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2024 ACDA Western Region Conference

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Honor Choir Conductors
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Children's High School SSAA

Judy Bowers was named professor emer- Julie Yu (she/her) is professor of mu-
ita in the College of Music at the Florida sic and director of choral studies at the
State University upon retirement after Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Okla-
more than fifty years of teaching, and homa City University and the artistic di-
subsequently completed four years as rector of Canterbury Voices, Oklahoma’s
Biedenharn Endowed Chair in Music at the Univer- premier symphony chorus. She holds a BME from the
sity of Louisiana Monroe. Throughout a career dedi- University of Central Oklahoma, MM from Oklaho-
cated to preparing music teachers, Bowers has taught ma State University, and a DMA from the University
undergraduate and graduate music education classes of North Texas. She taught at Norman North High
and choirs, and has provided honor choirs in Cana- School in Oklahoma, San José State University, and
da, Africa, and numerous US all-state/honor choirs, Kansas State University. She has given presentations,
regional ACDA honor choirs, and a National ACDA conducted, and/or her choirs have performed for state
Middle School Honor Choir in 2009. In 2014, Bowers and regional conferences of ACDA, NAfME, and the
was named a Lowell Mason National Music Education European MEA. She is the past president of the South-
Fellow by NAfME, and in 2023, the Florida MEA in- western ACDA Region and served as an International
ducted her into the Florida Music Hall of Fame. Conducting Exchange Fellow to Kenya in 2019.

Gospel Youth SATB

Rollo Dilworth is vice dean and professor Emily Ellsworth has conducted all-state
of choral music education in the depart- choirs and prestigious festivals across
ment of music education and therapy at thirty US states, as well as honor choirs
Temple University’s Center for the Per- for ACDA regions. Her global appear-
forming and Cinematic Arts in Philadel- ances include directing festival choirs in
phia, PA. Prior to his position with Boyer College, he various countries and presenting for national choral
taught music education and was the director of choral directors in Brazil. In academia, Ellsworth contrib-
activities for thirteen years at North Park University in uted to Luther College’s choral faculty, conducted the
Chicago. Dilworth’s contributions extend to conduct- Elmhurst University Concert Choir, and lectured at
ing the Temple University Singing Owls Campus/ Northwestern University. Notably, she served as artis-
Community Chorus, leading the Singing City Choir, tic director of Anima-Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus
and conducting the School District of Philadelphia for over two decades. Her choral work garnered nu-
High School All-City Chorus. He is a prolific composer merous accolades, including the 2014 Tribute Award
and arranger, with over 200 published choral works. from Chicago A Cappella and 2013 ASCAP award for
Much of Dilworth’s creative output as a composer and Adventurous Programming from Chorus America. She
arranger focuses on themes of social justice. He serves holds vocal performance degrees from Macalester Col-
on the national boards of Chorus America and the lege and the University of Southern California.
NCCO.

186 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5