Can a predominantly white institution (PWI) choir perform Joel Thompson’s The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed? Drs. Mark A. Boyle, Edryn Coleman, and Anna Lenti present a Framework for Intentionality for navigating culturally centered social justice repertoire. This session moves beyond musical preparation to explore a year-long process of community engagement, including partnerships with Black Student Union members and leadership, DEI leadership, and virtual artist residencies. By examining the interrogation, intentional dialogue, and shifting of podium authority through guest conductorship, the presenters offer strategies for singing with rather than singing for. Featuring video highlights of student dialogues and composer Q&A from Seton Hill University and Williams College, this session provides a practical roadmap for conductors seeking to program high-stakes works with integrity, humility, and deep cultural respect.
Framework for Intentionality: Telling Diverse Stories in Predominantly White Institutions
Mark A Boyle
Mark A. Boyle is the director of choral and vocal activities at Seton Hill University and director of music ministries at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Allison Park, PA. Originally from Wethersfield, Connecticut, Dr. Boyle attended Susquehanna University, where he majored in music education, studying tuba and voice. After almost five years in the United States Navy, he returned to civilian life, completing his BM in voice performance and MM in conducting at Ball State University. After completing the doctorate in conducting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Boyle served as the director of choral Activities at Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
Anna Lenti
Anna Lenti is the Lyell B. Clay Artist in Residence and director of choral/vocal activities at Williams College in Massachusetts, where she conducts the Concert and Chamber Choirs and teaches classes in vocal technique and choral conducting. She is also the director of the Northern Berkshire Chorale and the Amherst Early Music Festival's Choral Workshop. Dr. Lenti is in demand as a lecturer on a variety of topics related to early-music and choral music. She is a frequent contributor to the Amherst Early Music Festival's online offerings, teaching classes on reading neumes, approaching vibrato in early music, and other topics. Her research interests include LGBTQ+ inclusivity in choral spaces and the cultivation of musical activism in twenty-first-century choral performances. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music (BM, DMA) and Westminster Choir College (MM).
Edryn Coleman
Edryn J. Coleman teaches choir and piano at Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, Maryland, and has taught music at all levels, elementary through college. His wide-ranging experience fuels his commitment to accessible, high-quality music education for all students. He is an active guest conductor, adjudicator, and lecturer; his choirs have performed at state and national conferences, including an insight session at the 2023 ACDA National Conference. He currently serves as membership chair for Eastern ACDA Region and is past president of the Maryland Choral Educators Association. Coleman holds degrees from Stillman College (BA), The Florida State University (MME), and Shenandoah University (DMA).
