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2025 ACDA National Conference March 18-22, 2025 Dallas, Texas
Concert Events (Purple Track, Orange Track, Both Tracks)
University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at San Antonio
A Cappella Choir Chamber Singers
The A Cappella Choir is the premier choral ensem- The UTSA Chamber Singers, comprising approxi-
ble of the University of Texas at Arlington. Compris- mately forty highly selective members, stand as the
ing undergraduate and graduate vocal music majors, premier choral ensemble for the university. Under the
the choir’s diversity is representative of the UT Arling- direction of Yoojin Muhn, the ensemble delivers the
ton student body, which is ranked the fifth most ethni- highest caliber of choral repertoire, spanning across
cally diverse university in the nation. The A Cappella all musical eras. Noteworthy performances include ap-
Choir performed at Texas MEA (2014, 2019); NCCO pearances at the Caritas Concert Series at the Chapel
(2019); Southwestern ACDA Region (2016, 2022); and of the Incarnate Word and the Symphony of the Hills’s
served as ensemble-in-residence for the National Stu- Beethoven Symphony 9 concert. They are prominently
dent Conducting Competition at the 2015 ACDA Na- featured in the annual Winterlude event, various per-
tional Conference. The choir has twice been honored formances across San Antonio, as well as annual per-
with the American Prize for Choral Performance: 2014 formance and recruiting tours.
(finalist) and 2021 (third place).
Yoojin Muhn serves as the director of
Karen Kenaston-French is professor and choral activities at the University of
director of choral activities at the Uni- Texas at San Antonio. She also holds the
versity of Texas Arlington, where she position of music director for the San An-
conducts the A Cappella Choir, teaches tonio Mastersingers, a highly acclaimed
conducting, and heads the Vocal Area. 120-voice chorus of volunteers from the expansive
Under her direction, the UTA A Cappella Choir has San Antonio Area. She previously directed the Tucson
performed at Texas MEA twice, regional and national Masterworks Chorale, co-directed the Oriana Wom-
ACDA, and the national conference of NCCO. Prior en’s Chorus, and assisted in leading the Concert Choir
to UTA, Kenaston-French was director of choral ac- at USC. Muhn received a DMA from the University of
tivities at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. Southern California, MM degrees from the University
She holds degrees from West Virginia Wesleyan Col- of Cincinnati and Westminster Choir College, and a
lege, SMU, and a doctorate from UNT. In 2019 she BA in composition from SookMyung Women’s Univer-
assumed the position of artistic director/conductor of sity in Seoul, Korea.
the Fort Worth Chorale.
CHORAL JOURNAL January 2025 Volume 65 Number 5 19