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2024 ACDA Northwestern Region Conference January 24-27, 2024 Spokane, Washington

Performing Choirs
P er f orming C hoirs

Graham-Kapowsin High School Heritage High School
Chorale T-Wolf Vocal Jazz

The Graham-Kapowsin High School Chorale is T-Wolf Vocal Jazz is an ensemble open to high
an auditioned mixed ensemble composed of students school students (grades 10-12) by audition. Accom-
in grades 10-12 with a dedication to performing out- panied by a rhythm section, this ensemble meets dai-
standing choral repertoire. The Chorale has been the ly and travels frequently, attending jazz festivals and
premier choir at Graham-Kapowsin since the school workshops throughout the year. This group performs
opened in 2005. It is one of five vocal ensembles in a vi- difficult literature ranging from four to twelve parts in
brant music department that serves over 400 students. a variety of styles including swing, blues, Latin, funk,
They were awarded the 2018-2019 American Prize and more. Created during the pandemic, this ensemble
in Choral Performance for High School Chorus, and started as a club and has developed into a course of-
earned second place in the 2020-2021 competition. fering for students to share their love of singing this
The choir previously appeared at the 2019 Northwest wonderfully diverse art form.
NAfME Conference, the 2018 ACDA Northwestern
Region Conference, the 2018 WMEA Conference. Billy Buhl has served as the director of
choirs at Heritage High School in the
Jason Saunders has served as director Evergreen School District in Vancouver,
of choirs at Graham-Kapowsin since WA, for the past three years. He received
2014. He is artistic director of the in- his BME and MME from Central Wash-
district Vivace! Choral Program, featur- ington University. In his ninth year of teaching, Buhl
ing three community ensembles. In 2015 previously served as the director of choirs at Mark
he was selected for the Washington ACDA Outstand- Morris High School in Longview, WA, for four years.
ing Emerging Choral Director Award. Saunders holds In the summer of 2021 he received the Outstanding
an MM from USC and a BME from Pacific Lutheran Emerging Choral Director Award from Washington
University. An active composer, he has published cho- ACDA. He currently serves as the tenor/bass R&R
ral works through Walton Music, Santa Barbara Music Chair for the WA ACDA. An active performer and cli-
Publishing, and Colla Voce Music. nician, Buhl sings in the professional choir Chor Anno,
which performed at the 2022 NW ACDA Conference.

12 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5