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2024 ACDA Midwestern Region Conference February 7-10, 2024 Omaha, Nebraska

Bowling Green State University Iowa State University
Volaré Cantamus

Cantamus was founded at Iowa State University in
2000 with the principal goal to diversify the repertoire,
The “Treble Clef Club” is the oldest vocal ensem- practice, and reach of treble-voice ensembles. Our lit-
ble at Bowling Green State University. Now named erature spans from early works to premieres by living
“Volaré” (most recently Women’s Chorus) we proudly composers, and from Western classical music canon
serve treble voices across all ages and disciplines at the to oral-tradition folk music and experimental contem-
university. Volaré consists of sixty-five undergraduate porary pieces. Vocally, Cantamus singers learn how to
sopranos and altos and predominantly includes non- healthily produce a wide spectrum of sound across the
music majors. Volaré regularly commissions and pre- full treble range—lofted to brassy, lean to lush, crying
miers new works. The chorus performs both on and to soaring. Embedded in this practice is both a greatly
off campus and has performed at several professional expanded definition of beauty and an active embrace
conferences, including Ohio MEA in 2022. Volaré last of songs and singers of disparate backgrounds and tra-
performed at ACDA thirty-five years ago and is hon- ditions.
ored to return.
Jennifer Rodgers is the assistant director
Emily Pence Brown serves as associate of choral activities and assistant teaching
professor of music education at Bowl- professor of voice at Iowa State Univer-
ing Green State University, where she sity, where she directs the Cantamus and
teaches choral music education under- Lyrica ensembles and teaches voice in
graduate courses and directs Volaré. studio and classroom settings. Her career and teaching
She holds a BME from Rutgers University, a master’s has been dedicated to building bridges: between con-
from the Florida State University, and a PhD from The temporary and traditional singing and between choral
University of Southern Mississippi. Brown’s research and solo voice professionals. As a vocalist, Rodgers per-
on teacher vocal health and job-related stress has been forms in a wide variety of styles. She is the lead singer
published in Journal of Music Teacher Education and Bulle- for the Indigo Monks jazz band and one of sixteen
tin of the Council for Research in Music Education. Additional singers on the inaugural roster of withonevoice, a pro-
publications include Music Educators Journal, Research Per- fessional choir based in Chicago and Western Illinois.
spectives on Music Education, and TRIAD.

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5 41