Do you read the IEPs of your students and feel lost on how to support them in a non-traditional classroom? Ever wondered how your special education department or office of disabilities operates? Are you curious about the resources they offer and how they can benefit your singers? Together, we have collaborated with our Office of Disability Resources at the University of Miami to identify practical approaches to an inclusive choral ensemble experience. Join us as we offer solutions, resources, and insight on how to lead every student in your choral program. This collaboration identifies pragmatic ways that you can champion the needs of your students and educate yourself while advocating for your growing program that is inclusive and equitable for all. Walk away from this session with a renewed sense of empowerment and realistic view of what is possible in the short and long term. Together, we will discuss how to best serve students with a variety of disabilities, such as hearing loss, autism, and blindness. We will examine and give sample solutions, accommodations, and adaptations for your rehearsal. In this session, you will discover the many resources available to you, collaborate with colleagues to find specific solutions for your classroom, and address any concerns or barriers you have encountered. We have surveyed various schools and their support systems and will identify key approaches that can be applied directly to your classroom. In this session, we will highlight advocacy tactics, resources and funding opportunities. Together, we will discuss tips for communication with parents, students, and administrators. Making your choir a successful, educational, and meaningful experience for all students. Counselors assigning students to choir because it’s “easy,” is a thing of the past. Together, we can champion an inclusive future where all students thrive.
Championing Inclusive Choral Futures: Navigating Disability Perspectives
Maxwell Trombley
University of Miami Frost School of Music
Maxwell Trombley is an MM student in Choral Conducting at University of Miami Frost School of Music. A passionate educator, he directed secondary vocal music in Michigan and currently serves on the summer voice faculty at Interlochen Center for the Arts. An active singer, Maxwell serves as a Seraphic Fire Scholar in the ensemble's Early Artist Program and has sung in the chorus with many of the country's premiere orchestras. He maintains a robust career in sacred music, directing and singing in various congregations throughout Miami. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education in Vocal Music from Eastern Michigan University.
Kyra Stahr
University of Miami Frost School of Music
Kyra Stahr is a DMA candidate in Choral Conducting at University of Miami Frost School of Music and the Associate Conductor of the Master Chorale of South Florida. She completed her MM in Choral Music from University of Southern California and earned her B.M. from Miami University. Kyra is the co-founder of conduct(her), a podcast amplifying voices of women conductors while exploring the gender divide. Stahr enjoys serving as a guest conductor, clinician, and presenter. She has participated in the ACDA Eastern Graduate Conducting Masterclass and presented at the World Symposium on Choral Music, ACDA Southern, and SWACDA.
