Dreaming a Just and Equitable Choral Future with VOICES21C
Session Abstract: VOICES 21C imagines the choir as a locus for creativity, compassion, justice, resistance, empowerment, and equity. V21C strives to create a space that engages participants to ponder and act to build a just and equitable future. In our session, members will discuss, demonstrate, and engage participants in improvisation, creative play, community-building, visual storytelling, and narrative-based programming for choral practice. Participants will see and experience values, activities, and processes to help them build an artistic practice that is justice-centered and that prioritizes personal expression and vulnerability. Extensive resources on artistic and leadership practices will be highlighted and provided.
André de Quadros
Boston University
André de Quadros, music educator, conductor, ethnomusicologist, writer, and human rights activist has conducted and undertaken research in over forty countries. His professional work has taken him to the most diverse settings, spanning professional ensembles, and projects with prisons, peace-building and reconciliation, psychosocial rehabilitation, refugees and asylum-seekers, poverty locations, and victims of torture and trauma.Dr. de Quadros leads the following choirs: Common Ground Voices (Israeli-Palestinian-international), the Manado State University Choir (Indonesia), the Muslim Choral Ensemble (Sri Lanka), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Countries Youth Choir, and Boston’s VOICES 21C. He co-leads Common Ground Voices / La Frontera (Mexico-US border).
Krystal Morin
Boston Children's Chorus
Krystal Morin (she/her) is a New England based conductor, singer, and educator who is passionate about leading singing experiences rooted in empowerment, co-creation, culturally responsive pedagogy, and interdisciplinary storytelling. Krystal's background includes ten years as a public high school choir and music teacher, designing and implementing music curriculums in varied settings, providing artistic development and ensemble leadership, multi-modal artistic work in incarceration settings, field leadership, and experience performing in community and professional ensembles. Currently, Krystal is the Associate Director of Choirs for Boston Children’s Chorus, sings with VOICES 21C, and a teacher for Boston University's Prison Arts Initiative.
Bradford Dumont
Assumption University
Brad Dumont is a passionate arts advocate working to create and support unique artistic projects that contribute to cultural improvement and community-based arts education. Brad is committed to a process-oriented approach of music-making which allows for singers to explore diverse themes of equity and justice.Brad serves as the Director of Choral Activities at Assumption University, Artistic Director of the Salisbury Singers in Worcester, MA, and as Director of Music and Arts at First Parish Church of Stow and Acton, U.U. To learn more, visit bradforddumont.com.
