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2024 ACDA Eastern Region Conference February 28 - March 2, 2024 Providence, Rhode Island

In t er est S essions
Interest Sessions

Approaching Contemporary Marc Silverberg has served on the execu-
Korean Choral Repertoire and tive board of CASA.org and presented
Pedagogical Considerations workshops on vocal improvisation at
national and state festivals. Beginning
in 2020, Silverberg pioneered two new
The American choral world advocates diversity in breakthroughs in a cappella education: A cappella
choral music to a greater extent than ever before, yet Masterclass (acappellamasterclass.com) and VocaVer-
choir directors often find it challenging introducing sity, the world’s first, certified online school for contem-
music from different cultures. This session aims to in- porary a cappella. In 2020, Silverberg released his first
troduce composers of South Korean background and book, co-written with Deke Sharon and GIA Publica-
their carefully selected choral works, provide practical tions, Teaching Music Through Performance in Contemporary
resources about basic rules of Korean diction in sing- A Cappella. He has degrees from the University of Dela-
ing, stir thoughts on appropriate vocal tones and cul- ware (BM), Westminster Choir College (MM), and Five
tural contexts, and share resources easily accessible for Towns College (DMA).
non-native choir directors.

Minji Kim serves as an assistant profes-
sor of music at Gordon College and the Building the Ensemble through
music director for the Newburyport Cho-
ral Society in Massachusetts. As a native Collaborative Circle Activities Across Ages
South Korean conductor now living in
the United States, she is passionate about incorporat- Together we will explore ways to build our ensem-
ing her cultural background into teaching. She earned bles and encourage collaboration, exploration, and im-
an MM in choral conducting at the Ohio State Univer- provisation through a few circle activities. Together we
sity and a DMA at the University of Maryland, Col- will discover how these activities can be used in both
lege Park. the middle and high school setting and experience and
discuss how these activities encourage collaboration
and trust amongst our singers. Come ready to partici-
pate and take away new activities you can implement
Bridging the Gap: into your rehearsal space.

From Concert Choir to Contemporary A Cappella
Jameelah Taylor is a choral director and
vocalist based in New York City. She
This interactive workshop aims to answer three holds an MME from Teachers College,
questions: First, why should choral conductors who’ve Columbia University, as well as a BA in
immersed their entire lives in standard choral literature vocal performance from The New School
care about contemporary a cappella? Second, how can for Jazz and Contemporary Music. She has performed
a fundamental understanding of contemporary a cap- in venues across New York City, including The Stone,
pella help improve your choir’s understanding of more Joe’s Pub, Carnegie Hall, Webster Hall, and the histor-
traditional literature? Third, how can choral conduc- ic Kings Theatre for New York Fashion Week. Taylor
tors who are unfamiliar with the culture of contempo- is the middle and upper school choral director at the
rary a cappella dip their toe in the proverbial water? Trevor Day School on the UES.

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5 149