Podcasts about chorus america

“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

"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 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

On this episode of the Circuspreneur Podcast, host Shenea Stiletto interviews ADEI Consultant and Professor of Music at the University of Michigan Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler. He is the founder of Cuyler Consulting, which partners with cultural organizations to maximize their performance and community relevance through access, diversity, equity, and inclusion or (ADEI). Dr. Cuyler has established an international reputation as a thought leader in the creative sector on ADEI and creative justice issues by presenting research around the globe. Among his clients includes the Arts Administrators of Color Network, Cathedral Choral Society, Chorus America, the Hewlett Foundation, League of American Orchestras, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA), Spencer Museum, and Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, among others.

“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

“I really thought I wanted to be a high school teacher, but the first job I got was in elementary. That turned out to be the best ‘teaching-me' experience I could have had, because I learned that if one could get music across to people without much background, you can get it across to anybody.”Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt is Professor Emerita of Choral Studies at the University of Toronto where she held the Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting and received the inaugural Teaching Excellence Award in 2013. Previously she taught at the Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, after receiving her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also holds degrees from the University of Toronto and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Her teaching experiences range from teaching public school to directing community ensembles and church choirs. From 2013 – 2018, she was Artistic Director of Exultate Chamber Singers in Toronto.A native Canadian, she has performed with her university choirs at conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and at Podium, the national conference of Choral Canada. She has conducted honors choruses throughout Canada and the U.S., including almost 40 all-state high school choirs. She has directed choral festivals at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and throughout Europe.Dr. Apfelstadt has published numerous articles and book chapters, including contributions to Wisdom, Wit and Will: Women Choral Conductors on their Art (GIA Publications, 2009) and Conducting Successful Women's Choirs (GIA, 2012).  She is co-editor of Teaching Music through Performance in Choir, v. 5, published by GIA (2019), and a contributing author to Volume 4 of the same series.  Her book on the life and work of Canadian composer Ruth Watson Henderson, I Didn't Want It To be Boring (Toronto: Prism Publishers) won Choral Canada's award for the Outstanding Choral Publication in 2018.  She is Feature Articles Editor for Anacrusis (Choral Canada) and an Editorial Mentor for The Choral Scholar (NCCO). She also serves on the Board of Chorus America.A Life Member of ACDA, Dr. Apfelstadt served as National President from 2007 – 2009 and as Interim Executive Director from 2020 – 2021. She has received leadership awards from NC-ACDA, Ohio CDA, ACDA Central Region, ACDA Midwestern Region, and Choirs Ontario.To get in touch with Hilary, you can email her at hilary.apfelstadt@utoronto.ca or find her on Facebook (@HilaryJApfelstadt).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

André J. Thomas is an Associate Artist with the London Symphony Orchestra.Thomas is Professor Emeritus of Music at Florida State University. He was visiting Professor of Choral Conducting at Yale University from 2020-2022. He also served as faculty member at the University of Texas, Austin.Dr. Thomas received his degrees from Friends University (B.A.), Northwestern University (M. M.), and The University of Illinois (D.M.A). He is in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician, and director of Honor/All-State Choirs throughout North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and Africa Dr. Thomas has conducted choirs at the state, division, and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference (NAFME) and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). His international conducting credits are extensive. They include conductor/clinician for the International Federation of Choral Musicians' summer residency of the World Youth Choir in the Republic of China and the Philippines. He was also the conductor of the World Youth Choir's winter residency in Europe and a premier performance by an American choir (Florida State University Singers) in Vietnam.He is a highly respected guest conductor who has led numerous prestigious orchestras and choirs around the world, including the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in England, the Berlin Radio Choir and the North German Radio Choir in Germany, the Netherlands Radio Choir, The Bulgarian Radio Choir and Orchestra, the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus, Ansan City Choir, Jeju Provincial Seogwipo Chorale in South Korea, the Charlotte Symphony, China's People's Liberation Orchestra, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony. He also served as the Artistic Director of the Tallahassee Community Chorus for 31 seasons.Thomas has also distinguished himself as a composer/arranger. Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimons Music Company, Lawson Gould, Earthsongs, Choristers Guild, and Heritage Music Company publish his compositions and arrangements. Dr. Thomas has produced two instructional videos—What They See Is What You Get on choral conducting, with Rodney Eichenberger, and Body, Mind, Spirit, Voice on adolescent voices, with Anton Armstrong. His recent book, Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual, has quickly become a significant source in this area of study.Various musical organizations have recognized Thomas. The African Diaspora Sacred Music honored Dr. Thomas as a Living Legend. In 2011, Chorus America recognized Thomas' dedication to and accomplishments in the choral arts, presenting him with its Distinguished Service Award. In March 2017, ACDA presented Thomas with its highest honor, the Robert Shaw Award, and in November of 2017, NCCO (National Collegiate Choral Organization) presented Thomas with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In January 2019, he was inducted into the Florida Music Educator's Hall of Fame. In 2022 he was presented with the Award of Excellence from the Southern Region of ACDA. Yale University School of Music presented Thomas with the Samuel Simons Sanford Medal, the most prestigious honor conferred by the Yale School of Music.He is a past president of the Florida ACDA, a past president of the Southern Division of ACDA, and the current  Past President of the National ACDA.To get in touch with André, you can email him at athomas@acda.org or find him on Facebook (@andre.thomas.52).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

For the next several episodes, we're partnering with Chorus America to bring you a sneak preview of what's coming up at the Chorus America Annual Conference, being held this year in our home town, San Francisco! We hope you'll enjoy this opportunity to get to know a bit more about the conference's speakers and their areas of expertise, and especially to get to know these folks on a personal level. This week on In Unison: a sneak peek of a conversation on socially conscious repertoire that focuses on environmentalism and the growing anxiety regarding climate change. Dr. Kirsten Hedegaard, founder of the EcoVoice Project and director of choral activities at Loyola University Chicago, will moderate a discussion exploring how composers are engaging with this issue in a variety of ways and how choral music provides a unique opportunity to grapple with the climate crisis.We hope to see you in San Francisco for the Chorus America Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2023. More information is available at chorusamerica.org. Music excerpts “Fire,” by Katerina Gimon, performed by Loyola Chamber Choir, directed by Kirsten Hedegaard“Earth Song,” by Frank Ticheli, performed by Loyola Chorale & Chamber Choir, and University of Illinois (chorus members from Urbana-Champaign, Springfield, and Chicago campuses), directed by Kirsten Hedegaard Episode referencesChorus America conferenceDr. Kirsten HedegaardThe EcoVoice ProjectNew Earth EnsembleTheme Song: Mr. Puffy by Avi Bortnik, arr. by Paul Kim. Performed by Dynamic

For the next several episodes, we're partnering with Chorus America to bring you a sneak preview of what's coming up at the Chorus America Annual Conference, being held this year in our home town, San Francisco! We hope you'll enjoy this opportunity to get to know a bit more about the conference's speakers and their areas of expertise, and especially to get to know these folks on a personal level. Building on a shared understanding that songs are stories and choruses and singers are storytellers, today's episode with Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler will give us a sneak peek at his Chorus America conference session where we explore the question: How can we envision and manifest antiracism in every aspect of our field, from repertoire to the way choral organizations are structured? We hope to see you in San Francisco for the Chorus America Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2023. More information is available at chorusamerica.org. Music excerpts “Chains,” written by Gary Hines, performed by Sounds of Blackness“Optimistic,” written by Gary Hines, performed by Sounds of Blackness“Total Praise,” written by Richard Smallwood, performed by Richard Smallwood and VisionEpisode referencesChorus America conferenceDr. Antonio C. CuylerAccess, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Cultural OrganizationsArts Management, Cultural Policy, & the African DiasporaAlysia Lee, Baltimore Children & Youth Fund“Hold Fast to Dreams,” by Joel Thompson, performed by the Atlanta Master Chorale, Dr. Eric Nelson, conductor; Joel Thompson, accompanist (YouTube)Theme Song: Mr. Puffy by Avi Bortnik, arr. by Paul Kim. Performed by Dynamic

NATS members Alisa Belflower and Karen Brunssen share the exciting details about the new genres and the Children and Youth Categories that will be available as part of the NATS National Student Audition program. Discover new opportunities for your students to perform for professional adjudication. Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.nats.org/nats-membership.html https://www.nats.org/national_student_auditions.html For questions about the National Student Auditions: vpauditions@nats.org About our guests: Karen Brunssen, mezzo soprano, Professor of Voice, Co-Chair Department of Music Performance, Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, Past-President of NATS. Author of The Evolving Singing Voice: Changes Across the Life Span Plural Publishing, Karen has presented for NATS, EVTA, AOTOS, Choral Canada, ACDA, Chorus America, ICVT, IFCM, many colleges, and universities, and has done teaching residencies in Zurich and in England at Cambridge University. She performed in concert, oratorio, and opera in Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, Switzerland, and throughout the United States. ALISA BELFLOWER joined the Korff School of Music's faculty and the Carson School of Theatre and Film's faculty at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2000. She teaches voice and acting as well as serving as musical director, coach, and/or staging director for UNL productions. Alisa also works as an Associate Producer in Development with the Lied Center for Performing Arts. As an advocate of new works, she directs developmental staged readings with renowned guest composers-in-residence and is a resident stage director in ASCAP's Midwest New Musical Theatre Workshop. Having presented her research and performed internationally, Alisa is currently in her second term as the West Central NATS Region's Governor and is the NATS National Vice President of Auditions 2022-2024.

For the next several episodes, we're partnering with Chorus America to bring you a sneak preview of what's coming up at the Chorus America Annual Conference, being held this year in our home town, San Francisco! We hope you'll enjoy this opportunity to get to know a bit more about the conference's speakers and their areas of expertise, and especially to get to know these folks on a personal level. One of the most important ways we can learn about each other is by singing each other's songs. This belief is at the heart of conductor, singer, and vocal activist Melanie DeMore's work. Join Melanie for this workshop and session where she will ground us in what it means to be solidly human and challenge us to be more understanding and empathetic through the connection of singing together.We hope to see you in San Francisco for the Chorus America Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2023. More information is available at chorusamerica.org. Music excerpts “Aćhe-o-kwa” by Melanie DeMore, performed by Melanie DeMore and St. Paul's Episcopal School Choir“Sending You Light,” written and performed by Melanie DeMoreEpisode referencesChorus America conferenceMelanie DeMoreAll One Tribe CollectiveObeah OperaThreshold ChoirTheme Song: Mr. Puffy by Avi Bortnik, arr. by Paul Kim. Performed by Dynamic

For the next several episodes, we're partnering with Chorus America to bring you a sneak preview of what's coming up at the Chorus America Annual Conference, being held this year in our home town, San Francisco! We hope you'll enjoy this opportunity to get to know a bit more about the conference's speakers and their areas of expertise, and especially to get to know these folks on a personal level. Today's episode is with Karen Hopper, the Associate Director of Performance Strategy at Razorfish, where she helps Fortune 100 clients make smart decisions about their creative marketing using data. Karen will be leading the session “Unleash Your Fundraising With Digital Scale,” and today we'll get a small taste of what Karen's session will be all about. We hope to see you in San Francisco for the Chorus America Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2023. More information is available at chorusamerica.org. Music excerpts: Alleluia, by Jake Runestad, performed by Kantorei, directed by Joel RinsemaBefore Spring, by Mari Esabel Valverde, text by Amir Rabiyah, performed by CantusEpisode referencesChorus America conferenceKaren HopperJason Max Ferdinand SingersAndy CrestodinaKantoreiCherry Creek SchoolsThe M+R Guide to Effective and Ethical Direct Response CreativeChoral Arts

What is Equity Sings? Why and how does “ADEIBR” fit into our choral spaces work in choral spaces? And where the choral sector is going in the coming years? Hear from President/CEO of Equity Sings and Equity Coach, Arreon Harley-Emerson as we talk about he got into this work, what they are providing to our choral sphere (and beyond), and how can you also jump in and do the work? Learn more about Arreon Harley-Emerson & Equity Sings: https://equitysings.com/biography/ and https://equitysings.com/ Explore the programs talked about in this episode: Listen to Arreon's first appearance on the Music (ed) Matters Podcast, Episode 92. Follow Equity Sings on Instagram! Check out the CELA partnership with Chorus America. https://chorusamerica.org/leadership-academy Sign-up for the “Equity Sings” newsletterMark your calendars for “Bent but not Broken” November 8-11, 2023Book Recommendation: “A Black Theology of Liberation” by James H. ConeOrganizations: Tonality (https://www.ourtonality.org/) and BLM(https://blacklivesmatter.com/) Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wKR6WArfUws Join us over at Patreon.com/MusicEdMatters for monthly meet-ups, monthly bonus episodes, special content and more!Want more? Check out Dr. Burch's book “The Business of Choir” website, businessofchoir.com. **Show music originally written by Mr. Todd Monsell**Show photography provided by Dr. Dan Biggerstaff

"I call it 'choral confession.' They come up to you and tell you their history with choir: 'I don't read sheet music.' 'I'm not a soloist.' These are wonderful capable singers, musically creative individuals that love what they do and contribute so much. My hope is that a book like this can give them the confidence to look at themselves and say 'I'm not just the blending voice that maybe my seventh grade choir teacher told me I am. I'm a contributor."Matthew Bumbach is a sought-after conductor, composer, adjudicator, and clinician who has worked throughout North America, Europe, and Africa. He is the Director of Music Ministries at Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA.  Matthew has performed and recorded with such artists as Gloria Estefan, Time for Three, and Broadway's star Rachel Potter. He has published research in NCCO's The Choral Scholar, Chorus America's Research Memorandum Series, ACDA's The Choral Journal, and several state and regional journals. Matthew's choral arrangements are published by Hal Leonard. In 2022, Dr. Bumbach coauthored A Quick Start Guide To Choral Singing (GIA Publications) with Dr. Dean Luethi. Matthew lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Dr. Melissa Bumbach, and their twin daughters, Rachel and Selena. To get in touch with Matt, you can find him on Facebook (@mbbumbach) or email him at mbumbach@shallowford.org.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro episode from September 16, 2022, 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 Pexels

"It is important for our members to be seen in spaces that they've traditionally not been welcome to. When you feel that you belong in a space, it changes something inside of you... You learn to use your voice by singing, and then you have the confidence to go use it in ways that dramatically impact your life and the lives of others."Erin Guinup's pursuit of creative, uplifting, and service-oriented work is the driving force behind her varied career. She is the founding Executive and Artistic Director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir which has included singers from 66 countries and performed for over 40,000 people. With the choir, she has spoken at TEDxSeattle, been featured on PBS, and presented on hope in diverse communities for Starbucks and the Global Migrant Festival in Singapore. She has led national community singing events, spoken at national conferences for NATS, ACDA, and Chorus America, and presented workshops on the voice of leadership for Amazon and small business groups. Erin is a classically-trained soprano and has been featured with groups including Symphony Tacoma, Ensign Symphony and Tacoma Concert Band singing Puccini's La Bohème, Handel's Messiah, Carmina Burana, Disney's Frozen, and her own original songs. Her internationally performed one-woman show about female composers was praised as “an amazing tour-de-force” and another show was described as “life-changing”.  A sought-after teacher in classical and contemporary vocal technique and contributing author for three books, Erin's voice students have found success on Broadway, operatic stages, radio and television. Other career highlights include directing the world premiere of Orson Scott Card and Mark Mitchell's He is There; performing as Mary Poppins; conducting Rob Gardner's Lamb of God; hearing her choral works performed by other choirs; and singing with Israeli-Palestinian choir Common Ground Voices in Jerusalem and Germany. Erin was recently recognized as an American Leadership Forum fellow, OL Reign Legend, one of Tacoma's Most Inspiring Women and one of five Women to Watch by South Sound Magazine. She became a Senior Fellow of the Tacoma/Pierce County chapter of the American Leadership Forum in 2022.To get in touch with Erin, you can find her on Facebook (@erin.guinup) or visit the Tacoma Refugee Choir website, https://www.refugeechoir.org/ .Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro episode from September 16, 2022, 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 Pexels

"We've found other ways to make music by centering on the creative process and composition – collective composition in particular. Bringing young people together to meet across difference and to put music at the center as a tool for them to engage in dialogue has just been greater than I could have imagined."Alysia Lee receives national recognition for advancing access, equity, and decolonization with leaders, organizations, and communities. Her methods center on youth, anti-racism, creativity, and justice.Alysia is the inaugural President of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund, the bold hyperlocal grantmaker stewarding public funds to support the success of Baltimore's young people. Lee is the Founder and Artistic Director of Sister Cities Girlchoir (SCG), the El Sistema-inspired, girl empowerment choral academy in Philadelphia, Camden, and Baltimore in its tenth season. SCG is an award-winning and trendsetting choral education program with performance credits from Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and numerous school and community stages.Lee has an emerging voice as a choral composer. She is the series editor of Hal Leonard's Exigence for Young Voices, the new choral series uplifting Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian composers for young choir ensembles. Her piece ‘Say Her Name' is published by Hal Leonard. She has recent composition commissions from Baltimore Choral Arts, Portland Lesbian Choir, and GALA Choruses. Lee is also a Board member of Chorus America and a National Advisor to ArtsEdSEL. Lee is formerly the education program supervisor for Fine Arts Education for the Maryland State Department of Education across five arts disciplines: music, dance, visual art, theatre, and media arts.Recent recognitions include awards from The Kennedy Center, The Knight Foundation, National Association of University Women, Stockton Bartol Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and BEQ Pride. Recent speaking/facilitation engagements include the U.S. Department of Education, The Kennedy Center, VH-1 Save the Music, Carnegie Hall, Arts Education Partnership, TEDX, many colleges and universities, and national and state professional associations.A Baltimore native, Lee is an alumna of Maryland public schools (Baltimore County Public Schools). She earned her graduate degree from Peabody Conservatory. Alysia also completed Executive Education programs at Harvard University and La Salle University.To get in touch with Alysia, follow her on Instagram: @alysiadlee.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro episode 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 Pexels

"We all get this exposure to popular music as young children, and when we get to the academy, we're quickly taught that popular music is less worthy, less valuable. The idea that started to settle with me is that we don't tear down the choir model that we have, but we start to add to it and allow different avenues."Matthew Bumbach (he/him) is known for heartfelt choral programming that engages singers and audiences alike. He uses choral performance to develop the whole person and equips students with the tools to think deeply, create imaginatively, and lead transparently. For this purpose, he focuses not only on quality performance that is culturally informed and carefully polished, but an ethical path to excellence. Dr. Bumbach works to create an inclusive environment that focuses on equity and justice so that all students receive an equitable experience.With a research interest that focuses on the confluence of classical choral music and popular musical styles Dr. Bumbach frequently writes, presents, and lectures on bluegrass style, fusion choral works, technology integration in choral performance, and storytelling in virtual choir videos. He has published articles in ACDA's The Choral Journal, NCCO's Choral Scholar, Chorus America's Research Memorandum Series, SDMEA's South Dakota Musician, and FMEA's Florida Music Director. His choral compositions have been performed by the Virginia Chorale, Florida Singing Sons Boychoir, the Orlando Chorale, Fredonia State University Chamber Singers, College of Central Florida, University of Miami, and several middle and high school choirs. His published choral music is carried by Hal Leonard and his independent publications can be found at sheetmusicplus.com.Dr. Bumbach has taught middle school, high school, community college, and university choirs in Florida and South Dakota. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University, his Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of South Florida, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. Dr. Bumbach lives in Clarksville, AR, with his wife and twin daughters. To get in touch with Matthew, you can email him at mbumbach@ozarks.edu or find him on Facebook (@mbbumbach) or Instagram (@drbumbach) .Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

A conversation with art industry leader Aubrey Bergauer on the state of the classical music industry and how we can positively impact the future of our musical community.   MORE ABOUT AUBREY BERGAUER (bio below): Website: https://www.aubreybergauer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreybergauer/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubreybergauer/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aubreybergauer?lang=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Aubreyyyy326 Medium: https://aubreybergauer.medium.com/     MIND OVER FINGER:   Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter and receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice using a metronome. Don't forget to join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community  for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians. www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/   Aubrey Bergauer, Biography “Redefining the classical concert experience” —Southwest Airlines magazine Hailed as “the Steve Jobs of classical music” (Observer) and “the Sheryl Sandberg of the symphony” (LA Review of Books), Aubrey Bergauer is known for her results-driven, customer-centric, data-obsessed pursuit of changing the narrative for the performing arts. A “dynamic administrator” with an “unquenchable drive for canny innovation” (San Francisco Chronicle), her leadership as Executive Director of the California Symphony propelled the organization to double the size of its audience and nearly quadruple the donor base. In 2019, the side hustle became the main hustle as she moved her consulting practice full time and has now served dozens of clients across artistic disciplines, geographies, and budgets up to $300M. Bergauer's ability to cast and communicate vision moves large teams forward and brings stakeholders together across the institution, earning her “a reputation for coming up with great ideas and then realizing them” (San Francisco Classical Voice). Her drive to see opportunity in place of unsolvable challenges or irreversible trends produces different results than the norm, secures new revenue streams, and galvanizes audiences and donors. Bergauer builds strategic plans and organizations, leverages technology and new media to elevate and extend the brand, and prioritizes diversity and inclusion to create a stronger product on stage and off. A graduate of Rice University with degrees in Music Performance and Business, her work and leadership has been covered in national publications including Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, Wall Street Journal, and Southwest Airlines and Symphony magazines, and she is a frequent speaker at universities and conferences including TEDx, Adobe's Magento, the League of American Orchestras, Opera America, Chorus America, Classical:NEXT, APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals), Deutscher Orchestertag, and Orchestras Canada.  

Every July the “Music (ed) Matters” podcast usually takes a break, but this summer we are doing a series of replays to celebrate the book, “The Business of Choir” recently released by Alex Gartner and your host, Dr. Emily Williams Burch. In this replay from the Pre-Release Book Tour, you'll hear from Chorus America CEO Catherine Dehoney who talks with us about the importance of data and intentionality to justify the worth of choral singing. What type of data do we need to know and understand, where do we find it, and how do we identify the links necessary to tell our choral stories? Want to hear more about the book Alex and Emmy are writing? Check out Episodes 74 and 110! Order your copy of “The Business of Choir”: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/the-business-of-choir-book-g10713. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4tYKqrJ4hEA Find out more about Chorus America at ChorusAmerica.org Join us over at Patreon.com/MusicEdMatters for monthly meet-ups, monthly bonus episodes, special content, and more!Support the companies that make The Music (ed) Matters Podcast possible: —Kaleidoscope Adventures - find your adventure today, kaleidoscopeadventures.com/.  Including the June 2023 Festival and PD Weekend in Myrtle Beach with Alex & Emmy and their choirs!— The Kinnison Choral Company - check out their quality resources - or get your tracks made today - at KinnisonChoralCo.com. **Show music originally written by Mr. Todd Monsell**Show photography provided by Dr. Dan Biggerstaff

Recorded on the road, but taking the time to recap everything from the Chorus America 2022 Conference: what it was, what we learned, how it flowed, why you should go next year, and other thoughts from your host, Dr. Emily Williams Burch. Check out the GIA website to get your copy: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/the-business-of-choir-book-g10713. Find out more about Chorus America at ChorusAmerica.org Explore the awesome choral institute created by Choralosophy's Chris Munce: https://kantoreikc.com/educational-outreach/ Join us over at Patreon.com/MusicEdMatters for monthly meet-ups, monthly bonus episodes, special content and more!Support the companies that make The Music (ed) Matters Podcast possible: —Kaleidoscope Adventures - find your adventure today, kaleidoscopeadventures.com/.  Including the June 2023 Festival and PD Weekend in Myrtle Beach with Alex & Emmy and their choirs!— The Kinnison Choral Company - check out their quality resources - or get your tracks made today - at KinnisonChoralCo.com. **Show music originally written by Mr. Todd Monsell**Show photography provided by Dr. Dan Biggerstaff

"The text is so crucial to my process. I try and derive every little detail -- rhythm and harmony and melody and the overall mood and tone and textures and timbres of the piece -- from the text itself. The text is really at the heart of everything I do."Dale Trumbore is a Los Angeles-based composer and writer whose music has been called "devastatingly beautiful" (The Washington Post) and praised for its "soaring melodies and beguiling harmonies deployed with finesse" (The New York Times). Trumbore's compositions have been performed widely in the U.S. and internationally by the Chicago Symphony's MusicNOW ensemble, Los Angeles Children's Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Modesto Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Phoenix Chorale, Tonality, and VocalEssence.​The recipient of ACDA's inaugural Raymond W. Brock Competition for Professional Composers, an ASCAP Morton Gould Award, and a Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grant, Trumbore has also served as Composer in Residence for Choral Chameleon. She has been awarded artist residencies at Copland House, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, the Tusen Takk Foundation, and Ucross. Her choral works have been commissioned for premieres at national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists, Chorus America, and National Collegiate Choral Organization, and her music is available through Boosey & Hawkes, G. Schirmer, and Graphite Marketplace.Trumbore is passionate about setting to music poems, prose, and found text by living writers. She has  written extensively about working through creative blocks and establishing a career in music in essays for Cantate Magazine, the Center for New Music, and NewMusicBox. Her first book, Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within a Creative Life, was hailed by writer Angela Myles Beeching as a "treasure trove of practical strategies for moving your artistic career forward... not only for composers, but for performers, writers, and any other creatives." Trumbore's short fiction is published or forthcoming from Southern Indiana Review, New Delta Review, and F(r)iction. She is currently working on a collection of short stories.Trumbore holds a dual degree in Music Composition (B.M.) and English (B.A.) from the University of Maryland, as well as a Master of Music degree in Composition from the University of Southern California. A New Jersey native, Trumbore currently lives in Azusa, CA with her spouse and their three cats.To get in touch with Dale, you can visit her website --  daletrumbore.com -- or use her contact form.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

Meet this month's Advocacy and Collaboration Curated Episode, Chorus America's VP of Membership and Communication, Liza Beth. In this episode, we talk through steps for advocating as well as ideas for collaborating. Get ready to connect to your "why" while also learning how to utilize the data to support your impact and further tell your story - the glamorous and quiet ones. Let's all join in telling our story as we #rediscoverharmony!Learn more about Liza Beth: https://chorusamerica.org/node/9023 Chorus America's website: chorusamerica.org The Chorus Impact Study, Singing for a Lifetime: https://chorusamerica.org/resource/chorus-impact-study-singing-lifetime #RediscoverHarmony website: rediscoverharmony.com Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7M0ueh-bCks. Join us over at Patreon.com/MusicEdMatters for monthly meet-ups, monthly bonus episodes, special pre-release book content, and more!Support the companies that make The Music (ed) Matters Podcast possible: —Kaleidoscope Adventures - find your adventure today, kaleidoscopeadventures.com/. — The Kinnison Choral Company - check out their quality resources - or get your tracks made today - at KinnisonChoralCo.com. **Show music originally written by Mr. Todd Monsell**Show photography provided by Dr. Dan Biggerstaff

Now in his eight season, Sean Mikel Baugh is the Artistic Director of the Turtle Creek Chorale. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sean studied music at Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Central Oklahoma and was awarded a Master of Music in Conducting degree from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University where he was named outstanding graduate conductor. At the Meadows School, Sean served as assistant conductor of the world-renowned Meadows Wind Ensemble. He has studied with Nancy Hill Cobb, Jack Delaney, Paul Phillips and many others.Sean has been called “expressive and incredibly dynamic, a consummate musician with a side of showman. He exhilarates audience members and singers alike.” He is regularly praised for his innovative programming and expressive technique. His choirs have enjoyed positive reviews and have been lauded for their musicality and emotional performances. An active advocate for male choral music, Sean regularly commissions new works from established composers.Sean also serves as Conductor and Associate Director of Music and Worship for Dallas-based Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ where he leads the choir and orchestra for Sunday worship services. Cathedral of Hope is the world's largest congregation with a primary outreach to the LGBT community.Under his direction, the Turtle Creek Chorale has performed for the national conference of the American Choral Director's Association, and the Southwest division of ACDA. Sean was recently invited to conduct at Carnegie Hall, and will take the TCC there in 2022. Sean is in demand nationwide as speaker, guest-conductor and clinician. He has served on the music faculty of the University of Dallas and is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Gay & Lesbian Association of Choruses, Texas Choral Directors Association, and Chorus America.Sean has been twice named “Outstanding LGBT Role Model” by the Dallas Voice.

The love of choral singing is woven throughout not only this episode, but also in Linda Tedford's life.  Find out about her roots, specific experiences that shaped her, and how she became a founder and conductor of Central PA's award-winning choral group, the Susquehanna Chorale.  Reflections on the importance of singing and finding her own voice will resonate with you in an impactful way, especially for those of you who already love singing or simply wish to begin! Linda L. Tedford is the Artistic Director, Founder, and Conductor of the award-winning Susquehanna Chorale, established in 1981. She is responsible for the creation of the Chorale's Educational Outreach program, which reaches hundreds of local student singers annually. Ms. Tedford is Professor Emeritus (Director of Choral Activities) at Messiah University in Grantham, PA. Choirs under her leadership have performed at regional and state conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA); for the Legislature and Governor of Pennsylvania; and in several European venues. Her work is featured on over 16 professionally produced CDs, and her choirs appear regularly with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. In 1994, Ms. Tedford and the Susquehanna Chorale received Chorus America's highest lifetime award, The Margaret Hillis Achievement Award for Choral Excellence. Ms. Tedford is the 2011 recipient of ACDA-PA's Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence for outstanding lifelong work in the choral art. In 2013, she received Theatre Harrisburg's Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region. Ms. Tedford holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Temple University, where she studied with internationally renowned conductor Robert Page. She pursued additional study at Westminster Choir College, as well as with prominent conductors such as Robert Shaw, Gregg Smith, and Dale Warland, and with voice teachers Robert Grooters and Thomas Houser. She is an active member of Chorus America and the American Choral Directors Association. Ms. Tedford is a frequent guest conductor and clinician. Links: https://www.susquehannachorale.org https://www.messiah.edu/info/21654/academics_in_action/2417/linda_tedford https://www.harrisburgsymphony.org Susquehanna Chorale website: Susquehannachorale.org Chorus America: Chorusamerica.orgAmerican Choral Directors Association: ACDA.org Co-hosts, Molly and Justin are Co-owners of www.ThePerfect5th.com

We are writing a book, y'all! We being Alex Gartner and your host, Dr. Emily Williams Burch. In this installment of the Pre-Release Book Tour, you'll hear from Chorus America CEO Catherine Dehoney who talks with us about the importance of data and intentionality to justify the worth of choral singing. What type of data do we need to know and understand, where do we find it, and how do we identify the links necessary to tell our choral stories? Want to hear more about the book Alex and Emmy are writing? Check out Episode 74! Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4tYKqrJ4hEA Find out more about Chorus America at ChorusAmerica.org **Check out our show sponsors at EmilyBurch.org/sponsors. Support the show at Patreon.com/MusicEdMatters.  **Show music originally written by Mr. Todd Monsell**Show photography provided by Dr. Dan Biggerstaff

In January, The Choral Commons hosted a round table discussion on justice-centered choral advocacy, accountability, and strategic planning for the new year with  panelists: Catherine Dehoney, President & CEO, Chorus America; Maria Guinand, Vice President, IFCM; Mackie Spradley, President, NAfME; Elizabeth Swanson, Vice President, NCCO; and Andre Thomas, Vice-President, ACDA.

The Tacoma Refugee Choir began as a pilot project in August 2016 in partnership with Tacoma Community House with a group of 22 refugees and community members.  The program was well received and quickly grew to create a welcoming and affirmative learning experience for over 600 participants from 52 nations along with diverse members from the U.S. The group's primary objective is to create space where meaningful relationships can develop and members can uplift one another, using music as a tool to engage members and open the door for authentic expression, interconnection, and healing.  Erin Guinup is the founding Executive and Artistic Director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir. A passionate advocate of community singing and the power of music to heal and unite communities, she has led community singing events and spoken at national conferences for Chorus America, National Association of Teachers of Singing, American Choral Director's Association, and the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Stockholm, Sweden, and TEDxSeattle. As a solo artist, Erin frequently performs as a guest soloist with ensembles including Symphony Tacoma, Ensign Symphony, Northwest Repertory Singers and Tacoma Concert Band. Specializing in both classical and contemporary technique, she is a sought-after clinician and voice teacher with students on Broadway, regional theatre and operatic stages, and television's American Idol, The Voice, and America's Got Talent. She is a composer and author, contributing to the books So You Want to Sing Music by Women and My Body Was Left on the Street: Music Education and Displacement. Most recently, Erin was named one of five Women to Watch by South Sound Magazine.Thierry Ruboneka is a peace advocate, entrepreneur and has a great passion for music. He moved to United States in 2016 with his family as refugees after spending so many years away from their home country DRC which was torn apart with war. He studied Multimedia while in his refugee in Uganda and went ahead to manage one of the most successful digital music startups in Africa. He has over Seven years' experience in administration, business development and management. After arriving in United States he has worked with organizations for Refugee Services and resettlement, he is an exceptional event organizer with hands on experience very detail-oriented, with a reputation for thorough process documentation creation, review, and training. His ability to speak fluently 5 different languages gained two years' experience working with immigrants and refugees from different countries and nationalities. in the same year of his arrival he worked with Uganda North America Association to bring the first beauty pageant of Miss Uganda North America to Washington and has started his own start up to promote African Culture and life style. Maurice Lekea, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), arrived in the US in 2000. After 19 years of living in Washington, his Asylum case finally got approved in July 2019. While raising 5 children (3 sons and 2 daughters) as a single dad, Maurice went to school in North Seattle College and worked a full time job. He then continued his education at Edmond Community College. Despite speaking no english when he first arrived in America, Maurice eventually became a certified French - English Interpreter/Translator in 2008 . He worked for Rosetta Stone coaching French. He also provided translation services for hospitals, social services, courts, and immigration. Maurice has enjoyed his volunteer work with the Shoreline YMCA after school program “Hangtime”. In August 2019, Maurice joined the choir: “it was an outstanding experience to meet people from different backgrounds, ethnics, cultures etc...developing friendship.” 

Common Ground Voices / La Frontera brings together a diverse group of artists in community music and peace-building projects situated at the border of Mexico and the United States. Through its signature programs, weeklong residencies and two-day encuentros, Common Ground Voices / La Frontera considers forced migration, identity, place, belonging, and shared humanity in this politically charged and historically contested region.CGV La Frontera aims to generate meaningful collaboration through music, explore and create music of shared human values and aspirations, contribute to community music as an exercise of non-violence, and utilize music as a springboard for a meaningful discussion about social and political change within the group as well as with the society in general. We believe in transcending political and demographic borders through art-, theatre-, and music-making; in the transformative potential of immersive and experiential encounters with difference; in the power of proximity to expand perspectives and open hearts; and in the role that culture-bearers play in building community.Emilie Amrein (she/they) is a cultural strategist, a community music practitioner, and an advocate for justice-centered choral practice. She is executive producer of The Choral Commons, and co-artistic director of Common Ground Voices / La Frontera, a bi-national community music project that aims to build relationships and understanding across political, demographic, and perceptual borders as an exercise of non-violence. She is also founder of Peregrine Music, an arts and education organization committed to engaging communities in meaningful dialogue about the most pressing social issues facing the world with creative, youth-driven performance projects. Emilie has presented her work for several distinguished professional organizations, including Chorus America, the American Choral Directors Association, the College Music Society, and the National Youth Leadership Council. Emilie is Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at the University of San Diego where she teaches courses on the intersection of music and social justice movements, community music, and changemaking.Soprano and Choral Conductor, Dzaya Castillo Jiménez studied music at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes and has diplomas in Choral Conducting and Mexican Ethnomusicology. Since 2001, she has served as Academic Coordinator and Teacher Trainer in the community choral program, RedeseArte Cultura de Paz and SALUDARTE de CONARTE in various border cities of Mexico such as Tapachula, Nogales, Ciudad Juárez and also Mexico City. Beginning in 2014, she has served as coordinator of choirs for the Redes 2025 program at Tijuana's Centro de Artes Musicales, a program that promotes individual, community and social transformation through art. This program currently serves 300 choristers who sing in Community Choirs and 110 youth in Selection Choirs from various neighborhoods and communities in Baja California. She has conducted choirs in renowned spaces as the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall and at the International Choir Festival "Tlaxcala Canta," and Youth Creating Harmony Festival in Encinitas, CA, among others. In 2018, she founded and directed the International Festival “Coralifornia,” an annual choral festival bringing choirs together from across the continent in song.

This week we chat with http://www.vincepeterson.com/ (Vince Peterson), the director of https://www.choralchameleon.com/summer-institute-for-composers--conductors.html (Choral Chameleon) and the https://www.empirecitymenschorus.org/ (Empire City Men’s Chorus), as well as the founder and brilliant mind behind the newly minted https://www.greenhousemusic.us/ (Greenhouse Music School). Vince is also the recipient of the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKprCMOltIw (Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal) from Chorus America -- and in this episode, you’ll hear why.  http://www.inunisonpodcast.com/episodes/s02e08#transcript (Episode transcript) “https://soundcloud.com/choralchameleon/annunciation (Annunciation),” by https://jeremyhowardbeck.com/ (Jeremy Howard Beck), performed by Choral Chameleon Chorus “https://open.spotify.com/track/2STwHQF5hr6JSfdtgheuAG?si=NxL3SuWwR_2zd_iIr0ovAw (Goshu Ondo Suite: Part 3),” by http://eriyamamoto.com/ (Eri Yamamoto), performed byhttp://eriyamamoto.com/ ( Eri Yamamoto Trio) & Choral Chameleon "What are we becoming?" by http://www.daletrumbore.com/music (Dale Trumbore ) “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMyFBSMFiao (Qing Yi 青衣')” by https://www.yangfanxu.com/ (Yangfan Xu), performed by Choral Chameleon Ensemble, http://themoderntrumpet.com/nathan-plante/ (Nathan Plante), trumpet “https://www.patreon.com/choralchameleon (Fragile)” by https://www.sting.com/splash (Sting), arranged by Vince Peterson, performed by Choral Chameleon Episode references http://www.choralchameleon.org/ (Choral Chameleon) https://www.choralchameleon.com/summer-institute-for-composers--conductors.html (Choral Chameleon Summer Institute) https://www.choralchameleon.com/composer-in-residence-program.html (Choral Chameleon Composer in Residence Program) https://www.patreon.com/choralchameleon (Choral Chameleon on Patreon) https://www.greenhousemusic.us/ (Greenhouse Music) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxw90usT-9I&t=92s (Taste and Woven Programs) https://www.empirecitymenschorus.org/ (Empire City Men’s Chorus) https://www.greenhousemusic.us/ (Greenhouse School) Theme Song: https://music.apple.com/us/album/mr-puffy/1457011536?i=1457011549 (Mr. Puffy) by Avi Bortnik, arr. by Paul Kim. Performed by http://www.dynamicjazz.dk/ (Dynamic)

This week we chat with three of the authors of the https://www.blackvoicesmatterpledge.org/ (Black Voices Matter Pledge): composers https://zanaidarobles.com/ (Drs. Zanaida S. Robles) and https://www.melissadunphy.com/about.php (Melissa Dunphy), as well as https://www.chorusamerica.org/node/9048 (Christie McKinney), Director of Programs at Chorus America.  We discuss the details of the pledge, the politics of composing, and breaking the cycle of apathy in combating social change in our choral communities.    Also, stick around after the conversation to hear more new music from LA-based choir Tonality and compositions from Drs. Robles & Dunphy.  http://www.inunisonpodcast.com/episodes/s02e07#transcript (Episode transcript) Music excerpts “https://open.spotify.com/track/1hK3zlbRPzr4pmHiPWsUDh?si=90f5cbbab12c4b0b (Sing About It),” by https://moirasmiley.com/ (Moira Smiley), performed by http://ourtonality.org (Tonality) “https://open.spotify.com/track/2xGnkSVz3ud6mCe8O7q9rm?si=b3d912baebff48e0 (Poor Wayfaring Stranger),” traditional, arr. by https://alexanderlblake.com/ (Alexander L Blake), performed by http://ourtonality.org (Tonality) “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7BuLIt5K9w (I Don’t Recall)” from http://gonzalescantata.com/ (The Gonzales Cantata), by https://www.melissadunphy.com/ (Dr. Melissa S. Dunphy); https://valottastudios.com/staff/julie-kremm (Julie Kremm), soprano  “https://open.spotify.com/track/6KCemNJZCvIKPFGWBru13R?si=LxLIISp9T76SlXPThciuZQ (Seven Last Words of the Unarmed”;  “V. Oscar Grant),” by https://www.laopera.org/about-us/artists-2/creative-team/joel-thompson/#:~:text=Emmy%20Award%2Dwinning%20composer%2C%20Joel,LA%20Opera%20in%20early%202021. (Joel Thompson), performed by https://ourtonality.org/ (Tonality) “https://open.spotify.com/track/3z8jzkGtxJKg97EnINJue9?si=3P3i0NmwQ12FSVCK25c7mA (Can You See),” by http://zanaidarobles.com/ (Dr. Zanaida S. Robles), performed by http://ourtonality.org (Tonality)  Episode references https://www.blackvoicesmatterpledge.org/ (Black Voices Matter Pledge), authored by: https://alexanderlblake.com/ (Alexander L Blake) of https://ourtonality.org/ (Tonality) https://www.melissadunphy.com/ (Dr. Melissa Dunphy), composer https://zanaidarobles.com/ (Dr. Zanaida Robles), composer,  https://www.hw.com/arts/Performing-Arts (Harvard-Westlake School)/https://www.neighborhooduu.org/ (Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church) https://www.chorusamerica.org/node/9048 (Christie McKinney), https://www.chorusamerica.org/ (Chorus America) https://www.emilieamrein.com/ (Emilie Amrein), https://www.sandiego.edu/cas/performing-arts-entrepreneurship/faculty-and-staff/biography.php?profile_id=723 (University of San Diego) https://www.reginaldmobley.com/ (Reginald Mobley), countertenor; https://handelandhaydn.org/ (Handel and Haydn Society) https://www.chorusamerica.org/conf2018/jen-rogers (Jen Rogers) https://www.laopera.org/about-us/artists-2/creative-team/joel-thompson/#:~:text=Emmy%20Award%2Dwinning%20composer%2C%20Joel,LA%20Opera%20in%20early%202021. (Joel Thompson), composer https://www.tesfawon.com/ (Tesfa Wondemagegnehu), https://www.stolaf.edu/profile/tesfa (St. Olaf College) http://chorusamerica.org/conf2020/program (Chorus America Annual Conference) http://ahmedanzaldua.com/ (Ahmed Anzaldua) of https://bordercrossingmn.org/ (Border Crossing) https://alexanderlblake.com/ (Alexander L Blake) of https://ourtonality.org/ (Tonality) http://www.vincepeterson.com/ (Vince Peterson) of https://www.choralchameleon.com/ (Choral Chameleon) & https://www.empirecitymenschorus.org/ (Empire City Men’s Chorus) https://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/grace-lee-boggs (Grace Lee Boggs) Theme Song: https://music.apple.com/us/album/mr-puffy/1457011536?i=1457011549 (Mr. Puffy) by Avi Bortnik, arr. by Paul Kim. Performed by http://www.dynamicjazz.dk/ (Dynamic)

#023. The Corona Choir roller coaster continues. With President and Mrs. Trump and many in the White House inner circle having tested positive, everyone is reminded again that this ongoing pandemic is real. The Skagit Valley Chorale (SVC) community needs no reminders. In March this adult choir based in Mt. Vernon, Washington lost two choir members to Covid-19. Be sure to listen to this Friday's episode, as it will be a poignant one for all of us choral folks when Steve has a conversation with SVC choral director Dr. Adam Burdick. It's the first time Adam has spoken publicly about his and his ensemble's harrowing, heart breaking experience. Today, for Science and Singing Tuesday, we continue talking to Chorus America's CEO Catherine Dehoney about the ongoing education we all need around what the research is, and the tools available to us to keep our choruses safe. She and Steve recall how little we knew in March, when tragedy struck SVC. The reality is, it could have been any of us. Visit the SHOW NOTES to find Catherine's favorite choir and corona choir resources and all sorts of other choral goodies.

#022. Nelson Mandela said, "a great leader has time for people." Chorus Amercia's CEO Catherine Dehoney can check that box. Listen to find out why. If you're missing leadership in the world like the kind Nelson Mandela provided, you'll love this episode. Wanna travel with host Steve Fisher and Commonwealth Youthchoirs to South Africa in 2021 - ALL EXPENSES PAID? Sign up for the Corona Choir email list at coronachoir.org. Because SOMEBODY is going to South Africa! Visit the SHOW NOTES to find Catherine's favorite choir and corona choir resources and all sorts of other choral goodies.

Black activist and poet, Sonya Renee Taylor, writes, “We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was never normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate and lack. We should not long to return, My friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.”This week, instead of a long form interview, we're sharing a portion of the presentation Emilie and André gave to Chorus America this past June, three weeks after the brutal murder of George Floyd and the countless uprisings for Black Lives around the country. The conversation, titled Reimagining the Choir, explored some uncomfortable topics before considering a pathway forward based on mutuality, community, and reciprocal relationships. 

One of the finest and busiest Music Educators in the country is Mr. Scott Melvin. With award winning choirs who have traveled extensively, he is now the Executive Director of Performing Arts at Mater Dei High School. Hear first-hand from this extraordinary musician and educator all about his passion for what he does and where he get the motivation to keep it all going. Mr. Melvin is a graduate of the Chapman University School of Music and is pursuing his MALA (Masters of Arts Administration and Leadership at Colorado State University. As a graduate student at CSULB, Mr. Melvin directed the Men’s Chorale as well as teaching beginning theory. As a faculty member at Chapman University, Mr. Melvin has directed the University Chorale and Men’s Chorale.In addition, Mr. Melvin is the Director of Music at Christ Our Savior Catholic Parish in Santa Ana, the Choir Director for Sts Simon and Jude Parish in Huntington Beach, CA, and is a frequent clinician throughout the Southern California area. Mr. Melvin is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, International Federation of Choral Music, Music Educators National Conference, California Music Educators Association, Chorus America, and the National Association of Church Music. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Debbie, and their three daughters, Emmerly, Nola and Aveline.MUSIC: Hosanna Brent Pierce Mater Dei Chamber Singers Scott Melvin, ConductorMUSIC: Sing Me To Heaven Daniel Gawthrop Mater Dei Chamber Singers Scott Melvin, ConductorMUSIC: Daniel Servant of the Lord Stacey Gibbs Mater Dei Chamber Singers Scott Melvin, ConductorMUSIC: Mata Del Anima Sola Antonio Estévez Mater Dei Chamber Singers Scott Melvin, Conductor Andrea Estrada, soloistMUSIC: Praise his Holy Name Kieth Hampton Mater Dei Chamber Singers and Women’s Ensemble Scott Melvin, ConductOriginal Air date Saturday, November 17, 2018

Work. Shouldn't. Suck. LIVE: The Morning(ish) Show with special guest Elizabeth Streb. [Live show recorded: May 12, 2020.] MacArthur “Genius” Award-winner, Elizabeth Streb has dived through glass, allowed a ton of dirt to fall on her head, walked down (the outside of) London’s City Hall, and set herself on fire, among other feats of extreme action. Her popular book, STREB: How to Become an Extreme Action Hero, was made into a hit documentary, Born to Fly directed by Catherine Gund (Aubin Pictures), which premiered at SXSW and received an extended run at The Film Forum in New York City in 2014. Streb founded the STREB Extreme Action Company (https://streb.org/) in 1979. In 2003, she established SLAM, the STREB Lab for Action Mechanics, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. SLAM’s garage doors are always open: anyone and everyone can come in, watch rehearsals, take classes, and learn to fly. Elizabeth Streb was invited to present a TED Talk (‘My Quest To Defy Gravity and Fly’) at TED 2018: THE AGE OF AMAZEMENT. She has been a featured speaker presenting her keynote lectures at such places as the Rubin Museum of Art (in conversation with Dr. John W. Krakauer), TEDxMET, the Institute for Technology and Education (ISTE), POPTECH, the Institute of Contemporary Art (in conversation with physicist, Brain Greene), The Brooklyn Museum of Art (in conversation with author A.M. Homes), the National Performing Arts Convention, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP), the Penny Stamps Speaker Series at the University of Michigan, Chorus America, the University of Utah, and as a Caroline Werner Gannett Project speaker in Rochester NY, among others. "Rough and Tumble," Alec Wilkinson’s profile of Elizabeth Streb, appeared in The New Yorker magazine in June, 2015. Streb received the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation ‘Genius’ Award in 1997. She holds a Master of Arts in Humanities and Social Thought from New York University, a Bachelor of Science in Modern Dance from SUNY Brockport, and honorary doctorates from SUNY Brockport, Rhode Island College and Otis College of Art and Design. Streb has received numerous other awards and fellowships including the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1987; a Brandeis Creative Arts Award in 1991; two New York Dance and Performance Awards (Bessie Awards), in 1988 and 1999 for her “sustained investigation of movement;” a Doris Duke Artist Award in 2013; and over 30 years of on-going support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). In 2009, Streb was the Danspace Project Honoree. She served on Mayor Bloomberg’s Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission and is a member of the board of the Jerome Foundation. Major commissions for choreography include: Lincoln Center Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MOCA, LA Temporary Contemporary, the Whitney Museum of Art, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, the Park Avenue Armory, London 2012, the Cultural Olympiad for the Summer Games, CityLab Paris 2018, the opening of Bloomberg’s new headquarters in London, Musée D’Orsay, the re-opening of the Théâtre du Châtelet, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Born to Fly aired on PBS on May 11, 2014 and is currently available on iTunes. OXD, directed by Craig Lowy, which follows STREB at the 2012 London Olympics, premiered at the IFC theater in New York City on February 2, 2016. Streb and her company have also been featured in PopAction by Michael Blackwood, on PBS’s In The Life and Great Performances, The David Letterman Show, BBC World News, CBS Sunday Morning, CBS This Morning, Business Insider, CNN’s Weekend Today, MTV, on the National Public Radio shows Studio 360 and Science Friday, and on Larry King Live.

Susan Medley joins Tim to talk about new research that revealed that singing is good for you, mentally and physically, and America's participation in choirs is on the rise. Susan is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Washington & Jefferson College and is the music director of the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale. Today, one in six Americans sing in community choirs. https://traffic.libsyn.com/shapingopinion/Singing_Its_Good_for_You_auphonic.mp3 According to an organization called Chorus America, singing is good for you. It's good for your health, both mentally and physically. That's right. When you find yourself singing in the shower or in your car at that red light (as the person in the car to your right watches), you're doing something good for yourself. It may not come as a surprise to you that participation in church choirs is on the decline. But overall, more people are participating in community choirs. More than 17 percent of American adults participate in some sort of choir, which is an increase from 14 percent in 2008. That means one in six American adults not only like to sing, but they've done something about it. They joined a choir. Links Chorus America Pittsburgh Concert Chorale Washington & Jefferson College - Music 1 in 6 Americans Sing in a Choir - and their healthier for it, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette About this Episode's Guest Susan Medley Susan Medley is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Washington & Jefferson College. She joined the W&J faculty in 2004 and conducts the W&J Choir and Camerata Singers, and teaches conducting and music theory. She also serves as the advisor for W&J's Epsilon Zeta chapter of Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity. In addition to her duties at W&J, Medley serves as Music Director of the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale. She was Associate Conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh from 2008 to 2012 and Music Director and Conductor of the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh from 2009 to 2013. Prior to coming to W&J, she was Associate Director of Education at Carnegie Hall in New York City and founding conductor/clinician of the Carnegie Hall High School Choral Festivals. She also held the position of Music Director of The Central City Chorus, a 60-voice community chorus that performed three annual concerts in midtown Manhattan. Under Medley's direction, the W&J Camerata Singers have appeared by invitation at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in New York City, on the Great Artists concert series at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City, at the 2009 MENC Eastern Division Conference, and at the 2010 State Conference of the Pennsylvania Music Education Association. In June 2010, the W&J Camerata Singers became the first winners of The American Prize in Choral Performance, College/University Division. The Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh followed suit in 2011, winning The American Prize in Choral Performance, High School Division. Medley's choral work has taken her to Malaysia, where she served as guest conductor of the 2006 Kuala Lumpur Young Singers Choral Festival and led workshops for choirs and conductors throughout the country. The recipient of the 2011 PMEA District 1 Citation of Excellence Award, Medley holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting with a cognate in music theory from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She holds an M.M. in Accompanying from the University of Akron and a B.M. in Music Education summa cum laude from Kent State University, where she studied piano with Naumburg Award-winning pianist Margaret Baxtresser.

Susan Medley joins Tim to talk about new research that revealed that singing is good for you, mentally and physically, and America’s participation in choirs is on the rise. Susan is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Washington & Jefferson College and is the music director of the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale. Today, one in six Americans sing in community choirs. https://traffic.libsyn.com/shapingopinion/Singing_Its_Good_for_You_auphonic.mp3 According to an organization called Chorus America, singing is good for you. It’s good for your health, both mentally and physically. That’s right. When you find yourself singing in the shower or in your car at that red light (as the person in the car to your right watches), you’re doing something good for yourself. It may not come as a surprise to you that participation in church choirs is on the decline. But overall, more people are participating in community choirs. More than 17 percent of American adults participate in some sort of choir, which is an increase from 14 percent in 2008. That means one in six American adults not only like to sing, but they’ve done something about it. They joined a choir. Links Chorus America Pittsburgh Concert Chorale Washington & Jefferson College - Music 1 in 6 Americans Sing in a Choir - and their healthier for it, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette About this Episode’s Guest Susan Medley Susan Medley is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Washington & Jefferson College. She joined the W&J faculty in 2004 and conducts the W&J Choir and Camerata Singers, and teaches conducting and music theory. She also serves as the advisor for W&J’s Epsilon Zeta chapter of Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity. In addition to her duties at W&J, Medley serves as Music Director of the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale. She was Associate Conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh from 2008 to 2012 and Music Director and Conductor of the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh from 2009 to 2013. Prior to coming to W&J, she was Associate Director of Education at Carnegie Hall in New York City and founding conductor/clinician of the Carnegie Hall High School Choral Festivals. She also held the position of Music Director of The Central City Chorus, a 60-voice community chorus that performed three annual concerts in midtown Manhattan. Under Medley’s direction, the W&J Camerata Singers have appeared by invitation at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York City, on the Great Artists concert series at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City, at the 2009 MENC Eastern Division Conference, and at the 2010 State Conference of the Pennsylvania Music Education Association. In June 2010, the W&J Camerata Singers became the first winners of The American Prize in Choral Performance, College/University Division. The Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh followed suit in 2011, winning The American Prize in Choral Performance, High School Division. Medley’s choral work has taken her to Malaysia, where she served as guest conductor of the 2006 Kuala Lumpur Young Singers Choral Festival and led workshops for choirs and conductors throughout the country. The recipient of the 2011 PMEA District 1 Citation of Excellence Award, Medley holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting with a cognate in music theory from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She holds an M.M. in Accompanying from the University of Akron and a B.M. in Music Education summa cum laude from Kent State University, where she studied piano with Naumburg Award-winning pianist Margaret Baxtresser.

Jennifer Rosenfeld believes that building a life and career where her creative expression is center stage is the key to success...and she's forging the way for others to do the same. A leading arts entrepreneurship educator and speaker, Jennifer has worked with professional artists of all genres on identifying and pursuing their career goals and overcoming the obstacles that come up along the way. She is the co-founder of iCadenza and Cadenza Artists, co-author of Awakening Your Business Brain: an iCadenza Guide to Launching your Music Career and the host of iCadenza's Creative Careers podcast.  With Bachelor of Arts degrees from Stanford University in History and Slavic Languages and Literatures and a JD/MBA from Stanford Law School and Graduate School of Business, Jennifer has consulted for organizations and universities including Hyatt, Nordstrom, SF MOMA, Stanford University, the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, Frost School of Music at University of Miami, Chorus America, and Classical KUSC. Her work with universities has ranged from designing and teaching new coursework on career preparation for musicians, consulting on curriculum development, leading workshops, and facilitating faculty retreats. She also sits on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Classical KDFC, the Bay Area's classical radio station. Jennifer's creativity is not only seen in her professional accomplishments, but in her artistic contributions as a musical theater writer and composer. Her 15 minute musical, Fears Anonymous, debuted at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June 2018 and she is currently writing a musical about the White Rose, a student-led resistance movement in Nazi Germany.   www.icadenza.com jennifer@icadenza.com   For more episodes and info go to www.franciskamusic.com

Robert Simpson is the founder and artistic director of Houston Chamber Choir and Mariam Khalili is their managing director. Houston Chamber Choir is 26 professional singers who are so good they recently won an award from Chorus America. They also have an educational programs and these music classes are among the best way to build a caring community. They have also created a Young Professionals group called Luminary Society. Their subscription package includes an invitation to the after-show party and a drink ticket. Go to www.houstonchamberchoir.org to check out their fantastic new season and hear them perform on YouTube.

This week on From the HeART, Joshua Vickery and Mary Thompson Hunt discuss Chorus America. 

Conductor Malcolm J. Merriweather is Music Director of New York City's The Dessoff Choirs, known for performances of choral works from the pre-Baroque era through the 21st century. An Assistant Professor, he is Director of Choral Studies and Voice Department Coordinator at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Artist in Residence at Union Theological Seminary, and Artistic Director of Voices of Haiti, a 60-member children's choir in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, operated by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Merriweather is also in demand as a baritone soloist, often performing throughout the eastern United States. During the summer of 2017, Merriweather led Voices of Haiti in performances with Andrea Bocelli at Teatro del Silenzio in Lajatico, Italy and for Pope Francis at the Vatican. Other conducting highlights of the 2017-18 season include: David Lang's The Little Match Girl Passion, Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem, Bach's Singet dem Herrn, BWV 225, and Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229 with The Dessoff Choirs; Handel's Messiah at Brooklyn College and the Harvard Club of New York; and Leonard Bernstein's Mass (Concert Selections) and Honegger's King David at Brooklyn College. Recent conducting highlights have included Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi's Gloria, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, and Orff's Carmina Burana. Solo engagements for the 2017-18 season include the premiere of Sanctuary Road by Pulitzer Prize-winner Paul Moravec with Kent Tritle and the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall; and Fauré's Requiem and Ralph Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem​ with Christopher Shepard and The Masterwork Chorus. Recent performances have included the baritone solos in Rautavaara's Vigilia as a part of the Great Music in a Great Space series at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine; the music of William Byrd with Parthenia; and Vaughan Williams's Dona Nobis Pacem with the Grace Choral Society. Additionally, Merriweather has been featured as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Dessoff Choirs, the New York Choral Society, and Bach Vespers Choir and Orchestra at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City. The baritone has also premiered contemporary solo works by Eve Beglarian, John Liberatore, Ju Ri Seo, Douglas Fisk, and James Adler, and he has been a fellowship recipient at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Tanglewood Music Center. Merriweather holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the studio of Kent Tritle at the Manhattan School of Music, where his doctoral dissertation, Now I Walk in Beauty, Gregg Smith: A Biography and Complete Works Catalog, constituted the first complete works list for the composer and conductor. He received Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and in Vocal Performance from the studio of Rita Shane at the Eastman School of Music, as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Syracuse University, summa cum laude. Merriweather's professional affiliations include membership in Pi Kappa Lambda, the American Choral Directors Association, and Chorus America, and he sits on the Board of Directors of the New York Choral Consortium. In this episode, Malcolm shares his one way ticket to join the Fisk University Jubilee Singers on their first tour in 1871! He also talks about his work with the Voices of Haiti, the life of a Conductor, and his eclectic play list. Malcolm is just one of the extraordinary guests featured on The One Way Ticket Show, where Host Steven Shalowitz explores with his guests where they'd go if given a one way ticket, no coming back! Destinations may be in the past, present, future, real, imaginary or a state of mind. Steven's guests have included: Nobel Peace Prize Winner, President Jose Ramos-Horta; Legendary Talk Show Host, Dick Cavett; Law Professor, Alan Dershowitz; Broadcast Legend, Charles Osgood; International Rescue Committee President & CEO, David Miliband; Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty; Journalist-Humorist-Actor Mo Rocca; ; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; Abercrombie & Kent Founder, Geoffrey Kent; Travel Expert, Pauline Frommer, as well as leading photographers, artists, writers and more.

Authenticity and Experience, with Sean Baugh (Part 2, Following “Equality and Dignity for All People”) Turtle Creek Chorale does not do “stand and sing” concerts. Balancing music with a message is a difficult journey with great rewards, for both the musicians and the audience. Sean discusses the importance of balance in your programming, and gives you guidelines for programming a concert with an activist purpose. Musicians are, at the core, humanitarians. Listen: Highlight to Tweet: “Don’t end with a big smack in the face. End with material that everyone can grab on to.” - Sean Baugh Show Notes: Before you program a concert with a message, you have to know where your musicians stand. Get to know them and their perspectives. Social activism can have a real impact. After the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, TCC put together a 3 hour long concert in 2 days that raised $18,000 and was viewed by 37,000 people live and online. 24-hour Sing In to bring attention to trans* issues. Balance is key. Balance your message just as you balance your music. Making people uncomfortable is not the goal, although you do want to make them think. Sometimes programming for social issues is scary and uncertain. Trust your gut, and if a particular piece would take away from your performance, then don’t program it. “Audience members will accept anything you want to sing to them as long as you do it with authenticity and from experience.” -Sean Baugh Audiences are probably more open than we give them credit for, as long as you are performing with authenticity. Musicians are, at the core, humanitarians. Bio: Now in his fourth season, Sean Mikel Baugh is the Artistic Director of the Turtle Creek Chorale. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sean studied music at Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Central Oklahoma and was awarded a Master of Music in Conducting degree from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University where he was named outstanding graduate conductor. At the Meadows School, Sean served as assistant conductor of the world-renowned Meadows Wind Ensemble. He has studied with Nancy Hill Cobb, Jack Delaney, Paul Phillips and many others. Sean has been called “expressive and incredibly dynamic, a consummate musician with a side of showman. He exhilarates audience members and singers alike.” He is regularly praised for his innovative programming and expressive technique. His choirs have enjoyed positive reviews and have been lauded for their musicality and emotional performances. An active advocate for male choral music, Sean regularly commissions new works from established composers. Sean also serves as Associate Director of Music and Worship for Dallas-based Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ where he leads the choir and orchestra for Sunday worship services. Cathedral of Hope is the world’s largest congregation with a primary outreach to the LGBT community. Sean is in demand nation-wide as speaker, guest-conductor and clinician. He has served on the music faculty of the University of Dallas and is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Gay & Lesbian Association of Choruses, Texas Choral Directors Association and Chorus America. Resources/links Mentioned: Turtle Creek Chorale Hope’s Door Socrates’ Analogy of the Gadfly SWACDA Choir Nation group on Facebook Email Patreon - Support the podcast! Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!) My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)

Sean Baugh skillfully leads the Turtle Creek Chorale in performances of both artistry and activism. Sean talks about how his ensemble of largely untrained singers is able to give powerful performances, leaning heavily on the passion of the musicians. We are all passionate about something, making us all activists, and music is our agent of change. Listen: Highlight to Tweet: “You can do a lot on a little bit of money if you love what you’re doing.” - Sean Baugh Show Notes: Sean Baugh rose to his position as Artistic Director of Turtle Creek Chorale through a mixture of fortuitous timing, being willing to pivot when opportunity presented itself, and sharing his ambition with others. Turtle Creek Chorale is one of the oldest gay men’s choruses, although it’s membership is comprised of different orientations. Few of the members of TCC are professional musicians, and many have no formal choral training. Sean estimates about half do not read music. TCC takes seriously its mission to lift up the disenfranchised, standing for equality and dignity for all people. Music is the tool that TCC uses to address social issues. You can’t predict who will be affected by your performance, or how it will impact them. Bio: Now in his fourth season, Sean Mikel Baugh is the Artistic Director of the Turtle Creek Chorale. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sean studied music at Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Central Oklahoma and was awarded a Master of Music in Conducting degree from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University where he was named outstanding graduate conductor. At the Meadows School, Sean served as assistant conductor of the world-renowned Meadows Wind Ensemble. He has studied with Nancy Hill Cobb, Jack Delaney, Paul Phillips and many others. Sean has been called “expressive and incredibly dynamic, a consummate musician with a side of showman. He exhilarates audience members and singers alike.” He is regularly praised for his innovative programming and expressive technique. His choirs have enjoyed positive reviews and have been lauded for their musicality and emotional performances. An active advocate for male choral music, Sean regularly commissions new works from established composers. Sean also serves as Associate Director of Music and Worship for Dallas-based Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ where he leads the choir and orchestra for Sunday worship services. Cathedral of Hope is the world’s largest congregation with a primary outreach to the LGBT community. Sean is in demand nation-wide as speaker, guest-conductor and clinician. He has served on the music faculty of the University of Dallas and is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Gay & Lesbian Association of Choruses, Texas Choral Directors Association and Chorus America. Resources/links Mentioned: Turtle Creek Chorale GALA Choruses Choir Nation group on Facebook Email Patreon - Support the podcast! Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!) My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)

As if free hoodies weren’t enough, Catherine Dehoney introduces you to the wealth of support available through Chorus America. She and Ryan also discuss the changing choral landscape, and exactly what it takes to thrive as a professional community chorus. And yes, for real...free hoodies. Listen:   Highlight to Tweet: “Choral singing creates community like no other activity on the planet.” - Catherine Dehoney Show Notes: Chorus America primarily assists those choruses serving their communities as 501c3 organizations, but their larger focus is choral arts advocacy. Many of the choral fields (church, school, community) overlap, and chorus directors tend to wear more than one hat. Chorus America tries to translate non-profit management principles to choruses, to help them survive and thrive in the world of grants and public monies. Having a well defined mission is essential. Choral music educators are essential in the overall health of the choral field. They are the ones who control the supply pipeline. Professionals: support choral educators! Offer up an in class clinic, free concert tickets...anything to help school choirs and their directors, and to refresh their spirits! Chorus America provides a tool to survey your audience about their preferences and motivations for attending your concerts. If you are not constantly trying to expand your audience, you are losing relevance in your community. Choir Nation...Chorus America is giving you hoodie!!! 3 Key Takeaways: Chorus America primarily serves the 501c3 choral community, but networks with all organizations in the choral field. Choral music educators control the future of choral singing. Register for Chorus America, and then email your receipt to membership@chorusamerica.org to claim your hoodie, a special gift for Choir Nation from Chorus America! Resources/links Mentioned: Chorus America NEA - National Endowment for the Arts Definition of insanity Cantus Intrinsic Impact Audience Survey – audience surveying data from 23 different choruses about the value audiences get from different types of choral programming.   https://www.chorusamerica.org/advocacy-research/intrinsic-impact-audience-project-executive-summary Chorus America 2009 Chorus Impact Study – this research shows the civic impact of choral singers plus provides data on the benefits of choral singing for kids in schools. https://www.chorusamerica.org/publications/research-reports/chorus-impact-study https://www.chorusamerica.org/advocacy-research/intrinsic-impact-audience-project-full-repo Email Patreon - Support the podcast! Biography: Catherine Dehoney, president and CEO of Chorus America, brings a wealth of experience in arts management and fundraising to her work in the choral field. She took on her current role at Chorus America in 2015, coming from the position of executive director of development at the Castleton Festival. Dehoney previously served as the chief development officer at Chorus America for over ten years. Her other experience includes a nine-year tenure as senior director of development at Gallaudet University, capital campaign management, development consulting for a variety of arts nonprofits, and fundraising positions at the League of American Orchestras, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the Friends of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Dehoney received her BA in music from the College of William and Mary and continues to be an avid singer, having sung professionally in church choirs and with a jazz band. Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!) My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)

Concert: Tetzlaff Plays Dvořák Upbeat Live provides historical and cultural context for many concerts, featuring engaging speakers, audio examples, and special guests. These events are free to ticket holders and are held in BP Hall, on the second floor, accessible after your ticket is scanned. For more information: laphil.com/upbeatlive About the Speaker: Los Angeles native Christian Campos is managing artistic director of the Horizon Music Group. Under Campos' stewardship, the ensemble has collaborated with the Cincinnati Boychoir (Bach cantatas), Long Beach Camerata Singers (Handel's Messiah), Pacific Chorale (Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna), and Bach Collegium San Diego (Bach's St. John Passion). Campos has performed at the Oregon, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Whittier College Bach Festivals. His conducting style has been described as “expressive, varied and tuned perfectly with the music” (Long Beach Grunion Gazette). Campos graduated from DePauw University where he studied music and economics while participating in honors programs in business management and information technology. A champion of world music, he received a grant from the ASIANetwork to study Indian Carnatic Music, the result of which was the first ever online database of ragas, composers, and compositions. Since returning to California, he has worked as a guest conductor and contractor of choirs and orchestras, regularly performing with musicians from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and Los Angeles Master Chorale. He has contracted for the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, Broad Stage, Santa Monica College, CalState Long Beach, Fullerton, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino, and a host of area performing organizations. Christian has been featured on the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Upbeat Live pre-concert series; in previous seasons he worked as a score reader at the Hollywood Bowl and lecturer as part of the Student Insiders pre-concert series. Campos has served on the faculty at Pomona College and the USC Thornton School of Music, where he recently completed his coursework towards a Doctor of Musical Arts degree.

It’s time for a little boost of self-confidence and reassurance from the Choir Ninja! If you’re feeling a little down about how the year has gone for you, here are some things to do to give you the boost you need to finish the year on a high note!   Listen: Click to download episode! Show Notes: Reject the notion that you’re not good enough! Success always comes with a little imposter syndrome. Recognize that your choir is a reflection of your spirit. If you don’t like what you’ve seen or heard at any point this year, it’s time to look in the mirror and take responsibility. Chances are it was your own insecurity at play. Remember that you’ll never make everyone happy, so don’t sweat it! Your choir, run by you, isn’t necessarily for everyone, and that’s okay! REsistance is natural in the lifecycle of making a difference. Read the War of Art, by Stephen Pressfield. Renounce students that don’t want to be there and focus on those who share your values. You’ll attract choir members who love your style and over time you’ll end up with a choir of raving fans, not adversaries. Recount the times this past year where your student(s) “got it”, and pat yourself on the back! What did you do? What made it so special? Recall your highlights reel, and smile! Best rehearsal Most successful performance Most thoughtful parent email Refresh, Refresh: To finish strong, do more of what worked! Recycle a song or activity your choir loved. Reinvest in yourself and your education by staying tuned to Choir Ninja, going to a conference, buying a book, or taking a class (in anything)! You can see me in Iowa at ICDA in July and Chorus America in June! Resolve to support those who help you along the way. Rewind and listen again and write down the things I’ve asked you to recall.  this episode with someone who needs encouragement. 3 Key Takeaways: You choose your battles based on your values, so choose what it is you value and focus like a laser. Reading is the cheapest way to reinvest in your education. You don’t need a master’s degree to feel successful! Do more of what worked! Resources/links Mentioned: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson The War of Art, by Stephen Pressfield Support the show! My Patreon Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!)

In addition to being a talented composer, Daniel Gilliam is the Director of Programming for WUOL Classical 90.5 in Louisville, KY. We got to know one another a number of years ago on Twitter, and finally met in “meatspace”, along with Dale Trumbore, over drinks at the 2012 Chorus America conference in Minneapolis, MN. During the course of our conversation we touched on: The responsibilities of a classical radio Program Director Having a day job outside of academia How your paycheck doesn't define you as an artist – your art does Building relationships Being able to talk about your music with non-musicians Neil deGrasse Tyson as an ambassador of science An overview of classical radio Audience, data and fulfilling mission Defining the audience for classical radio How most new music performers aren't the target audience for classical radio Submitting recordings to classical stations The quality of your materials Follow-up techniques Doing your research The importance of having a broad and deep knowledge of the classical repertoire Playing the long game and having patience Links: Daniel Gilliam / Fictive Music WUOL Classical 90.5 MusicSpoke: “Just Relax” by Daniel Gilliam Q2 Radio Second Inversion

Anton Armstrong the conductor of the Saint Olaf Choir joins the show to discuss his career and views on Choral Music.  The noted conductor is in Washington at the Chorus America conference.

Choral singing is a pursuit of millions of people in this country, though the art form gets little mainstream attention. Ann Meier Baker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chorus America, takes time out of the her busy Chorus America Conference schedule (the event is happening in San Francisco this year from June 8-11) to share her views about choral singing today and what the future holds for the choral arts with VoiceBox host Chloe Veltman. (playlist)