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2025 ACDA National Conference March 18-22, 2025 Dallas, Texas

fostering cross-cultural communication, his research
Developing Embodied Sound: centers on Japanese choral music and folk songs. He

Enhancing Rehearsal and Performance teaches the Vocal Jazz ensemble and music education
through Movement courses at The Florida State University. Past organiza-
tions include the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,”
the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, the Tacoma Youth
Chorus, the Children’s Chorus of Washington, and
Thursday 9:00 am - 9:50 am Columbia College in Missouri.

First United Methodist Church
Upper Room (3rd Floor)

Divisive Concepts and Choral Spaces:
Incorporating movement into the choral rehearsal Strategies for Navigating Challenging Landscapes
and performance can feel daunting and uninspired.
This session will focus on how to organically incor- A session hosted by the
porate movement into rehearsals and performances ACDA National Diversity Initiatives Committee
to enhance, expedite, and ignite musical ownership in
your singers. Movement will be divided into three cat-
egories—free form, guided, and choreographed—to
provide various points of entry for each director and Friday 4:45 pm - 5:30 pm
ensemble. Participants will be active in the session as we National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
develop a vocabulary of gestures and teaching strate- Grand Salon
gies. These movement techniques will support an em-
bodied choral sound and engaging choral experience
that translates from rehearsal to performance. In this session, the ACDA Diversity Initiatives Com-
mittee will examine how divisive concept laws are im-
McKenna Stenson is an innovative con- pacting choral spaces across the country. As these laws
ductor, teacher, and vocalist who has built attempt to restrict conversations around race, gender,
a career inspiring students to sing confi- and social justice, music educators, conductors, and
dently and motivating communities to leaders in choral communities can find themselves in
create lasting change through song. Her precarious positions. In this session, the presenters will
energetic demeanor permeates positivity throughout provide insights into where divisive concepts are cur-
the ensemble, creating a community of compassion, rently under scrutiny, share strategies for navigating
trust, and resilience. Stenson serves as an assistant pro- these policies, and foster a space for open dialogue and
fessor on the choral faculty at The Florida State Uni- peer support.
versity, where she teaches undergraduate choral meth-
ods, graduate conducting, and graduate seminars. She Presenters for this session are the members of the
enjoys serving as a guest conductor, clinician, presenter, ACDA National Diversity Initiatives Standing Com-
and adjudicator for choirs throughout the United States mittee: Arreon Harley-Emerson, Verena Lucίa Anders,
and abroad. Noel Archambeault, Ramon Cardenas, Joshua Palkki,
Melanie E. Stapleton, Mari Esabel Valverde, and Kim-
Bryan Hiroto Stenson was born and berly Waigwa.
raised in Tokyo, Japan, and seeks to share
a global perspective with the students and
collaborators he works with. Intent on

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2025 Volume 65 Number 5 47