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

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

Gospel Music Matters: This session will reveal the benefits of popular and con-

A Masterclass with Trey McLaughlin temporary music to choral singers and their communi-
ties while also addressing the most common roadblocks
Join us for an enlightening plenary session with head- directors face while teaching it. Participants will leave
liner Trey McLaughlin as he shares his deep knowl- with a better understanding of the importance of cul-
edge and experience of Gospel music. A renowned turally native pop music in the choral program, strate-
Gospel singer, arranger, and performer, McLaughlin gies to successfully and authentically teach this music to
has gained international recognition for his innova- their singers, and practical ways to incorporate it into
tive and soulful approach to the genre. During this ses- their programs.
sion, attendees will learn about the rich history and
cultural significance of Gospel music, and explore the Rob Dietz is a multiple CARA-winning
performance practice and techniques essential for a producer who has been arranging, per-
compelling and authentic performance. He will lead forming, and teaching contemporary
an interactive masterclass, providing practical guidance a cappella music for over twenty years.
on singing, arranging, and directing Gospel music. At- Based in Los Angeles, Dietz is best
tendees will discover the power and beauty of Gospel known for his work as an arranger and group coach
music in this unique opportunity to learn from one of for NBC’s The Sing-Off. His arrangements have been
the leading Gospel artists of our time. showcased on several TV shows, including America’s Got
Talent (NBC), To All The Boys: P.S I Still Love You (Netf-
Trey M. McLaughlin is a 2002 graduate lix), and Pitch Slapped (Lifetime). As a performer he is an
of John S. Davidson Magnet School in award-winning vocal percussionist. He is the author of
Augusta, GA. McLaughlin earned a BM A Cappella 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Contemporary A Cap-
performance degree emphasis in vocal pella Singing published by Hal Leonard. Dietz serves as
pedagogy from Columbus State Univer- the ACDA National R&R co-chair for contemporary/
sity (Columbus, Georgia). He has traveled the world commercial.
conducting master classes, workshops, and performing,
including the Aarhus Vocal Festival in Copenhagen, J. D. Frizzell is the director of fine arts
Denmark, and the L’Opéra de Massy in Massy, France. and director of vocal music at Briarcrest
Currently, he serves as the director of Creative Impres- Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee.
sions and is also the founder and director of the gospel His ensembles have performed at region-
ensemble Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar. al, national, and international conven-
He is the director of music at The Historic Tabernacle tions. Winner of the Integrales Composition Contest,
Baptist Church and serves as an adjunct professor of Frizzell has had many best-selling compositions and ar-
choral studies at Paine College in Augusta, GA. rangements. He also co-authored A Cappella Warm Ups
with Deke Sharon and Teaching Music Through Performance
in A Cappella with Deke Sharon and Marc Silverberg.
Tone and Style: He is the president of the A Cappella Education As-
sociation and the founder of The National A Cappella
Using Pop Music to Build Better Singers Convention. OneVoice, his a cappella group, is a Sony
Recording Artist with over 100 million downloads and
Why should we perform popular music with our streams. They have performed at the Emmys and on
choirs? How can we use contemporary music to build America’s Got Talent.
stronger singers and diverse programs while expanding
traditional technique and challenging choral norms?

90 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5