This page is dedicated to driving a conversation for choral musicians with the PHILOSOPHY of Choral Music at the heart of every post and podcast episode. Topics will be wide ranging from the technical aspects of our jobs and careers all the way to the artistic interpretations and values that make us who we are as artists. Join me in this conversation in which I hope we can learn from each other.
Episode 211: Smashing Cultural Barriers in Classical Music with Babatunde Akinboboye
Aug 16, 2024
Show notes
Known online as Babatunde “Hip Hopera,” this week’s guest may look like he is just out there having fun on TikTok. But, a closer look shows an artist doing innovative, and incredibly important work bridging the gaps between musical worlds.
From West Coast hip-hop fan to opera singer, this week’s guest Babtunde Akinboboye‘s journey is a fusion of genres and cultures that’s shaking up the music world. Kind of like kimchi on tacos…
His unique blend of opera with hip-hop beats, highlighted in a viral performance of of an aria mashed with Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble,” has earned him a dedicated social media following and sparked conversations about the future of classical music. In this podcast, Tunde and I explore how his work challenges the elitist perceptions of classical music and addresses the cultural barriers that make it feel inaccessible to many. We discuss the balance between preserving tradition and embracing change, the role of education in making classical music more inclusive, and the need to break down labels that segregate music by race. Our discussion offers fresh insights into how classical music can evolve to connect with a broader, more diverse audience.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have you r thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com
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A singer of diverse talents, Nigerian American Baritone, Babatunde Akinboboye is known for his enthralling stage presence. He has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera Santa Barbara, Long Beach Opera, and Utah Opera. Babatunde has also debuted the roles of Drew in the Opera Works’Arts for Social Awareness Project’s world premiere production of The Discord Opera, and Zanni in the world premiere of Gloria Coates’ Stolen Identity. His most recent performances include Daggoo in LA Opera’s Moby Dick, Escamillo in Pacific Opera Project’s production of Carmen, and Lucha’s Father in The Industry’s production of Hopscotch.
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As an advocate for the performance of art song and operatic works written by African, and African American composers, Mr. Akinboboye has headlined the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry awards in Lagos, Nigeria performing a fusion of opera and traditional African music and has been a featured performer at both the National Association of Negro Musicians Annual Conference, as well as the African American Art Song Alliance Conference.
Babatunde’s honors include Regional Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, and finalist in the International Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in Llangollen, Wales.
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In December of 2018, Babatunde combined his love of classical opera and hip hop and created the new genre Hip Hopera in a viral video that gained over 10 million views and was featured on Time.com, Classic FM, MSN.com and more. His debut EP “Della Citta” is now available.
RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 210: Jazz and Theory in the Choral Classroom with David von Kampen
Aug 09, 2024
Show notes
Should vocal jazz join other forms of ensemble singing in the “mainstream” of music education? Or does best fit within a niche?
In our second episode of the brand new “GIA/Walton” series, I am excited to bring you another fascinating and useful conversation. This time, with composer and vocal jazz advocate, David von Kampen.
In this discussion, we tackle teaching approaches, and programming philosophies that seek to seamlessly weave concepts from jazz and music theory into our choral classrooms of all levels. It can be true for many teachers that we program less Jazz repertoire because we either don’t have a jazz ensemble, and/or we just didn’t receive much education in our teacher training programs that help us feel comfortable approaching the repertoire. This insecurity can often manifest itself as a programming gap. “When you sing jazz, nothing about the fundamentals of healthy singing changes.” David advocates for all schools having a dedicated vocal jazz ensemble in their program, but also offers practical ways to inject jazz into the curriculum in general choral environments.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com
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David von Kampen (b. 1986) is a composer from Lincoln, Nebraska. David’s creative work spans a wide variety of genres and styles, including jazz, choral music, hymnody and liturgy, solo voice, chamber music, and musical theater. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kansas, and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Nebraska. He has studied composition with James Barnes, Dan Gailey, Forrest Pierce, Eric Richards, and Randall Snyder.
David is a six-time Downbeat Award winner in graduate-level jazz writing categories, a three-time winner of the Vancouver Chamber Choir Young Composers Competition, and was named the MTNA Distinguished Composer of the Year for his song cycle “Under the Silver and Home Again.” He has been among ten winners of the ORTUS International New Music Competition, the recipient of an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer award, winner of the San Francisco Choral Artists New Voices Project, winner of the National Band Association’s Young Jazz Composers Competition, and received Honorable Mention in the New York Youth Symphony First Music Commissions. Puddin’ and the Grumble, David’s original musical with playwright Becky Boesen, was one of seven finalists for the Richard Rodgers award.
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David has over 80 choral and instrumental compositions and arrangements published with Walton Music, G. Schirmer, Hal Leonard, Concordia Publishing House, Pavane Publishing, UNC Jazz Press, Graphite, MusicSpoke, and others. His music has been performed by the Aeolians, KHORIKOS Vocal Ensemble, the L.A. Choral Lab, KC VITAs Chamber Choir, the Taiwan Youth Festival Chorus, San Francisco Choral Artists, the U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and by collegiate, all-state, high school, and church ensembles throughout the United States and internationally.
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David is a lecturer of music theory and literature at the University of Nebraska, where he teaches a variety of music courses and directs the award-winning UNL Jazz Singers. He also serves as Music Coordinator for Sanctuary Worship at Christ Lutheran Church in Lincoln. David is a member of ASCAP, the Jazz Education Network, and the American Choral Directors Association. He is active as a conductor and pianist, and as a clinician for vocal and instrumental ensembles. He lives in Lincoln with his wife Mollie and three daughters.
RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 209: Research vs. Reality with Ellie Johnson
Aug 02, 2024
Show notes
I find that too often, as practicing teachers we either ignore new research all together, or we read the boiler plate summary, take it as gospel and move on without examining it critically. Ellie Johnson tries to help us thread the needle.
Ellie is a PhD Music Education candidate and researcher, and the host of The Merfy Pod. She loves to dive in to the research and summarize it so we don’t have to. She is also now a monthly contributor in the Choralosophy Community blog space where she curates short summaries and links to important new research you should know about.
In this episode we talk through the contributions and gaps in a recent study called “Assessment Practices and Beliefs of Secondary Choir Teachers” by Ben Kambs which focuses on the questionable practice of music educators grading students on attendance, participation, and attitude, as well as “Serious musicking: choral pedagogy in ‘low-threshold’ choirs” by Jansson, Døving, and Haugland Balsnes that features the ideas found embedded in ideas of Critical Choral Pedagogy and other frameworks, which “alleviates the notion of the leader as more knowledgeable than the followers” and aims to disrupt the hierarchal structure of typical choir programs via reexamining auditions, self selection and even fundamental pedagogical practices like assigning at home practice, and addressing singers individually for instruction.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com
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Ellie Johnson has been a music educator in Nebraska since 2015. She is currently a PhD candidate and Hixson-Lied fellow at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, where she helps train undergraduate pre-service teachers and conducts music education research.
Ellie has worked primarily with middle school students in both general music and choral settings. In addition to solo research on increasing student autonomy in aural skills coursework, Ellie recently presented collaborative research on music student mental health and inclusive choral teaching at the International Society for Music Education World Conference in Helsinki, Finland.
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She hosts the MERFY podcast where she summarizes music education research for you in short palatable episodes – available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Conference.
More on Belonging in groups from Choralosophy
Great deals, speedy shipping, and back to school sales at SheetMusicPlus!RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 208: Choir is Not my Family, Do I Still Belong? With Dr. Jason Dungee
Jul 26, 2024
Show notes
Often in choral instruction, we utilize the word “family” to describe the cohesiveness of our ensembles. But what about the students who don’t view choir as their family? Can we be ok with the idea that singers come to us for many different reasons?
But what happens when students DON’T want to be in the family? What if you have students that truly just want to treat it like a class? Or what if they are a talented student who is an introvert? What about a choral director whose MAIN reason for doing the job is the love of the music? (gasps, clutches pearls.)
We can over personalize the rejection.
Jason Dungee joins me to add some nuance to what is often a very misunderstood and oversimplified concept in education more broadly, as well as in choral music. If we are honest, aren’t we a bit offended when a singer doesn’t LOVE singing for us? Don’t we take it a little personally? What if you have students that are really talented, but you don’t like THEM? Sometimes we unintentionally marginalize or isolate the students who have rejected us. For many choir directors, our definition of success includes “making our kids FEEL what we felt as kids.”
I also ran some of my ideas about belonging in groups by Jason. Those episodes are linked below.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com.
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Conductor, tenor, and music educator, Dr. Jason A. Dungee, is the Director of Choral Activities at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has earned degrees from the University of Arizona, Westminster Choir College and Hampton University.
Since arriving in the Charlotte region in 2021, Dungee has come in demand as a clinician and as guest conductor for several All-County Choral events, as well as serving as clinician for the NCMEA Eastern All-State Choir in the Fall of 2023. Dungee’s article “A Pedagogy for Living: Applying Restorative, Anti-Racist Pedagogy to the Choral Classroom” was published in The Choral Journal and has led to him being in demand as a presenter for organizations and Universities across the U.S. In March of 2020, Dungee was Co-Conductor of the first HBCU Tribute Choir for the Southern Division ACDA Conference.
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Dr. Dungee has found success in popular music and entertainment as well. He was selected for 2 consecutive years to prepare choirs for the southeast leg of HBO’s internationally acclaimed touring production of The Game of Thrones Live Experience, featuring music from the hit TV program. In February of 2022 and April of 2023, Dungee was asked to prepare an ensemble for the rock band the Eagles for their performances in Charlotte and Greensboro, respectively. In 2024 he served as choirmaster for the AWR Productions presentation of Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy during their tour stop in Charlotte. He conducted sold out, critically acclaimed performances as guest conductor of the Charleston Gospel Choir and sang the tenor solo with the London Symphony Orchestra as they premiered Andre Thomas’ Mass. His pride and joy, however, is found in his wife Crysta, and their three children, Jordan, Andrew and Langston. Youtube: Find Jason’s channel! Facebook/Instagram: @clt.universitychorale
More on Belonging in groups from Choralosophy
Great deals, speedy shipping, and back to school sales at SheetMusicPlus!RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 207: Next Gen Music Education with Mak Barton
Jul 19, 2024
Show notes
I frequently engage in and read discussions with young music educators about the ways in which the music education profession is or is not “adapting with the times.” As always, the answer to that is yes. And no…
Mak Barton is a second year teacher in Maryland who I found on her wildly entertaining TikTok account that is fast approaching 100k followers! Recently I was tagged in one of her videos in which she addresses the question of whether or not we are adequately responding to the needs of the next generation in our music classrooms.
“Is there a place in our programs for a Soundcloud rapper?” Mak’s initial take was no, but I say yes! I think like many things, it depends on our perspectives. I think you will really enjoy this conversation just like I did, especially if you value the voices of the next generation of students and educators. Mak and I discussed what it is like to subject herself to social media vulnerability, the traditions of music education that can and should evolve, as well as ways to champion those tried and true elements of curriculum that have endured for good reason.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com.
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Makynzie Barton is a High School Music Educator in Maryland, teaching and directing Choirs, Piano, Theatre, and Foundations of Music. She grew up singing in church with her family, then self-learning how to play the guitar, piano, and write like her favorite artists. After high school, she attended University of Delaware to study Music Education and eventually combined it with a Music Management degree to create a more vernacular-music-focused degree plan, currently working towards her Master’s in Music Education at Berklee College of Music.
Enter Choralosophy at Checkout for a 5% discount when you shop for folders, robes and other gear for your choir program! www.mymusicfolders.com and www.mychoirrobes.com
Her platform on social media has grown as she arranges music we listen to today for/with her choirs, facilitating a space for them to create their own and be active participants in music-making. Music-lovers all over the world have been able to come, get a good giggle from choir kids and their chaotic director, and hear some incredible music.
Great deals, speedy shipping, and back to school sales at SheetMusicPlus!RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 206: Building Enduring Classroom Culture with Dr. Kari Adams
Jul 12, 2024
Show notes
As teachers, we often try to build culture and foster a sense of belonging by seeking out the “right checklist” of games, ice breakers, fun warm-ups, and even classroom wall art. However, these are just the frosting, not the cake.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Kari Adams from the University of Missouri to discuss the essential ingredients for creating a genuine classroom culture.
Dr. Adams joined me in my home studio, allowing for an excellently paced discussion. In our conversation, we discuss why “ice breakers are not enough,” the concept of vulnerability for teachers and how it is often misunderstood or misused, effective teacher verbiage and word choices, action-oriented feedback, and brainstorming stories and ideas that illustrate how teachers can build developmentally appropriate, authentic, and individualized relationships with students, even in a group setting.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com.
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Kari Adams is Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education and conductor of Concert Chorale at the University of Missouri. She holds a PhD in music education from the University of North Texas as well as degrees from the University of Central Missouri and Freed-Hardeman University. Prior to her appointment at Mizzou, Adams served as Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education and director of Levana at Florida State University. In 2023, she received the Outstanding Teaching in the Major (Undergraduate) award from FSU. Before working in higher education, she taught middle school choral and general music in Knob Noster, Missouri, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2015. She is a passionate educator, conductor, and researcher.
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Adams engages in guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator opportunities regularly. She has conducted All State and regional honor choirs in Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia. She has also presented at state practitioner conferences in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Florida, Missouri, and Texas as well as at national ACDA and NAfME conventions. Her articles focused on research-based strategies for practitioners have been published in Music Educators Journal, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Florida Music Director, and Choral Journal.
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Adams’s research has been published in leading journals in the field including Journal of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and International Journal of Research in Choral Singing. Her research interests include music teacher education, teacher identity construction, aesthetic response to music performance, and implicit theories of musical ability. In addition to her publications, she has presented on these topics at regional, national, and international conferences.
RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 205: Teaching Our Choirs to Listen with James Jordan
Jul 05, 2024
Show notes
“If you don’t learn what listening is, your choirs will never sing in tune.” James Jordan is one of the most prolific choral conductors in the modern era. Not just in terms of performance and recordings, but also in scholarship and pedagogy.
Introducing, the NEW GIA/Walton Series on Choralosophy!
I recently had the privilege of attending two sessions given by Professor Jordan at my home convention in Missouri. I was coming out of my chair with excitement anticipating this conversation. The presentations were about choral intonation in our rehearsals, and the often forgotten relationship between intonation and vocal pedagogy. The ideas presented were exciting, revolutionary and even outside the box.
In this conversation we discuss the often missed elements that impact a choir’s ability to sing in tune. Tongue position, vocal registration, the conductor’s breath, Music Learning Theory, and even rhythm! We also discuss the importance of harmonic context and the ability for the singer to be flexible and tune as they go. “When there is a problem with a note, don’t just teach the note. Fix the notes around the note.”
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com.
Sign up for an annual membership and save over $50 by entering Choralosophy at checkout! Save 15% on monthly or annual subscriptions.
One of the world’s leading choral conductors, music pedagogy authors, and recording artist’s with over 60 books and publications calls Westminster Choir College home. Dr. James Jordan leads the largest and most respected graduate programs in choral conducting in the country. As a Grammy-nominated conductor he is recognized and praised throughout the musical world as one of America’s preeminent conductors, recording artists, writers, music psychologists and innovators in choral music. His innovations in both choral pedagogy and conducting pedagogy have been lauded worldwide, and he has effectively led changes in choral conducting and pedagogy that have impacted choral music around the world. He was described as a “visionary” by the Choral Journal, which cited his book Evoking Sound as a “must read.” His more than 60 books explore both the philosophical and spiritual basis of musicianship, as well as aspects of choral rehearsal teaching and learning, and they are considered to be essential references in the conducting profession. He is Professor Director of Choral Studies at Westminster Choir College, holds the Scheide Chair in Conducting, and serves as the 7th conductor of the 103-year old Westminster Choir and the world renowned Westminster Symphonic Choir. Prior to these conducting responsibilities, he conducted both the Chapel Choir and the Schola Cantorum. His 12 years conducting the Westminster Williamson Voices established that choir as one of the most admired and reviewed choral ensembles in the world, with 10 CD’s to its credit. The choir, under his direction, was called “the Rolls Royce of Choirs” by King’s College Conductor Daniel Hyde. Their Grammy-nominated recording of James Whitbourn’s portraiture seminal work, Annelies (Naxos) is one of the most performed choral works in the world. He was also director of the Westminster Conducting Institute. He is artistic director and conductor of the professional choral ensemble, The Same Stream.
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His recordings with the Westminster Williamson Voices have garnered wide critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Choir and Organ wrote about their Grammy-nominated recording Annelies, “Jordan’s instinctive understanding of the score makes this a profound and emotionally charged experience.” 2023-24 will mark the release of 3 significant CD’s under his direction; The 30th Anniversary Recording of the Westminster Evening of Readings and Carols, a unique recording of the Mozart Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Manfred Hoenig conductor, and the 100th Anniversary recording of the Westminster Choir, A Serenity of Soul. The 15 CD’s under his direction are available through iTunes and Amazon. His work with The Same Stream Choir can also be seen in a video documentary and profile released by J.W. Pepper and available for viewing at thesamestreamchoir.com. He has premiered over 60 works in his time at Westminster, featuring the works of Ames, Mealor, Hill, Duckworth, Forrest, Whitbourn, Waldenby, Mantyjarvi, Lavoy, Scheibe and Relph. Passionately advocating for the mentoring and supporting of composers, especially young composers, has also been a focus of his career. He is Executive Editor of both the Evoking Sound Choral Series and The Music from Westminster Choral series which has over 300 published editions. He has also assembled one of the most completed online resources for Conducting Pedagogy and Choral Pedagogy on the Giamusic.com website: The Virtual Classroom. His philosophies and teachings are documented on the popular podcast, Luminous, and he serves as one of the hosts on the Nationally syndicated radio programs, Sounds Choral on WWFM, The Classical Network.
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As a music psychologist specializing in music teaching and learning, Dr. Jordan’s career and publications have been devoted to innovative educational changes in the choral art, which have been embraced around the world. His seminal work, Inside the Choral Rehearsal is a landmark book applying the Music Learning Theory of Edwin Gordon to the choral rehearsal. 2023 will see the release of two innovative books advocating pedagogical change in the pedagogy of the choral rehearsal: Intonational Solfege and The Essential Choral Warm-Up (GIA).
RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Seminars and workshops have taken him throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia at Institutions from The Curtis Institute of Music, The University of Arizona, The University of Utah to residencies at the country’s major choral programs. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2015, conducting the New York premiere of Paul Mealor’s Stabat Mater. In November 2015, Dr. Jordan conducted the world premiere of Paul Mealor’s First Symphony: Passiontide, in Scotland. In 2016, he conducted the Westminster Williamson Voices, the first college choir to appear in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s MetLiveArts series, in a performance of the virtuosic Kanon Pokajanen by Arvo Pärt.
James Jordan has been honored as a distinguished alumnus of Temple University, where he has been inducted into the University’s Hall of Fame. In 2016, he received the distinguished alumni medal from Susquehanna University. He was awarded the distinguished Doctor of Music degree by the University of Aberdeen in Scotland in 2014 to honor his artistry and contributions to choral music throughout the world. The University, established in 1485, has awarded degrees throughout its history to only two Americans: Dr. Jordan and Morten Lauridsen. He shares this honor with Gustav Holst, Benjamin Britten and Dame Joan Sutherland.
Episode 204: Literacy Live Hive Mind (Highlights with the Community)
Jun 28, 2024
Show notes
Recently, we offered a free virtual meetup to practice “Choir Nerdery.” If you missed it, I have carefully curated some of the most useful and interesting moments for this episode. Discussion topics were derived from survey responses from 120 educators.
The full 2 hour and 15 minute work session is available unedited over at Patreon or Substack for show supporters.
We had a great time discussing
Fundamentals of literacy instruction
Concepts related to rhythm instruction
Structuring of programs. Gendered ensembles, leveled classes etc.
The Science of Reading for Music.
Dividing the beginning groups into ever shifting groups.
A look into a 10th grade literacy lesson at my school. (full version only)
Don’t miss it! Not only will you get some tips and tricks related to previous PD offered here, but from some other awesome teachers offering their perspectives, problems and approaches.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com.
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
www.sightreadingfactory.com is the best literacy tool on the market today. Enter Choralosophy at checkout to get 10% off memberships for you AND your students!RyanMain.com is now expanding to a family of composers! Visit endeavormusicpublishing.com and of course, enter Choralosophy at checkout for a 10% discount!
Episode 203: Programming as Storytelling with Donald Nally
Jun 21, 2024
Show notes
“It is not my job to answer the questions. It’s my job to ask the questions.” Programming for our choirs carries with it a wide range of challenges, from the skill levels of our groups, and their needs to the considerations of speaking to an audience. There are many ways to wrestle with this balance.
Renowned conductor of the Crossing Donald Nally joins me this week to think through the programming question from his perspective as both a director who has worn the “professor” hat, as well as the being the conductor of a high level professional ensemble. Donald shares his general philosophy and practice for creating a program that serves as its own piece of art.
This episode gave me a lot to chew on for choosing repertoire for choirs at all levels. You will learn a lot from this conversation too, from discussion about music with political implications, programming for storytelling, considerations for sacred music in non sacred choral contexts, and much more. The Crossing also has a new album called “Motion Studies” that serves as an interesting case study for the depth and breadth of what our art form is capable of communicating.
Choralosophy presented by Ludus. Visit Ludus.com/choralosophy for the cutting edge in fine arts ticketing and marketing solutions.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
www.sightreadingfactory.com is the best literacy tool on the market today. Enter Choralosophy at checkout to get 10% off memberships for you AND your students!
Donald Nally was the John W. Beattie Chair in Music and director of choral organizations at Northwestern University. He collaborates with creative artists, leading orchestras, and art museums to make new works for choir that address social and environmental issues. He has commissioned over 180 works and, with his ensemble The Crossing, has produced 30 recordings. Donald and The Crossing have been nominated for nine Grammy awards, winning Best Choral Performance in 2018, 2019, and 2023. He has held distinguished tenures as chorus master for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Welsh National Opera, Opera Philadelphia, the Chicago Bach Project, and for many seasons at the Spoleto Festival in Italy.
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Donald’s collaborations include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Park Avenue Armory, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Menil Collection, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Beth Morrison Projects, Lincoln Center, Mostly Mozart, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall, National Sawdust, the Barnes Foundation, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNow series, Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the National Gallery, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), the American Composers Orchestra, Klockriketeatern at the Finnish National Opera, the Institute for Advanced Study, Big Ears Festival, and the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center in Big Sky, Montana, where The Crossing holds an annual residency.
In addition to his work with The Crossing, Donald has been visiting resident artist at the Park Avenue Armory, music director of David Lang’s 1000-voice Crowd Out at Millennium Park in Chicago, Lang’s 1000-voice Mile Long Opera on the High Line in Manhattan, and chorus master for the New York Philharmonic for world premieres of Julia Wolfe and David Lang. His 60-chapter series Rising w/ The Crossing, a response to the 2020 pandemic, gained national attention and was featured in The Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR’s Performance Today; it has been archived by The Library of Congress as a cultural artifact as an “important part of this collection and the historical record.”
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Episode 202: Excluded in the Name of Inclusion with Michal Dawson Connor
Jun 13, 2024
Show notes
“I cannot believe I’ve been muzzled by my own people.” All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, CA cancelled a concert that was set for June 2nd, 2024 citing the “pain and anguish felt by 18 Black members of the church.” The response was that Michal and the choir, and the music they were set to perform from the African American cultural and musical heritage, was prohibited form being performed at the majority white All Saints until further notice.
I am joined this week by Bass soloist Michal Dawson Connor, who was caught in the middle of this controversy. He tells his side of this frustrating story and pulls no punches. A story that ends, for now, with the church’s “Racial Justice Advisory Board” being in control of what music is or is not allowed in the church, rather than the Music Ministry. When we in choral music preach diversity and inclusion, is this really what we mean?
This topic, in a broader sense, has been explored MANY times on this show going all the way back to some of the first episodes. Namely, what is the role of African American Spirituals and Gospel music in the telling of our American story, and in what ways can the cultural sharing through music lead to unity, healing and reconciliation? What does it mean to be diverse and inclusive? Can these things be achieved while drawing strict lines around categories, and gatekeeping? There seems to be a consensus in music education on these questions amongst scholars of the art form. Experts like André Thomas, Anthony Trecek King, Marques Garrett, Brandon Boyd, and even philosophers and race scholars like Anika Prather, Sheena Mason and Teodros Kiros just to name a small few have appeared on this show to speak on these important philosophical ideas. “Tough Conversations” play list linked above and embedded below.
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Michal Dawson Connor is an accomplished performer and composer of choral, chamber, and solo vocal works, with a particular emphasis on Slave songs created before the Civil War. He was born in Jamestown, New York, and is a proud alumnus of Carnegie-Mellon University and L’Ecole Hindemith in Vevey, Switzerland – where he studied voice with Blake Stern and Helen Boatwright. Championing American composers has always been a high priority for him, and Mr. Connor has concertized extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, specializing in the rich vocal repertoire of Charles Ives, Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, and many others.
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Mr. Connor’s Broadway credits include featured performances in the Tony-Award winning productions of “RAGTIME” and “SHOWBOAT”, as well as starring roles in productions of “THE MOST HAPPY FELLA”, “BIG RIVER”, and “PORGY AND BESS”. In addition to soloing on multiple occasions for President Ronald Reagan, he’s immensely proud of performing for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Reverend Billy Graham, and Elizabeth Dole. Mr. Connor is a published author of “THE SLAVE LETTERS” currently available on Amazon.com. On network television, he was a guest star on “FRIENDS”, as well as several appearances on the Emmy-Award winning show “EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION” and “THE SURPRISE GARDENER”.
Tough Conversations Playlist on YouTube!
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