Few decisions shape singers’ experience of choral music more than the choice of repertoire. This session invites conductors to rethink literature selection not simply as a programming matter but as a pedagogical tool that influences how singers grow, what they understand, and how they engage with choral music over time. Drawing on historically and stylistically varied literature, participants will explore how repertoire can be selected and sequenced to develop specific musical knowledge and skills. The session also considers inclusive programming as a pedagogical practice, inviting reflection on how repertoire choices communicate values, broaden cross-cultural understanding, and shape which histories and voices are centered in choral spaces. The ideas explored here are intended to serve conductors across varied ensemble contexts and levels of singer development.
Music Matters: A Pedagogical Framework for Literature Selection
Jabarie Glass
Jabarie Glass is a conductor and educator whose experience spans university, secondary, community, festival, and church choral settings. He currently serves as director of choral activities in the School of Music at the University of Oklahoma, where he conducts the OU Chorale and oversees the graduate choral conducting program. Choirs under his direction have performed at state and regional ACDA conferences, and he has conducted honor choirs and all-state ensembles across the United States. A frequent presenter, Glass has shared interest sessions at state, regional, and national conferences. He is a native Mississippian and holds degrees from the University of Mississippi, the Florida State University College of Music, and the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
