammer. Mr. Gunn is the immediate past president of New Hampshire ACDA and serves as the Treble Choir Chair for the NHMEA All-State Festival.To get in touch with Will, you can find him on Instagram @willdotg or email him at wgunn@pemibaker.org.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonCreative RiskArtists and creatives, GET RISKY! Candid convos, expert interviews & actionable advice.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

“At the end of that first year, I did a pops concert. I developed the formula that I use now, which is to make it sound a lot like the actual songs. You give a lot of soloists opportunities to sing solos, especially in the verses which are harder because of the syncopation. We had a band that we hired: some horns, a rhythm section. The kids loved it, and we had 750 people come watch it.”J.D. Frizzell is the Director of Fine Arts and Director of Vocal Music at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, TN. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Choral Conducting from The University of Kentucky. Dr. Frizzell earned the double Master's in Music Theory/Composition and Conducting from The University of Southern Mississippi, where he also earned the bachelor's degree in Music History and Literature.In 2024, Frizzell was named a national finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Frizzell was chosen by the Tennessee Music Educators Association as the 2011 Outstanding Young Music Educator. Additionally, he was awarded the Dr. Clair E. Cox Award for Teaching Excellence in both 2011 and again in 2023.As the Director of Fine Arts at Briarcrest, Dr. Frizzell leads a faculty of twelve full time faculty-artists and is responsible for coordinating curriculum, instruction, and budgets for all of the fine arts programs (K2-12th grade). He also serves as an advocate and school liaison for all of the visual art, instrumental music, vocal music, dance, theatre, and technical production programs. As the Director of Vocal Music, he teaches the Men's Choir, Advanced Women's Choir, and OneVoice.A leader in the contemporary a cappella movement, he is the co-founder and President of The A Cappella Education Association, a nonprofit dedicated to helping groups around the world. He also founded the National A Cappella and Choral Convention. His high school a cappella group, OneVoice, is a SONY Recording Artist. They were the winners of the Macy's A Cappella Challenge judged by Pentatonix, contestants on America's Got Talent, performers at The Emmys, and collaborators with Foreigner and The Swingles. Their music has been streamed, downloaded, and viewed over 120 million times. Dr. Frizzell co-authored the books “A Cappella Warm Ups for Pop and Jazz Choirs” and “Teaching Music Through Performance in Contemporary A Cappella”.Dr. Frizzell is active as a presenter, adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. As an active member of TNMEA, NATS, ACDA, and WTVMEA, he has served in multiple volunteer capacities. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation named him one of “Memphis' Finest” for his philanthropic efforts. He is also a professional member of the Recording Academy. He lives in Memphis, TN with his wife, Emily and sons Henry and Elliott.For commission, conducting, workshop, or other booking information, please visit www.jdfrizzell.net. To get in touch with J.D., you can visit his website or find him on Facebook (@jdfrizzellmusic) or Instagram (@jdfrizzell1983).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“Uniformity is a two-edged sword, isn't it? Within a choir you need uniformity or you're not going to get a good blend, but within that uniformity, I want as much individuality as possible. I do a lot of 16th-Century music, early 17th-Century music, which has very, very high, passionate stakes. The individual has to come through. That's what makes it interesting.”Robert Hollingworth was a chorister at Hereford Cathedral, set up his first solo-voice ensemble at the age of 16 and read music at New College, Oxford, followed by a year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In place of a conventional academic career he has spent 40 years directing vocal groups, notably I Fagiolini, which he founded at university in 1986. Nearly 30 CDs and DVDs have included first recordings of works and collections by Byrd, Croce, Tomkins, Andrea Gabrieli and more. Recent releases include the multi-award winning Striggio 40-part mass, 'Amuse-Bouche' (French 20th century music including premiers of Francaix and Milhaud), and in 2017 'Monteverdi - The Other Vespers' which also featured the University of York's music department's choir, The 24. Winning the Royal Philharmonic Society's Ensemble Award, Gramophone Awards and the Diapason D'Or de l'Annee, the group is 'In Association' at the University of York Music Department where, as well as teaching Undergraduate projects, Robert runs the MA in solo-voice ensemble singing.As a freelancer conductor, Robert has directed the English Concert, Academy of Ancient Music and the BBC Concert Orchestra; among European choirs, Accentus (France), NDR Chor and RIAS Kammerchor (Germany), National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Voces8, BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. He writes and presents programmes for Radio 3 including The Early Music Show and Discovering Music. During lockdown, he created and presented a new youtube series for choral music enthusiasts called 'SingTheScore'. He is the newly appointed director of Stour Music, taking over after 65 years from Alfred and Mark Deller. He founded and presents the UK's top choral music podcast 'Choral Chihuahua' with Eamonn Dougan and Nicholas Mulroy.To get in touch with Robert, look for I Fagiolini on YouTube (@ifagiolini), Facebook (@ifagiolini), Instagram (@i_fagiolini), or their website, ifagiolini.com.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“The folks who I think are really doing incredible work around the world, not just for one festival or for one tour, but for decades, are the folks who are trying to literally make the world a better place through choral music. How many opportunities can we provide for them so they can feel like they're part of that bigger family to help legitimize the hard work and the experiences that they're having in their corner of the world?” T. J. HARPER is Associate Professor of Music and Specialist in Choral Music Performance, Choral Pedagogy, Conducting, and Vocal Performance at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. Choirs under the direction of Dr. Harper have performed at Carnegie Hall in 2022, NAfME division and national conferences, ACDA conferences, and International performances by invitation including Costa Rica, Austria, Czech Republic, Spain, and Italy.Dr. Harper maintains an active schedule in the US and abroad as a guest conductor, clinician, and jury member. Recent engagements include headlining the China National Choral Conference and conducting the Beijing Harmonia Choir; Master classes for El Sistema and conducting the Venezuela National Choir. He has been engaged as a lecturer, presenter, and guest speaker at the 2015 Yale University International Choral Music Symposium; the 2015 European Choir Games in Magdeburg, Germany; Harvard University, Hofstra University, and the New England ACDA Collegiate Choral Conference.Dr. Harper is the Associate Director for the Jeju International Choral Festival in Jeju, South Korea, Associate Director for the Icheon World Choral Festival in Icheon, South Korea, the Associate Director for the San Juan Canta Choral Festival and Competition in San Juan, Argentina, the Associate Director for the World Youth Choir Festival and Competition in Jeju, South Korea.Dr. Harper recently held positions as Board Member for the International Federation of Choral Music (IFCM), the past Chair of the ACDA Standing Committee on International Activities, and the Director of the ACDA International Conductors Exchange Program (ICEP).  Dr. Harper received the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) from the University of Southern California, his Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from California State University, Northridge and his B.A. in Choral Conducting from California State University, Fresno.  To get in touch with T. J., you can find him on Instagram (@conductortj) or Facebook (@harper.tj).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I haven't moved exclusively to doing multicultural music in our classroom, but I have done a lot of music that has a positive message that they can relate to. If this song has nothing to do with them, no matter how much I love it, no matter how epic or famous this is, the students will have a hard time connecting to it. I'm not saying that everything needs to be in English or be immediately accessible or understandable, but I do think there needs to be something in there that connects to their lives.”Matthew Chi Lee is in his 9th year as director of choirs at John P. Stevens (JPS) High School in Edison, New Jersey. He is a native of Edison and holds degrees in music education from Northwestern University and Florida State University. Recently, the John P. Stevens High School Chamber Choir has performed at the 2024 ACDA National Conference as well as the 2023 ACDA Eastern Conference. He serves on the New Jersey ACDA Board as High School Youth Choirs R&R Chair and the NJMEA Choral Procedures Board. Matt also serves as the assistant conductor at Christ Church in Summit, NJ. He has been invited to be a guest conductor and clinician in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. As a chorister he has performed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the South of France. His Independent Study Project at FSU focused on Multicultural Choral Music and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in the high school choir program, and he is interested in selecting repertoire that highlights living composers as well as the diverse musical traditions of the world.To get in touch with Matt, you can find him on Instagram (@matthewchileemusic) or Facebook (@matthewchileemusic). You can also visit his school choir's website, jpschoir.org.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“From my first ACDA in 1991 to ACDA now: complete reversal. People are not afraid to perform something that moves the soul, and in 1991 nobody did it. Now people are digging in and not being afraid. I applaud all of my fellow choral conductors for being fearless and not being afraid to tell the stories that mean something.”Tim Seelig is a conductor, singer, speaker and educator. He continues a busy schedule of appearances across the U.S. He conducted LGBTQ+ choruses for 35 years and is Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and Conductor Emeritus of the Turtle Creek Chorale.Dr. Seelig holds four degrees, including the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas and the Diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. He has written 6 books on choral technique, several of which are best-sellers, and his memoir, Tale of Two Tims: Big Ol' Baptist, Big Ol' Gay.Dr. Seelig has conducted at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for 25 years. He conducted the Guinness Book Of World Record's Longest Choral Concert and carried the Olympic torch in 1996 as a community Hero.  He has conducted over 50 recordings which have been on Billboard Top Ten and iTunes Top Ten classical charts. His choruses have been the topic of three documentaries. The PBS documentary, After Goodbye: An AIDS Story was awarded the national Emmy for best documentary.He is the proud grandfather of the amazing Clara Skye, Eden Mae, Cora Rose, Ivy Hope.To get in touch with Tim, you can find him on Facebook (@tim.seelig) or email him at tgseelig@gmail.com.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I have fallen deeply in love with looking at a piece, seeing what it is, and realizing that there are no real absolutes in music. There are no rules. You have to look at each piece of music for what it is and consider it in its historical and cultural context and then find out enough about the composer. It feels like a journey, a rabbit hole that go down.”Dr. Elizabeth Schauer serves as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arizona, where she is in her twentieth year of teaching. An award-winning educator, Dr. Schauer directs the Symphonic Choir and teaches graduate courses in conducting and choral literature. In addition, she served as Chancel Choir director at St. Mark's United Methodist Church. She came to the University of Arizona following ten years as Director of Choral Activities at Adams State College in Colorado.  Dr. Schauer is in demand as an adjudicator, clinician, presenter and guest conductor throughout the United States, including recently for performances at Carnegie Hall and with Georgia, Connecticut and New Mexico All-State Choirs.  Choirs under her direction have been selected by audition and invited to perform on local, state and regional conferences of American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, College Music Society, and American Guild of Organists.  In addition her choirs have been featured on the ACDA National YouTube Channel and the Community Concert Series of KUAT-FM Classical Radio, and are regularly invited to collaborate, notably with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Arizona Symphony and the UA Wind Ensemble. She has presented sessions at the national conventions of American Choral Directors Association, Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and College Music Society; regional conferences of ACDA, and state conferences of ACDA and National Association for Music Education. Dr. Schauer holds degrees from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Westminster Choir College, and University of Michigan.To get in touch with Betsy, you can find her on Facebook: @betsy.schauer.9. You can find more about the University of Arizona choral program on Facebook (@uarizonachoirs) or Instagram (@uarizonachoirs) or visit their website: choral.music.arizona.edu, where you can find their Distinguished Speakers Series and discover more information about the DEI Choral Literature Intensive.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I grew up thinking that we should sound like the music we're singing. There was never one right way for me. There are those great choral traditions where they sing everything a certain way. I never wanted to be that way. We can do seven different pieces in seven entirely different styles. You would think, 'is that the same choir?' That's something that my choirs take seriously.”Recipient of the President's Award from the California Music Educators Association honoring "extraordinary accomplishments in music education," Dr. Jonathan Talberg serves as Director of Choral Activities at the Bob Cole Conservatory, where he is conductor of the international award-winning Bob Cole Conservatory Chamber Choir and the CSULB University Choir. Recent career highlights include leading the Chamber Choir to first place at the Austrian Spittal International Choir Festival and the "Choir of the World" competition in Wales. Additionally, he and the choir have performed with groups as diverse as the Kronos Quartet, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Pacific Symphony and the Rolling Stones.A passionate advocate for choral music education, Dr. Talberg is regularly engaged to conduct honor choirs across the US, including numerous all-state choruses, and Music Education conference choirs. His choirs have performed in venues throughout Europe and Asia.A past-president of the California Choral Directors Association, he serves as an editor at Pavane Music Publishing, where a choral series dedicated to outstanding quality, collegiate-level music is published under his name. Of the many hats he wears each day, the one he is most proud of is mentor to the next generation of choral musicians. Alumni of the Bob Cole Conservatory Choral Studies program are teaching at elementary, middle and high schools, churches, community colleges and four-year universities throughout the country. Scores of alumni are professional singers and/or currently earning—or have finished—their doctorates at some of the finest institutions in the country.Dr. Talberg received his BM from Chapman University, his MM and DMA from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops, and the May Festival Chorus. To get in touch with Jonathan, you can email him at jonathan.talberg@csulb.edu or find him on Instagram: @jonathantalberg .Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“I've really enjoyed getting into classrooms to affirm my colleagues. I seek whenever I do a visit to say something that is both positive and true. I could just be positive, but if it's not truthful, students can sense that. I've really enjoyed getting to bop in, see great teaching in action, and affirm my colleagues in front of their students.”Dr. Brett D. Epperson is Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Hastings College. He directs the Hastings College Choir and teaches courses in conducting, vocal pedagogy, diction and studio voice. Brett also serves as director of the adult Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church of Hastings.Prior to his career in higher education, Brett was a public school music educator for nearly a decade. Epperson led choral programs at Yutan Public Schools (Nebraska), Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and East High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. Under his leadership at Lincoln East, the choral program tripled in enrollment, East Singers was selected as a featured concert choir at the Nebraska Music Educators Association Conference and Epperson was the recipient of a Lincoln Public Schools Inspire Award for implementing an Adaptive Music program. Epperson has also served as a graduate assistant within the College of Music at Florida State University, was an adjunct instructor of voice at Doane University (Nebraska), and is a previous Artistic Director-Conductor of the Lincoln Lutheran Choir.Dr. Epperson is active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator and collaborative keyboardist, with appearances across the United States, the Caribbean and Europe. In June 2023, Epperson traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, where he was a featured conductor as part of AVoice4Peace choral festival. As a vocalist, he has sung with Grammy-nominated choral ensembles and has been a featured soloist in choral-orchestral performances across the Midwest and South. Galaxy Music Corporation released his first published composition in 2022.Brett earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Education-Choral Conducting from Florida State University.To get in touch with Brett, you can find him on Facebook (@brettdepperson) or Instagram (@brettdepperson).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

"Choral programs don't exist in a vacuum. They exist in a place, and they exist in a place that serves a people. That people group is always bigger than choir. The first thing that you've gotta do is answer the question, 'how are my people, how is my place going to be served by choral music?' and then build that. You've gotta build that one step at a time."Joshua Cheney, a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, is the Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. He is responsible for the leadership and administration of GWU Choirs, to include the direction of Concert Choir, Men's Chorale, Handbell Ensemble, and the Worship Ensemble. Joshua also teaches courses in conducting, voice, and guitar.In addition to his work in teaching, Joshua currently serves as the Interim Music Minister for the First Baptist Church of Asheville, North Carolina. In this role he participates in worship planning and leads the Adult Choir in rehearsal and worship. Joshua is an active performer and has sung professionally with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir, Bel Canto Company, the Red Shift Choir, and Coro Vocati. Joshua is a regular clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, having directed honor choirs, adjudicated choral festivals, and given lectures at professional conferences throughout the South. Previous appointments include service as the Assistant Professor of Choral Music at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, the Assistant Director of Music and Worship at the First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Choral Music Educator at John M. Morehead High School in Eden, North Carolina, and the Choral Music Educator at Harnett Central Middle School in Angier, North Carolina.Joshua holds the B.A. in Music Education from Campbell University, the M.M. in Choral Conducting and Church Music from Mercer University, and the D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Louisiana State University. Joshua is married to Rebekah Cheney, who serves as the Director of Annual Giving at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Joshua and Rebekah reside in Asheville, North Carolina.To get in touch with Joshua, you can find him on Instagram (@jcheneyconductor or @gardnerwebbchoirs) or email him at mailto:jcheney1@gardner-webb.edu .Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“Octave displacement is a really big thing with adolescent singers. Make a game out of it - I'll have them match me, match me up an octave, match me down an octave - versus scolding when you're in the middle of rep and someone is singing too low and you just point and say ‘that's too low.' That's a little ambiguous for the average 13-year-old. To give them the strength to identify it themselves is practicing the skill we want to see played out in the repertoire.”Since 2006, Mr. Oakes has served as Director of Choral Music and Music Instructor at The Baylor School, a grade 6-12 independent day and boarding school in Chattanooga. Under his direction, the choral program has grown to include over 200 participants in four student choirs and a faculty choir. In 2015, he was awarded Baylor's Glenn Ireland Chair for Distinguished Teaching and starts his service as Chair of Baylor's Fine Arts Department beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.Mr. Oakes also serves as Artistic Director of the Chattanooga Boys Choir, a music education and performance organization founded in 1954 which now includes over 120 choristers ages 8-18 in five ensembles. Including innovative performance opportunities and collaborative community initiatives, the CBC maintains a performance calendar of thirty appearances annually. The choir has performed and toured extensively, including performance tours to Europe, Canada, and Cuba. Recording opportunities for the CBC have included commercially-released recordings with Stephen Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns, and the grammy-nominated NAXOS recording of Maurice Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.He is the former President of the ACDA's Southern Region and in 2012, he was selected as one of seven conductors chosen to represent the United States at the inaugural ACDA International Conductor Exchange Program in Cuba.As a conductor/clinician, he has conducted numerous honor choirs and festivals throughout the United States, including ACDA regional honor choirs. A lifelong advocate for music in worship, he has served churches in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee and as a clinician/conductor for children and youth choirs at Lake Junaluska, Massanetta Springs, and Montreat church music conferences.Mr. Oakes earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Florida and the Master of Sacred Music degree in Choral Conducting from Emory University. He has contributed articles to Choral Journal and a chapter in the textbook Choral Pedagogy (3rd edition) by Robert Sataloff and Brenda Smith. To get in touch with Vic, you can visit chattanoogaboyschoir.org or baylorschool.org.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

“I started to see the possibilities of what a youth community choir could be. Seeing that profound impact on a young woman was very transformative for me. After two or three years, everything that I did had more layers. There was a new potential of enhancement and community impact. The things that make me go like a volcano are about community, access to programs, and how to break barriers for participation.”Dr. Marcela Molina has been leading the Tucson Girls Chorus since 2006, first serving as Artistic Director and taking the helm as Executive Director in 2011. Under Dr. Molina's guidance, the Tucson Girls Chorus has grown significantly in programming and community engagement. With her leadership, the TGC has transformed into a vibrant and collaborative organization that creates access to inclusive programming for youth, and provides resources to music educators and support to their classrooms all year-round. Dr. Molina is also the Director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus.Dr. Molina was an honoree in Tucson's 40 under 40 for her significant achievements and contributions in her profession and community and was one of eight in the state of Arizona chosen for Cox Hispanic Heritage Month. She was selected as a finalist for the Woman of Influence Awards in the category Arts and Culture Champion and under Molina's leadership, the Tucson Girls Chorus was awarded the 2017 Copper Cactus award for Charitable Business sponsored by the Tucson Metro Chamber. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Dr. Marcela Molina holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and the University of Arizona. She has contributed articles to Antiphon, and the books Teaching through Performance in Choir, Volume 2 and Choral Reflections: Insights from American Choral Conductor-Teachers. She was named 2019 Choral Director of the Year by Arizona American Choral Directors Association (AzACDA), and she often serves as a clinician and guest conductor for choral festivals. Dr. Molina has served on the board of the AzACDA as well as standing committees for ACDA Western Division. She currently serves on the board of Chorus America.To get in touch with Marcela, you can email her at mmolina@tucsongirlschorus.org or visit tucsongirlschorus.org. She's also on Facebook (@marcela.molina.1612147) and Instagram (@molinamarch). Marcela recommends checking out the following composers: Colombian arranger Jorge Alejandro Salazar, Puerto Rican composer Diana Saez, and Melanie DeMore. About DeMore, Marcela writes, "I love unison singing to build tone and use it as a canvas of creative added writing, if composer allows."Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“If a student has been unsuccessful at elementary and middle school, by the time they get to high school, it's really hard to shift and course correct. But if they haven't been successful at elementary and you get them at the middle school level, you really do have the potential to shift that course in a monumental way, to reshape their views about whether they are indeed successful and worthwhile. You really have such a big role to play.”Jessica Nápoles is Professor of Choral Music Education at the University of North Texas. She teaches undergraduate coursework in choral methods, conducts the Concert Choir, and mentors graduate students in research. Dr. Nápoles served as Interim division chair for Conducting & Ensembles in 2019-2020 and Interim division chair for Music Education in Fall of 2020. A native of Florida with a Cuban-American background, Dr. Napoles taught middle school chorus in the public schools of Miami and Orlando, FL. She received her bachelor of music education, master of music education, and PhD in music education from the Florida State University. Prior to her appointment at UNT, she taught at the University of Utah for 11 years.Dr. Nápoles is an active choral conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, frequently engaging in guest conducting opportunities locally, regionally, and nationally. She has conducted All State and honor choirs in 20 states across the United States. She has conducted the Southern, North Central/Central, Eastern, and Western division honor choirs for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). In 2019, Dr. Nápoles made her Carnegie Hall debut as choral conductor for the WorldStrides OnStage Honors Performance Series. She was asked to return every year since.In addition to her choral conducting invitations, Dr. Nápoles is a well known researcher, with numerous publications in journals such as the Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and the International Journal of Music Education. She served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Research in Music Education, the premier research journal in music education, the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, and the Journal of Music Teacher Education. Her research interests center on testing practitioner practices empirically, expressive conducting, burnout, and teacher talk. She has presented at conferences on these topics nationally and internationally. She is presently serving on NAfME's Executive board of the Society for Research in Music Education.Dr. Nápoles is meaningfully engaged with the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) at the national level. She is currently the Chair of the Research Standing Committee. Additionally, she served as Assistant Conference Chair for the 2019 and 2021 conferences, the Honor Choir Coordinator for the 2015 and 2017 conferences, and she is currently the co-chair of the 2025 Dallas national conference. Dr. Nápoles led the writing team of the ACDA COVID-19 task force that drafted a document to assist choral directors at all levels during the pandemic.To get in touch with Jessica, you can email her at jessica.napoles@unt.edu or find her on Facebook (@jessica.napoles.1).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“Contemporary commercial music is closer to the students' everyday musical culture. There's that component of culturally relevant pedagogy that both show choir and vocal jazz meet. They are a bit more naturally motivating to a majority of students, and we honor the musical culture of the United States and our popular styles from the last 100 years when we teach these things."Ryan Deignan is Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he leads the flagship University Singers and the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble Lake Effect and teaches voice lessons, ear training, and vocal pedagogy. Deignan is the Artistic Director of the Twin Ports Choral Project and was a fellow at the 2022 Baylor International Choral Conducting Masterclass.In addition to teaching and conducting, Deignan performs as a professional vocalist. He performed with the Madison Choral Project in 2023 and sang with the new Baton Rouge choir Red Shift in their 2020 Southern ACDA performance, where he also served as tenor soloist. Deignan sang with Dallas' Orpheus Chamber Singers and Dallas Bach Society, and community choir Denton Bach Society as tenor soloist for their performance of Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle.At the high school level, Deignan was Director of Choirs for the West Des Moines Valley High School choral program of 350 students, seven traditional choirs, two show choirs, and four jazz choirs. Under his direction, Valley Singers performed at the 2016 North Central ACDA Convention in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Prior to West Des Moines, Deignan was Associate Director of Vocal Music at Cedar Rapids Washington High School where he led a Slice of Jazz to the 2012 Iowa Vocal Jazz Championship.Deignan holds a BA in Vocal Performance from Luther College, an MA in Music Education from the University of Iowa and DMA in Choral Studies with a cognate field in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of North Texas.To get in touch with Ryan, you can email him at rpdeignan@gmail.com or find him on Facebook (@rdeignan) or Instagram (@rpdeignan).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

"I didn't want to do any middle level teaching because of behavior, but I ended up teaching eight years at Patrick Henry Junior High. I loved every moment of it. I learned that if the kids loved and trusted you, they would do anything for you. It was just so much fun to take what they were willing to give and do some good work with them. It all translated into how they behaved in choir."Cathleen Britton has been making music her entire life. She grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and then studied music at The University of South Dakota, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master's Degree in Music Education. Britton has spent her career largely in Sioux Falls directing middle and high school vocal music programs. Her concert choirs have been selected repeatedly to perform at regional conventions, college music festivals and even at Carnegie Hall. Show choirs directed by Britton have received top awards at competitions in a multi‐state area. Outside school, Britton directed the Asbury Methodist Adult Choir for 15 years and was vocal conductor at the Augustana Summer Music Camp. She has served as Clinician and Festival Conductor at numerous conventions and competitions throughout the state and region. She traveled to Muscat, Oman as a festival conductor for the TAISM Festival of Choirs.Britton has fostered the growth of vocal music programs through her work in the American Choral Directors' Association where she has served as Repertory and Standards Chairperson for Vocal Jazz and Show Choir, Publicity Chair, and Convention Clinician for the North Central Division of the ACDA. She also held the office of State President of the South Dakota Chapter of ACDA. In 1996, Britton received the Encore Award for excellence and achievement in choral music and in 2008 was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by her peers in the American Choral Directors' Association‐South Dakota Chapter. Britton was honored as the South Dakota recipient of the National Federation of High Schools 2011 Outstanding Music Educator Award. She was their North Central regional recipient for the same award in 2017, and in 2020, she received a national citation from NFHS.To get in touch with Cathy, you can find her on Facebook (@cathy.clark.britton) or Instagram (@catbritton).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

"The greatest lesson that I learned as a gig singer is that your career and reputation are built one chance at a time. You get one chance and one chance only. If I want people to go out on a limb for me and recommend me for a gig, then I have to make sure that I'm protecting their reputation as well as my own. That starts with never being late, always being prepared, and almost never missing a note." Dr. Stephen Caldwell is Associate Professor and Outgoing Chair of the Faculty Senate at the University of Arkansas. He is a nationally recognized conducting pedagogue and scholar, in demand as a clinician, conductor, and composer. At Arkansas, he conducts the nationally renowned Schola Cantorum, teaches the undergraduate sequence in conducting technique, graduate conducting lessons, and the graduate sequence in Choral History and Literature. Since his arrival in 2012, he has twice been awarded the Associated Student Government's “Top 10 Most Outstanding Faculty Award," he has received “The Golden Tusk” from the Division of Student affairs, he is a 4-time Outstanding Mentor, the inaugural recipient of the Paul Cronan Award for Excellence in Teaching with Technology and was named one of the “Top 10 Artistic People to Watch” in Northwest Arkansas.Under his direction and leadership, the Schola Cantorum has become one of the leading collegiate choirs in America, appearing at numerous conferences of NCCO, SWACDA, and ArkCDA, while touring internationally to the Republic of Serbia, Belgium, Germany, and Puerto Rico, and collecting more than half a million views on YouTube.He has conducted more than 40 works with orchestra and has prepared choirs for performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Delaware Symphony, Arkansas Philharmonic, and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He has presented interest sessions at multiple regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Collegiate Choral Organization and was an ACDA International Conducting Exchange Fellow in Kenya. He has conducted District, Region and All-State choirs across the country and his original, multi award-winning compositions and arrangements are performed throughout the world. Dr. Caldwell holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado, two Master of Music Degrees from Temple University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Rutgers University.To get in touch with Stephen, you can email him at stephenc@uark.edu. You can find him on X (@DrC_UArk) or Instagram (@stephen_caldwell). Visit the University of Arkansas Choirs YouTube page for more information about the UArk Choirs: @uofascholacantorum .Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us. Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonRecording: "Weathers" performed by University of Arkansas Schola Cantorum from the album Wander-Thirst: The Choral Music of Florence Price

Thank you for listening to our show this season!!Here are the favorite choral pieces from our guests in the second season:Sommerpsalm, Waldemar ÅhlénChristmas Oratorio, Johann Sebastian BachKomm, Jesu, Komm; Johann Sebastian BachAgnus Dei, Samuel BarberBluegrass Mass, Carol BarnettAfternoon on a Hill, Eric BarnumMissa Solemnis, Ludwig van BeethovenThe Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee, Jean BergerChichester Psalms, Leonard Bernstein(x2)Ave Maria, Franz BieblBallad of the Brown King, Margaret BondsCredo, Margaret BondsSchicksalslied, Johannes BrahmsThe New Colossus, Saunder ChoiUnderneath My Foot, Jennifer Lucy CookPrayer of St. Francis, Robert DelgadoRequiem, Maurice Duruflé (x2)When the Violin, Reena EsmailImagine Me, Kirk FranklinDone Made My Vow, Adolphus HailstorkI Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Adolphus HailstorkMessiah, George Frideric HandelZadok the Priest, George Frideric HandelSong of Democracy, Howard HansonBring Us, O Lord God; William HarrisLux Aeterna, Morten Lauridsen (x3)Sure on This Shining Night, Morten Lauridsen Fire Dance of Luna, Darius LimSymphony No. 2 "Resurrection," Gustav Mahler (x2)The Awakening, Joseph M. MartinStabat Mater, Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaAnd So I Go On, Jake RunestadSelig Sind die Toten, Heinrich SchützCurse Upon Iron, Veljo TormisEternity, Alvin TrotmanIn the Middle, Dale Trumbore(x2)Requiem, Giuseppe VerdiO Quam Gloriosum, Tomás Luís de VictoriaHere are the composers that our guests suggested you check out:Amy BeachBrittney BentonArron BrattStephen ChatmanSamuel Coleridge TaylorEleanor DaleyWilliam DawsonR. Nathaniel DettMelissa Dunphy (see Choir Fam Episode 72)Maurice DurufléLeon FirštJosé Maurício Nunes GarciaCarlo GesualdoEdie HillShabaka HutchingsJuliette LaiGuillaume de MachautJoanne MetcalfRosephanye PowellFlorence PriceMarie-Claire SaindonValerie Showers CrescenzHeather SorensonBilly StrayhornGerald ThompsonAlvin TrotmanRalph Vaughan WilliamsBrandon WaddlesRuth Watson HendersonMary Lou WilliamsEmail choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from PexelsChoir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us. Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

We want to hear from you! We'd love all our listeners to answer our Season 3 lightning-round questions for us to share with our audience. We are looking forward to getting to know you better.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com with the following info:Subject Line: Choir Fam MinisodeFirst and last name, pronouns optionalCity and state you live inSchool where you teach or study, choral organization you work with, etc.Answer any and all of our lightning round questions:a. Beach or Mountain vacation?b. What was your favorite subject in HS that was NOT music?c. If you could go to a concert to hear any performer (living or dead), who would you pick?d. What is the best kind of sandwich?e. If you had to pick one favorite choral piece, what would it be?f. What is one composer that you feel needs more attention?g. What is your favorite memory associated with choral music?h. What projects are you working on right now that you're excited about?Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

Choir Fam Minisode 3 includes Lightning Round answers from two of our Choir Fam listeners:Stephen SalamunovichRenton, WashingtonAnneliese ZookGarfield, WashingtonWe want to hear from you! We'd love all our listeners to answer our Season 1 lightning-round questions for us to share with our audience. We are looking forward to getting to know you better.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com with the following info:Subject Line: Choir Fam MinisodeFirst and last name, pronouns optionalCity and state you live inSchool where you teach or study, choral organization you work with, etc.Answer any and all of our lightning round questions:    a. When you were in high school, who was your favorite musical artist?    b. If you could pick any career, other than music, what would it be?    c. Dogs or cats?    d. If you could be an extra in any movie you've seen, what movie would be?    e. If you had to pick one favorite choral piece, what would it be?    f. What is one composer that you feel needs more attention?    g. What is your favorite memory associated with choral music?    h. What projects are you working on right now that you're excited about?Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

“The number one thing that I look for when I meet a younger conductor is imagination, someone who comes with ideas but also has a story to tell with the music. Often younger conductors are really worried about technique, the way they look, the way they rehearse, but it starts with imagination. What do you want to communicate? People are so worried about technique that they hide themselves. We want to see the person. Who are you and what do you have to say?”Prof. Jean-Sébastien Vallée is a renowned Canadian-American conductor, scholar, and pedagogue known for his expertise in vocal, choral, and orchestral repertoires. With an illustrious career spanning over several decades, Dr. Vallée has conducted numerous ensembles across North America, Europe, and Asia, and has prepared choruses for some of the world's most prestigious orchestras including the Toronto Symphony, the Montreal Symphony, the National Arts Center Orchestra in Ottawa, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.Currently serving as Associate Professor of Music, Director of Choral Studies, and Coordinator of the Ensembles & Conducting Area at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, and as Artistic Director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Dr. Vallée is a sought-after conductor and pedagogue. He has previously served as the Director of Choral Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and was on the choral faculty of the University of Redlands. Dr. Vallée holds degrees from Laval University, Sherbrooke University, the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a doctorate in conducting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Maestro Vallée's passion for contemporary music is evident in his work, as he makes it a priority to premiere and commission works by young composers and program rarely performed repertoire. Dr. Vallée has presented his research at several national and international conferences, including the American Choral Directors Association Conventions, Festival 500 in Newfoundland, the National Collegiate Choral Organization conference, Podium—the national convention of Choral Canada, the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, and the World Symposium on Choral Music in Spain (2017), New Zealand (2020), and Portugal (2022).Maestro Vallée's recordings have been broadcast internationally and include Lux (ATMA, 2017), Requiem (ATMA, 2018 – requiems by Fauré and Duruflé), and Distance (ATMA, 2021). His recent engagements include concerts at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, a tour with the National Choir of Canada, and concerts with l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Chorus. To get in touch with Jean-Sébastien, you can visit his website jsvallee.com or find him on Facebook (@sebastien.vallee) or Instagram (@jsvallee). Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

“We are there to be servants of our community. A lot of amateur choirs can become bowling leagues; they show up on Wednesday night, they have a great time, and that's the reason they do it. I think the trick is to satisfy the needs of our singers, develop them as artists and people, but also make the focus constantly about reaching out to our audience: how do I find pieces that are going to meet my singers where they are, challenge them pedagogically, and bring people to my concert and make it impactful?”Erick Lichte enjoys a diverse career as a conductor, composer, and record producer.As a founding member, singer, and Artistic Director of the male vocal ensemble Cantus, Lichte created and sustained one of only two full-time vocal ensembles in the United States. From 2000-2009, Lichte's programming and artistic direction were heard in over 60 concerts a year and he has collaborated with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, the Boston Pops, and Minnesota Orchestra.In January 2013, he began his tenure as Artistic Director of Vancouver, Canada's Chor Leoni Men's Choir. Since that time, he has grown the choir into one of the most active and popular amateur choirs in North America, performing over 35 concerts a year. His first recording with Chor Leoni, Wandering Heart, received a perfect five-star review from the UK's prestigious Choir and Organ Magazine.  In the summer of 2018, he led Chor Leoni to multiple awards and Grand Prix appearances at both the Singapore and Bali International Choral Competitions. In 2020, his world premiere recording of When There Is Peace: an Armistice Oratorio was nominated for a JUNO Award.His work with Cantus and Chor Leoni garnered him both the 2009 and 2019 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the highest honour from the professional choral organization Chorus America. He is only the second conductor to have ever won this award with two ensembles.Lichte is an active proponent of new music and has commissioned over 300 new works from composers such as Lee Hoiby, Eriks Esenvalds, Gavin Bryars, Jocelyn Morlock, Steven Sametz, Edie Hill, Mary Ellen Childs, and Zachary Wadsworth among many others.As a record producer, Lichte has made over 30 albums. His recent release for Naxos of the choral music of Eriks Esenvalds spent multiple weeks as the number one classical album on the Billboard charts.He is also an active composer and arranger, especially known for co-creating All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 which has toured North America annually and been performed on three continents. The work's 2018 off-Broadway run in Greenwich Village garnered Lichte a Drama Desk Award for both his composing and his musical direction. In November 2020, a filmed version of this production will air across the United States distributed through PBS.To get in touch with Erick, you can reach out on Instagram (@ericklichte) or on Facebook (@erick.lichte). You can also check out Chor Leoni's YouTube page (@chorleoni).Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonAudio clip: "Will Ye Go to Flanders" from All Is Calm