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2024 ACDA Southern Region Conference February 21-24, 2024 Louisville, Kentucky

past and present that are appropriate for the forces, Nashville Symphony Chorus, which has included cho-
needs, and educational goals of most secondary choral rus preparation for many of the repertoire’s most re-
settings. An array of voicings will be represented, from vered masterworks. He has conducted honor choirs in
2-part to SATB with minimal divisi. The pedagogical a dozen states and conducted residencies in the United
and technical content of each piece will be highlighted. Kingdom and China. Biddlecombe is a graduate of
Attendees can expect to view and sing excerpts of these SUNY Potsdam and the Florida State University.
pieces in the session.
Lauren Ramey is the associate director of
Christopher Leysath is director of choirs choral activities and director of music ed-
at North Augusta High School in North ucation at East Tennessee State Universi-
Augusta, South Carolina, where he leads ty, where she conducts BucsWorth Tenor
three choral ensembles and established Bass Choir. She also teaches courses in
the group piano program. He holds de- choral conducting and music education. Additionally,
grees in choral music education and piano from the Ramey serves as the director of music at First Presby-
University of South Carolina. Leysath has conducted terian Church Johnson City. She was previously the di-
honor choirs in South Carolina and Georgia, and rector of choirs at Ravenwood High School, where the
served as director of “Bound to Sing,” a pre-adoles- Ravenwood Choirs performed at the 2019 Music For
cent boy choir based in Aiken, SC. He also serves as All-National Concert Festival and the 2017 and 2019
choirmaster and organist at Grace United Methodist Tennessee MEA Conferences. Ramey was a recipient
Church in North Augusta. He has performed or pre- of the CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Award and
sented at numerous ACDA conferences, SCMEA con- was a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Educator
ferences, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and abroad. Award.

Nobody Sits on the Bench: “Other Duties as Assigned”
Cultivating Singer Agency in Community Choirs Beating Teacher Burnout

Every singer has a role—some color the tone of the Beating teacher burnout is vital to our professions
section, some lead musically, and others help blend cer- and our personal health. We will present findings from
tain voices together that otherwise might never agree. top researchers in music education, share lived experi-
In this session, we will present a voice identification sys- ences, and engagine in open discussion and collabo-
tem that can be used to verify to singers that they are ration. This session will offer practical, active ideas to
playing an important role no matter the size of their help beat teacher burnout both inside and outside of
voice. This session will also address pedagogical strate- the classroom. Attendees will gain a toolkit of ideas to
gies for adult singers of all ages, explore promoting self- combat the feeling of burnout and an ongoing com-
dignity through a fair and personal audition process, munity to share future ideas and resources as we move
and share ideas for keeping people singing longer. forward in action!

Tucker Biddlecombe is associate profes- Christina R. Vehar is a music educator
sor and director of choral activities at and advocate based in metro-Atlanta,
Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of where she teaches at Cheatham Hill El-
Music, where he conducts the Vander- ementary. She received her MME from
bilt Chorale and coordinates the music the Florida State University and her
education program. He also serves as director of the BME from Kennesaw State University. Vehar is pas-

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5 81