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2024 ACDA Southwestern Region Conference February 27 - March 2, 2024 Denver, Colorado

H eadliners/S pecial E v en ts
Headliners/Special Events

The Southwestern ACDA Conference in Denver ventions across the United States and the Aspen Mu-
is right around the corner, and our team is excited to sic Festival, toured the world, and has commissioned
host you for a jam-packed week of choral performance, and premiered new choral works from such renowned
networking, and professional development. Our con- composers as Kim André Arnesen, Ola Gjeilo, Joc-
ference theme, #Limitless, embodies the creative and elyn Hagen, Sarah Quartel, Jake Runestad, and Eric
boundless potential of choral music, and we aim to in- Whitacre. In the fall of 2021, Kantorei began its three-
spire our attendees to push the boundaries of their own year collaboration with M. Roger Holland II as artist-
musical limits. With a program comprising nine honor in-residence. Kantorei has released two recordings on
choirs, including contemporary a cappella and Gospel, the Naxos label. Santa Barbara Music Publishing Inc.
dozens of interest sessions, and nine separate immer- publishes the Kantorei Choral series.
sion days tailored to different segments of our commu-
nity, there’s something for everyone at this conference. Joel M. Rinsema, managing artistic di-
You’ll have the opportunity to engage with renowned rector, joined Kantorei in 2014, becoming
conductors and composers, share ideas and experienc- the second conductor in its history. A fre-
es with fellow musicians from across the region, and quent collaborator and champion of new
discover new tools and techniques that you can bring works for chorus, Rinsema has commis-
back to your own choir. All of this will take place in sioned and premiered work of many of today’s leading
the vibrant and dynamic city of Denver, which boasts a composers, including the world premiere of the string
thriving music scene, rich cultural heritage, and plenty orchestra version of Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil, led
of exciting restaurants, bars, and landmarks to explore. by the composer. He received the Louis Botto Award
for “Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal” from
Chorus America. Rinsema is music director at First
Plymouth Congregational Church in Cherry Hills Vil-
Headliners lage, CO, and served as the North American Choral
Promotion Manager for Oxford University Press based
in Oxford, England (2017-2020). He holds music de-
Kantorei grees from Arizona State and Whitworth Universities.

Kantorei is a Den-
ver-based choral en-
semble comprising vol- Ola Gjeilo is one of the most frequently
unteer singers under performed composers in the choral world.
the direction of artistic An accomplished pianist, improvisations
director Joel M. Rin- over his own published choral pieces have
sema. Formed in 1997 become a trademark of his collabora-
under the leadership tions. Although Norwegian by birth, it is perhaps his
of six friends and ar- adopted country of America that has influenced the
tistic director Richard composer’s distinctive soundworld the most, evolving a
Larson, Kantorei has style that is often described as cinematic and evocative,
established itself as one with a lush, harmonious sound. Gjeilo took classical
of the nation’s premier composition studies at The Juilliard School, the Royal
choral ensembles. Kan- College of Music in London, and is currently a New
torei has performed York City-based freelance composer. He is composer-
for major choral con- in-residence with DCINY. His music is published by

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5 87