Mission Possible: Making Choir Accessible to All
Session Abstract: This session will introduce pedagogical approaches that share a common goal: to embrace the music of all our students' lives and cultures as a gateway for creating a vibrant culture of mutual trust, authentic connections, and profound learning. Participants will learn how to select culturally-relevant repertoire, conducting strategies for various genres, and guide students through adjusting vocal technique to "musically code switch." These methods provide a fresh and relatable approach for teaching various concepts, including composing, harmonies, sight-reading, and more. Finally, this session will assist choral educators in reflecting on their own biases surrounding repertoire selection and culturally-responsive practices.
Maria A. Ellis
Girl Conductor LLC
Maria A. Ellis is the owner of Girl Conductor LLC, which creates diverse music education resources, provides professional development and more. She serves as the Artistic Director of The Sheldon’s City of Music All-Star Chorus and Choral Instructor at Sumner High School. Maria is an active clinician, adjudicator and presenter throughout the United States and abroad. She holds a B.M. in Music Education from the University of Missouri- St. Louis. Maria is the host of the Award- Winning Radio Show “Bach and Beyoncé” and the Co-host for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Live Broadcast.
