Page 163 - CJJanuary2026

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

es ensembles, conducting and rehearsal Auditions:
techniques, and applied voice. Before this Assessing Students’ Ability to Hear Harmony
appointment he was associate director of
choral activities at Mississippi State Uni-
versity. In 2024 he completed the DMA Testing how students hear harmony is the most im-
in choral conducting at the University of Texas at Aus- portant aspect a director needs to learn from the audi-
tin, where he served the Butler School of Music choral tion process. This presentation will provide unique exer-
area as assistant conductor of the Texas Concert Cho- cises on how to auditions students’ “ears.”
rale and conductor of the University Treble Chorus,
which was named the third-place winner for the 2023 John Stafford II will be the clinician for this session. His
American Prize in Choral Performance under his di- photo and bio are on page 153.
rection. Parrott comes to collegiate teaching after a dis-
tinguished twelve-year career teaching in Texas public
schools and enjoys training the teachers of tomorrow
at the intersection of vocal pedagogy, choral conduct- Breathing New Life into
ing, and music education. Your Choral Warm-Ups

Each rehearsal we are challenged with making the
An Unconventional Approach warm-up session functional, educational, and interest-
to the Urban Choral Classroom ing. Like a prism, the warm-up must be addressed from
a variety of perspectives. What is the point of the warm-
up? What are we trying to achieve? How can we keep
Many choral directors enter urban programs eager our singers engaged and mindful? Should the warm-up
to inspire but quickly encounter unexpected challeng- change as the repertoire changes? This session aims to
es in music literacy and vocal technique. This session address these questions and more based on observations
shifts the focus from broad systemic barriers to the spe- of choir rehearsals and interviews with leading choir
cific obstacles directors may face, such as students’ lim- directors working with singers across a variety of ages,
ited experience with solfège, sheet music, sight-reading, levels of experience, genres, languages, and locations.
vocal technique, tongue placement, and classical rep- Attendees will leave with a variety of warm-ups they can
ertoire. This session offers practical strategies to help modify for their own ensembles.
choral directors overcome common challenges and
foster musical growth. The presenter will outline key Kym Scott is the director of choral activ-
concepts followed by techniques to strengthen music ities at West Virginia University, where
literacy among students of color while complementing she conducts the WVU Chamber Singers,
traditional instruction. Ideal for new and experienced Mountaineer Chorus, and Community
directors, this session provides insights to enhance en- Choir. She also teaches conducting, cho-
gagement, build foundational skills, and create an in- ral techniques, and choral literature, and oversees the
clusive choral experience. choral conducting graduate program. She has direct-
ed choirs in Australia, Asia, Europe, the UK, and the
Odell Zeigler IV will be the clinician for this session. His United States; and regularly presents at state, regional,
photo and bio are on page 135. national, and international conferences. Scott is the
artistic director for the Pittsburgh Pride Choir and the
president of West Virginia ACDA. An Australian native,
Scott has worked with all age groups and is passionate
about choral music in the community.

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 161