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2026 ACDA Eastern Region Conference February 25-28, 2026 Providence, Rhode Island
ty-three years, Lundy served in music ministry at the and the Dallas Street Choir, a musical outlet for those
Reid Temple AME Church Glenn Dale, Maryland, affected by homelessness. Palant currently serves as
alongside the “Sweetheart of Gospel” Myrna Sum- president emeritus of the National Alliance for Mu-
mers. In his last position at Reid, he served as director, sic in Vulnerable Communities and sits on the board
Christian fine arts. In 2023, Lundy received the Presi- of directors of the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses. In
dent Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, the Dallas Morning News named Palant one of
recognition of his over four thousand hours of com- nine Texan of the Year finalists, and in 2016, Musical
munity service. In August 2025, Lundy was appoint- America named him one of their Innovators of the Year.
ed director of music and worship & arts at the historic Both Palant’s book, Brothers, Sing On! Conducting the Ten-
Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia. or-Bass Choir, and the Jonathan Palant Choral Series are
published by the Hal Leonard Corporation. He holds
degrees from Michigan State University, Temple Uni-
Latin American Choral Traditions versity, and the University of Michigan.
Diana V. Sáez is the director of choral ac- One-Night Choir
tivities at Towson University in Towson,
Maryland, directing the University Cho-
rale, Treble Voices, and Choral Society. Led by Matt Goldstein,
Prior to this appointment, Sáez served as founder of the Gaia Music Collective
visiting choir director at Knox College in Galesburg, February 26, 9:30pm
Illinois, and visiting choir conductor at McDaniel Col-
lege in Westminster, Maryland. As a leading specialist Providence Place Mall
in the field of Latin American music, Sáez is a frequent
guest conductor, adjudicator, and lecturer in both the Matt Goldstein (he/him) is an NYC-
United States and abroad. She began her musical ed- based choir director, educator, facilitator,
ucation at the Escuela Libre de Música in San Juan, vocal arranger, singer-songwriter, and
Puerto Rico, and later earned a master’s of choral improviser known for his heart-forward
conducting from Temple University and a DMA at the facilitation, emotive arrangements, and
University of Maryland, College Park. Her composi- visionary leadership. He is the founder and artistic di-
tions for choir are published by Hal Leonard, Boosey rector of Gaia Music Collective, a collaborative music
& Hawkes, Roger Dean, and La Voz Publishing. She community that is achieving international recognition
is currently co-editing The Oxford Book of Latin American for its work in creating inclusive, accessible spaces for
Choral Music with José Rivera from the University of everyday folks to pursue musical expression and con-
North Carolina in Pembrook. nection. His award-winning arrangements are sung by
ensembles worldwide, and he has been featured as an
educator at national festivals such as BOSS and NACC.
Social Justice in Song Beyond Gaia, he directs at A Cappella Academy; leads
Rock Voices Brooklyn Heights; teaches improvisation
through his studio, Flow Labs; and performs globally
Jonathan Palant is associate dean of the with his international vocal improv trio, Ecca.
arts and director of choral activities at
the University of Texas at Dallas. He is
founder and conductor of both Credo, a
two hundred-member community choir,
CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 13

