Page 137 - CJJanuary2026

2026 ACDA Southwestern Region Conference March 4-7, 2026 Albuquerque, New Mexico

Special Session - Live Podcast choral director at Mansfield High School, his choirs had
featured performances at SWACDA (2012 and 2022),
TMEA (2018), and ACDA National (2023). Wright is an
Podcast: Beyond the Buzzwords – active clinician and conductor, frequently leading hon-

Rigor, Inclusion, and Reality in Choral Education or choirs across the United States. As a composer, his
works have been commissioned by middle school, high
Hosted by Chris Munce with panelists Reginal school, collegiate, and professional ensembles, with per-
Wright, Odell Ziegler Jr., and Betsy Cook Weber, this formances at ACDA conferences, Texas all-state choirs,
timely conversation tackles the most pressing—and of- and Carnegie Hall. His music is published by BriLee,
ten unspoken—questions in our profession. In an era Carl Fischer, Graphite, Hal Leonard, Oxford, and Santa
shaped by shifting cultural norms, political polariza- Barbara Music Publishing. Wright earned a BME and
tion, and evolving educational values, choral educators MME from Stephen F. Austin State University.
must navigate complex challenges while remaining
committed to excellence. What do we really mean when Odell Zeigler IV is the choral director in
we talk about rigor, standards, and achievement in the Norfolk Public School system in Norfolk,
choral classroom? Can we embrace political and philo- Virginia. Zeigler is a Virginia Symphony
sophical diversity in our ensembles while still fostering Orchestra’s Education Committee mem-
genuine community and inclusion? How do we address ber. He serves as a national reader for Ad-
the gender imbalance in singing without creating bar- vanced Placement (AP) Music Theory and AP Psycholo-
riers or exclusions? And are we engaging with diverse gy exams. He holds a BA in music and psychology from
repertoire in truly thoughtful and nuanced ways? This North Central College in Naperville, Illinois; an MME
panel will move beyond platitudes to confront the reali- from the University of Rhode Island; and an MME
ties of twenty-first-century choral education, offering a (educational leadership with a principal certification en-
space for honest dialogue, reflection, and growth. Au- dorsement) from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
dience Q&A will follow, with all perspectives welcome.
Betsy Cook Weber is artistic director of
Chris Munce is a choral conductor, edu- the Grammy Award-winning Houston
cator, and clinician with experience lead- Chamber Choir and enjoys an interna-
ing ensembles from youth to professional. tional reputation as a conductor, clinician,
He directs Kantorei KC, a professional adjudicator, and presenter. She is Madison
choir in Kansas City, and has shaped the Endowed Professor of Music Emeritus at the Univer-
choral program at Lee’s Summit High School for twen- sity of Houston Moores School of Music and director
ty years. Munce also produces the Choralosophy podcast, emeritus of the Houston Symphony Chorus. Weber is
the world’s largest and longest-running choir podcast, among the few conductors to have directed a major uni-
known for fearlessly confronting complex issues in mu- versity choral program, the chorus of a symphony or-
sic education and in the arts. A frequent conference chestra, and a professional ensemble. Choirs under her
presenter, he works at the intersection of academic direction have won top prizes internationally and have
rigor, student agency, and cultural nuance. He lives in appeared at state, regional, and national conferences
the KC area with his wife, Beth; daughter, Clara; son, across the United States. Internationally, she has con-
Colin; and Sam the dog. ducted at Leipzig’s Bachfest and the Litomyšl Festival in
the Czech Republic and has adjudicated widely. In 2013
Reginal Wright has over twenty years of she became the first woman to receive TCDA’s Texas
experience as a public school educator Choirmaster Award.
and currently serves on the choral facul-
ty at Baylor University. Previously head

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 135