Sessions

Christopher Eanes

Liza W. Beth

Your program changes lives, but can you prove it and say it in a way that gets results? In this session, the team from Chorus America shows you how to build an advocacy narrative that works whether you’re writing a grant, making your case to a school board, or asking a donor to invest in […]

Jaclyn Kottman Hittner

This session explores how choral educators can empower treble singers navigating the adolescent voice change. Through engaging with audio samples, singer reflections, and research from leading scholars, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the estrogen-affected voice change. Learn proven rehearsal and programmatic strategies that can help guide students to sing […]

Kimberly Doucette

Diverse and inclusive practices must be applied to the development of choral tone. By intentionally crafting exercises, we can develop a young choir’s tonal palate to perform all musical selections with integrity. This session will introduce a format to develop skills with singers ages 8-13, with applications for older singers. Using an approach that seeks […]

Cristian Grases

This interactive session equips choral conductors with practical tools for programming Latin American repertoire authentically, even without access to traditional instruments or trained percussionists. Focusing on some of the most common rhythms found in Latin American folk and popular choral literature, the workshop identifies each style’s essential rhythmic formula and demonstrates both traditional instruments and […]

Mark A Boyle

Anna Lenti

Edryn Coleman

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 […]

Lesli Olson

Middle school choir often feels chaotic: changing voices, developing musicianship, and students who are still discovering their musical identities. This session presents practical classroom systems that help transform that chaos into a structured and supportive rehearsal environment. Attendees will explore a predictable weekly rehearsal structure, engaging rhythmic sight-reading strategies, solfege-based warm-ups, and classroom management techniques […]

Michael Shimp

In show choir, artistic excellence is often associated with increasing financial investment. However, excellence and fiscal responsibility are not opposing forces. The most compelling performances are built through clear vision, thoughtful collaboration, responsible stewardship, and sustainable planning. This session will help attendees learn how to create dynamic, crowd-pleasing show choir performances without blowing the budget. […]

Heritage Choir
Border CrosSing

Natalia Romero Arbeláez

Border CrosSing’s Heritage Choir is an adult bilingual community ensemble where music, community, and heritage meet. Developed in 2019, we reimagine the rehearsal process by centering the personal stories and cultural identities of our members. While open to all, we serve as a vital home for the Latinx community and first-generation immigrants. Our unique project-based […]

Michael Hanawalt

Tucker Biddlecombe

Community and symphonic choruses bring together singers across generations and backgrounds, creating ensembles that reflect the communities they serve. This session explores practical strategies for auditioning and placing singers, planning rehearsals for large choral-orchestral repertoire, collaborating with professional orchestras, and supporting voices across a singer’s lifespan. Participants will examine ways to balance artistic excellence with […]

Brian Murray

Economy-sized seats, cars, and luggage can often be exasperating, but a sense of minimalism in your choral conducting gesture can exhilarate your rehearsals and performances. Bigger conducting isn’t always better; less often communicates more. Session attendees will explore the psychology of conducting and the application of economical conducting to preparatory gestures, stance, hinges, and use […]