Page 162 - CJJan24

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

In
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Interest Sessions
(re)sounding Joy: clude educational material recorded during the festival
Paradigm Shifts for DEI Work in Choral Spaces from practicing artists alongside the teaching of songs,
resources to engage in conversation with student and
community singers, a repertoire guide, historical con-
Utilizing a trauma-informed approach, this session texts and practices, and time for questions.
will address equity through programming by highlight-
ing repertoire written by historically excluded compos- André de Quadros is a professor of music
ers. Attendees will gain strategies for reframing or re- at Boston University with affiliations in
placing potentially triggering or trauma-centered music African, African American, Asian, Jew-
(as well as other harmful practices in choral spaces) ish, Muslim studies, prison education,
and expand singers’ awareness and understanding— Forced Migration, and Antiracist Re-
through repertoire—of cultures outside their own. search. As an artist, scholar, and human rights activist,
While still centering historically excluded voices, this he has worked in over forty countries in diverse settings,
session will help participants shift their DEI practices to including professional ensembles, projects with prisons,
create a more welcoming, safe, and joy-centered choral psychosocial rehabilitation, refugees, and victims of
space for all. sexual violence, torture, and trauma. His work crosses
race and mass incarceration, peacebuilding, forced mi-
Alyssa J. Cossey (she/her) is a conduc- gration, LGBTQ+ folx, and Islamic culture. He directs
tor, singer, educator, and scholar. She is a choral projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the United
contributing author for a new choral text States, Israel and the Arab world, and the Mexico-US
on women composers (edited by Hilary border.
Apfelstadt), an inaugural member of the
professional women’s choir mirabai, and she is cur- Krystal Morin (she/her) is a New Eng-
rently serving as associate director of choral activities land-based conductor, singer, and educa-
at Coastal Carolina University. Before relocating to the tor who is passionate about leading sing-
East Coast for love, she was an assistant professor of ing experiences rooted in empowerment,
choral music at the University of Arizona, and prior to co-creation, and storytelling. Morin’s
that she taught both middle and high school choir in background includes diverse music-making experienc-
Southern California for nearly a decade. es, including ten years as a public high school choir and
music teacher, designing and implementing curricu-
lums in varied settings, providing artistic development
and ensemble leadership, multi-modal artistic work in
Sama: Listening and Engaging incarceration settings, field leadership, and experience

with Musics of the Muslim World performing in a broad range of community and profes-
sional ensembles. Currently, she is a conductor for Bos-
ton Children’s Chorus, sings with VOICES 21C, and is
Choral music of the Islamic tradition is often mis- a teacher for Boston University’s Prison Arts Initiative.
represented, and VOICES 21C seeks to create space
for conversation and education about ways to authenti- Brad Dumont is a passionate arts advo-
cally engage. This interactive session, focused on music cate working to create and support artistic
and culture of the Muslim world, will share our first- projects that contribute to cultural im-
hand experiences as members of the international provement and community-based arts ed-
Sama Choral Festival alongside our work singing music ucation. As a conductor, he believes in the
of Islam across the world. Our presentation will in- power of choral singing to build empathetic communi-

160 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5