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

Demonstration Choir held the position of music director at several church-
es in CA and NY. With an additional interest in early
childhood music education, she is the owner of and
Biola University teacher at Children’s Music Academy in Whittier, CA.
Chorale

A groundbreaking leader and visionary artist, JoAnn
Falletta’s legacy spans symphony halls throughout the
world. Falletta is the featured guest conductor of
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra..

The Biola University Chorale comprises thirty-sev-
en voices from various disciplines on campus, with 21%
voice majors, 45% music majors (non-voice), and 32%
non-majors. The Chorale has enjoyed performances
on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, in Carnegie Hall,
and with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra under the
renowned conductor Carl St. Clair. The choir regularly
tours domestically and internationally. Each spring, the
Chorale joins forces with the Biola Symphony Orches-
tra for a performance of a major work. These perfor-
mances have included Duruflé’s Requiem, Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9, Poulenc’s Gloria, and Orff’s Carmina
Burana. The Chorale has performed at four Western
ACDA Region Conferences: 2024, 2020, 2016, 1990.

Shawna Stewart is the director of choral
studies at Biola University in La Mirada,
CA, where she conducts the Biola Uni-
versity Chorale and the Vocal Jazz En-
semble. As associate professor, she teach- JoAnn Falletta
es courses in conducting and choral methods. Stewart Multi-GrammyAward-winning
holds advanced degrees from the Eastman School of Conductor
Music and the University of Southern California, and First woman to lead a major American
has served on the faculty at John Brown University and orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic
North Dakota State College of Science. She has also

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2025 Volume 65 Number 5 89