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2022 ACDA Northwestern Region Conference

D isc o v er y S essions
Discovery Sessions

The Tacoma Refugee Choir is a Movement and Voice jazz, classical, free im-
non-auditioned choir of refugees, in Community provisation, and per-
immigrants, and friends who seek formance. A classically

belonging and are committed to cre- trained flutist with an
ating a more equitable and welcom- Yelling Choir will perform an MA in Critical and
ing community. In its fi rst fi ve years, original collaborative composition Comparative Studies in Music from
the Tacoma Refugee Choir has wel- (15-20 minutes) incorporating move- the University of Virginia, she has
comed over 600 members from over ment and voice. We will then pro- toured extensively in experimental
50 countries, and performed for over vide a short description and demon- bands across the US and Europe.

25,000 people at community, educa- stration of extended vocal yelling She uses primarily flute, electric gui-
tional, and government events. The techniques and our rehearsal process tar, and voice in a restless negotia-
choir received standing ovations at and philosophy. tion of the limits of communication.
TEDxSeattle and has been featured
on PBS and network television with
stories and music videos of original TBA
songs created with members.

Erin Guinup is the
founding executive
and artistic director of
the Tacoma Refugee
Choir. She has spoken
at TEDxSeattle, Starbucks, Ama- Yelling Choir is a femme and non-
zon, and national conferences for binary performance group that re-
NATS, ACDA, and Chorus Amer- imagines voice, presence, gender,
ica and contributed to three books. and power. Our intention is to pro-
As a composer, her choral and solo vide an experience of empowerment The Boise Gay Men’s Chorus,
works have been featured on PBS and voice on a core level, in our bod- founded in 2013, is a member of
and network television, and she per- ies. We explore claiming space, get- the national GALA Choruses. The
formed her one-woman show about ting big, and reworking expectations Boise Gay Men’s Chorus performed
female composers internationally. of expression, using collaboration, at the 2017 national GALA conven-
Other career highlights include di- movement, and voice (including but tion. They combine with the Boise
recting the world premiere of Orson not limited to yelling). Rehearsals in- Women’s Chorus for concert and
Scott Card and Mark Mitchell’s He corporate play and nervous system community outreach opportunities
is There. regulation exercises in addition to as the Boise Choruses. We are an
extended vocal technique. We use inclusive and diverse group of sing-

social interaction, breath, voice, and ers united in our efforts to perform
movement to help regulate as well as music that celebrates and encourag-
express emotions. es men, women, and the LGBTQ
community. We share the values of
Maxx Katz is a multi-instrumentalist kindness, compassion, acceptance,
and composer whose work simulta- chorale excellence, and having fun!
neously uses vocabulary from metal,

162 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2022 Volume 62 Number 5