Northwestern Division Hheadlinersinvitedeadlin Choirsers
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Northwestern Division HHeadlinersInvitedeadlin Choirsers The 2014 Seattle Northwestern chusetts, in 1925. A guides the choral studies program. He is ACDA (NWACDA) Conference’s graduate of Smith national chair of ACDA’s Past-President’s theme is connection. NWACDA Presi- College and the Juil- Council, a member of the Interkultur dent Gary Weidenaar originally set the liard School, she has international advisory board, and music theme as a way to promote sessions on led an active life of director of Schola Cantorum of Texas. balancing career, family, and health—a composing, conduct- He has served as guest conductor/ challenge in the too-busy life of today’s ing, and teaching clinician in thirty-seven states, in addi- choral conductor. As a result, there are focused on melody and on the human tion to serving in guest roles in Austria, multiple sessions on the health of the voice. Her own compositions include China, Cuba, Great Britain, South Korea, conductor. four operas, more than forty-fi ve can- Sweden, Taiwan, and Venezuela. His The NWACDA leadership has also tatas, many choral suites, and hundreds choirs have also sung for the national expanded the idea of connection, which of anthems and settings of folk songs, conferences of numerous organizations is now being utilized in wonderful ways hymns, and spirituals. She has infl uenced and on multiple international stages. well beyond that original idea. many composers and conductors Since McCoy’s arrival at UNT in Here are a few: Headliner Alice through the seminars held at her home. 2000, alumni of the UNT graduate Parker is passionate about community In 1985 she founded Melodious choral studies program have earned singing and involving music in everyday Accord, Inc., which sponsors concerts positions in twenty-fi ve colleges and life. The Canadian groups Elektra and by a professional chamber chorus, edu- universities across the United States, Nathaniel Dett connect two countries cational opportunities, SINGS, and her South Korea, and Mexico. on the international choir night. An personal appearances. She has published He sang and recorded with the Rob- honor choir fl ash mob at a local mall several books, including The Anatomy of ert Shaw Festival Singers in New York is planned—connecting ACDA with Melody, The Melodious Accord Hymnal, City and throughout southern France, the Seattle community. And to connect and over a dozen recordings. She was and with the Banff (Canada) Festival bodies and minds of attendees to a named the fi rst director laureate by Chamber Choir, led by Swedish conduc- relaxed feeling, chair massages will be Chorus America, received the Robert tor Eric Ericson. available in the exhibit area for much of Shaw Award from ACDA, is a Fellow of the conference. the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, and is the recipient of many honors and awards, including six honor- Nathaniel Dett Chorale Keynote Address ary doctorates. The Defi nition of Beauty: The Composer and Poet at Work Jerry McCoy Alice Parker will discuss the chal- Jerry McCoy, lenge of fulfi lling the Raymond Brock honored with the Commission; the art of clothing poetry 2013 Texas Choral in music. Emily Dickinson's poems are The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, hailed Directors Associa- the source of the rhythms and melo- as a National Treasure of Canada and tion’s Choirmaster dies in these four brief songs. Ideas for CAPACO 2009 Touring Artist of the Award, is director rehearsal techniques will be shared that Year, is Canada’s fi rst professional choral of choral studies help to communicate both the song and group dedicated to Afrocentric music and regents professor of music at the the words. of all styles, including classical, spiritual, University of North Texas (UNT), where gospel, jazz, folk, and blues. he conducts the A Cappella Choir Alice Parker, composer, conductor and These classically trained, outstanding and Grand Chorus, teaches graduate teacher, was born in Boston, Massa- vocalists have shared the stage with conducting and choral techniques, and CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 54 Number 6 109 Northwestern Division HHeadlinersInvitedeadlin Choirsers many internationally recognized artists. Music of The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, a He has also worked as artistic director The Chorale has also performed at documentary celebrating this unique and advisor for the Algoma Festival events honoring Nelson Mandela, Arch- ensemble and their place in Canada’s Choir, the Nova Scotia Mass Choir, and bishop Desmond Tutu, Muhammad Ali, musical spectru. the Chatham-Kent Roots Festival. and the inauguration of president-elect Blyden-Taylor has served as a mem- Barack Obama in January 2009. Brainerd Blyden-Taylor is the founder, ber of the teaching staff of the Faculty The Nathaniel Dett Chorale’s vision artistic director, and conductor of the of Music, University of Toronto, and the is to build bridges of understanding, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Canada’s fi rst Faculty of Music, Queen’s University. He appreciation, and acceptance between professional chamber choir dedicated is a master teacher with the Toronto communities of people, both Afrocentric to the creation and performance of Board of Education, coaching teachers and other, through the medium of music. Afrocentric music of all styles. Born in and students in conducting and choral Founder Brainerd Blyden-Taylor Trinidad & Tobago, Blyden-Taylor immi- technique, and was recently awarded an named the Chorale after internationally grated to Canada in 1973. He founded honourary doctor of laws degree from renowned African-Canadian composer the Chorale in 1998 in response to a York University in Toronto. R. Nathaniel Dett (1882–1943). musical void in Canada; there had never Blyden-Taylor is also in constant Since its inception in 1998, the Na- before been a professional ensemble demand as a clinician, adjudicator and thaniel Dett Chorale has honored the dedicated to the dissemination of Afro- lecturer both nationally and internation- memory of its namesake, performing centric choral music. ally. In addition, Blyden-Taylor is an active a jubilant and uplifting repertoire ex- Blyden-Taylor has conducted several church musician, serving currently as tensively throughout Ontario and New university, youth, and concert choirs, music director of St Timothy’s Anglican York state and delighting national audi- most notably completing a twenty-fi ve- Church, North Toronto. ences in critically acclaimed extended year tenure with the Orpheus Choir of tours. Toronto. He works frequently as a guest In November 2002, the Nathaniel conductor, having appeared with organi- Dett Chorale released its fi rst CD zations such as the Toronto Symphony (Listen to the Lambs), a historic fi rst Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, Han- commercial recording of the choral naford Street Silver Band, Nova Scotia works of R. Nathaniel Dett. February Youth Choir, Ontario Youth Choir, Cen- 2003 saw the release of Gemini award- tral Manitoba Youth Choir, and the New winning Carry Me Home: The Story and Brunswick Choral Federation Youth Sing. ACDA MONOGRAPH NO. 15 Proceedings of ACDA’s National Symposium on American Choral Music: In Search of An American Style (William Belan, editor) Imagine having a complete word-for-word transcript of every session presented during a conference. This monograph provides exactly that, spanning a valuable collection of topics and research evolving from the ACDA symposium held in cooperation with the U.S. Library of Congress. Available from the ACDA Store at www.acda.org/shop.asp 110 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 54 Number 6 SSpecialInvitedNorthwesternpecial EventsEChoirsvents Division works have been heard widely across Gospel Music North America and in Europe. When St. John's Passion he is not on the podium, Chagnard can Worship be found playing gypsy jazz guitar with Saturday After Lunch the TOUCHÉ sextet. He served as Northwest Sinfonietta director of orchestras at the University Steven Newby will lead attendees of Puget Sound from 2001 to 2012. in a gospel music worship experience Founded in Chagnard received his musical training in that is praise-fi lled, participatory, and 1991, North- composition and conducting from Berk- inspirational. Newby will gather a vocal west Sin- lee College of Music and New England ensemble of Seattle’s top gospel singers fonietta is a Conservatory. and a driving rhythm section to lead professional worship. At the end of worship there chamber or- will be a question-and-answer session chestra per- about the joys and challenges of incor- forming a Pacifi c Lutheran University porating gospel music in worship. regular full Choral Union season in Se- Stephen Michael attle, Tacoma, Newby is associate and Puyallup. professor of music Its thirty-fi ve members are the fi nest composition at Seat- professional musicians in the Greater tle Pacifi c University Seattle region, and the ensemble is (SPU) and director widely acclaimed for its remarkable of the Center for blend of power and intimacy. Notable Worship and the SPU Gospel Choir. accomplishments include regional tours, multiple CD recordings, two interna- Worship leader, composer, conductor, The Pacific Lutheran University tional tours to Cuba, and performances and educator, Newby has worked with Choral Union is considered one of the in the United States with their sister- gospel choirs, vocal jazz ensembles, and outstanding community choruses in the orchestra from Cienfuegos, Cuba. Their traditional choral groups for more than United States. The choir was established most recent projects include a profes- thirty