Page 154 - CJJan24

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

In t er est S essions
Interest Sessions

Arreon A. Harley-Emerson is a conduc- soprano and sings with New Hampshire Master Cho-
tor, composer, nonprofit strategist, and rale and Pemigewasset Choral Society.
equity coach and is the founder of Equity
Sings. He is the CEO and artistic director Sandra Howard is a professor of music
of the Delaware Academy of Vocal Arts. and coordinator of choral music edu-
Harley-Emerson’s work includes longitudinal studies, cation at Keene State College. Howard
strategic planning, board governance, resource and earned a BME and MM in vocal perfor-
asset development, and board diversification. Harley- mance from the University of Maine and
Emerson is a University Fellow at the Boyer School of an Interdisciplinary PhD Music Education/Curricu-
Music Dance at Temple University, where he is pursu- lum & Instruction from the University of Missouri-
ing a PhD in music education with a cognate in choral Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.
conducting and has completed a graduate certificate Howard has worked with singers of all ages ranging
in Diversity in Higher Education. from preschoolers to senior citizens. Her research has
been presented at regional and national conferences
for NAfME, ACDA, SRME, SMTE, and at the ISME
international conference. She is a NHMEA director
DEI in Action: and past president and NH ACDA treasurer.
Auditing Your Choral Library

Choral directors continue to program and purchase Dimensions of Justice in
new music that acknowledges and authentically rep-
resents minority communities. We strive to present Choral Works by Black Women Composers
and perform music into a diverse and equitable so-
ciety. This session will encourage attendees to review The purpose of this presentation is to provide thor-
choral library holdings and examine their relevance ough textual and musical analyses of a specific set
within today’s global world. The choral library is often of justice-themed repertoire composed by Margaret
considered to be an archive—a place to store music Bonds, Lena McLin, and Undine Smith Moore. Credo
performed in the past. It should, however, serve as a (1965-67), Free at Last: A Portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr.
living artifact. Join the conversation and take a look (1973), and Scenes from the Life of a Martyr (1981), respec-
at the work New Hampshire ACDA and NAfME are tively. Participants will leave with tools for advocacy,
engaged in to evaluate its state choral library. study, and performance along with general resources
for performers who are interested in programming
Emma Forest is the choral director at music by Black women composers.
Moultonborough Academy in Moulton-
borough, New Hampshire, where she Khyle Wooten is director of choral ac-
teaches 6-12 chorus and general music. tivities and assistant professor of music
Forest serves as the music director for the performance at Ithaca College. Previ-
theater department and is also a two season coach. She ously associate director of choral activi-
graduated from Keene State College with a BME, ma- ties with the University of Tennessee,
joring in voice with a secondary in oboe. She currently Knoxville, he is an inaugural fellow of the Future of
holds the positions of president-elect for New Hamp- Music Faculty Fellowship with the Cleveland Institute
shire ACDA and Large Group Festival Chairperson of Music. He leads ongoing research on Black wom-
for New Hampshire MEA. She actively performs as a en composers and choral music pedagogues. Wooten

152 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5