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

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VocalEssence Wartburg College
St. Elizabeth Chorale

The VocalEssence Chorus is a group of talented and The Wartburg College St. Elizabeth Chorale is a
enthusiastic singers from many different walks of life, non-auditioned, soprano-alto ensemble that performs
united by their love of singing and community. Per- treble literature from various historical periods and
forming a wide variety of musical styles, premiering styles. The Chorale is featured during Christmas with
new works, and sharing the stage with a diverse array Wartburg and mentors the high school treble partici-
of guest artists, the VocalEssence Chorus is a welcome pants of the Meistersinger Honor Choirs. The Chorale
home for singers who wish to continue making music takes its name from a famous resident of the college’s
throughout their adult lives. Our ensemble seeks to live namesake, the Wartburg Castle in Germany. Elizabeth
out our belief that singing is an essential form of hu- (1207-1231) lived at the castle and carried on an ac-
man expression and can be a powerful tool to connect tive food ministry by smuggling bread from the castle
us together across the dimensions of difference. kitchen in her cloak. Today, Wartburg College hosts a
service week dedicated to her memory.
G. Phillip Shoultz III is associate artistic
director of VocalEssence and founding Nicki Bakko Toliver serves Wartburg
director of The Singers Of This Age. College as the associate director of choral
Shoultz uses spoken word and song to fos- activities and associate professor of music
ter community and inspire action among (choral music education). She conducts
people of all ages and abilities. He conducts festival The Wartburg Castle Singers, a twenty-
choirs and leads workshops across the United States eight-voice chamber choir, and St. Elizabeth Chorale,
and beyond. He serves on the faculty of the University a seventy-voice treble ensemble. In addition, she
of St. Thomas and guides the ministries of worship at teaches K-12 music methods courses, mentors future
Westwood Lutheran Church. The Minnesota Orches- music educators in the Teacher Education Program,
tra engages Shoultz to host Young People’s Concerts. and supervises student teachers. Toliver enjoyed a
The winner of the ACDA Graduate Conducting Com- distinguished career in both public and private school
petition and multiple Teacher of the Year awards, he systems in four states. Toliver holds a DMA from
founded “Table for More” in 2020 to help organiza- North Dakota State University, an MM from Arizona
tions address issues related to innovation, equity, and State University, and a BM from Concordia College,
belonging in the arts. Moorhead.

46 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5