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2026 ACDA Eastern Region Conference February 25-28, 2026 Providence, Rhode Island

Interest Sessions
In t er est S essions

stone course. She earned a BME from Western CT music education/choral conducting from The Flori-
State University and an MM and MME from Teach- da State University. Fonza has served on the faculties
ers College, Columbia University. She is committed to of the University of Central Arkansas and Stephen F.
delivering holistic and culturally responsive pedagogy Austin State University. She also taught choral music at
through the art of choral music that is relevant to every the middle and high school levels in Kentucky and at
child. She is currently serving as chair of the CMEA the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington
Northern Region high school mixed choir as well as DC. Fonza is an active singer, clinician, adjudicator, and
the R&R chair for treble choir for CT-ACDA. guest conductor for all-state, honor, public school, and
church choirs.
Rebekka Rosen is a dedicated choral
educator and scholar with a passion for Brittany Chanell Johnson is a dynamic
using music as a vehicle for creating a performer, educator, and visionary root-
more connected world. Rosen is a vo- ed in a rich legacy of Black artistic excel-
cal music teacher for Greenwich Public lence. Raised in Augusta, Georgia, she has
Schools, where she strives to create a program culture graced stages from church sanctuaries to
that fosters respect, sets high expectations for growth, global venues, with a mission to tell transformative sto-
cultivates a love for the art form, and empowers stu- ries through music. With degrees from Furman and The
dent voice. She earned a BME from Susquehanna Florida State University, she has spent over twenty years
University and an MM and MME from Teachers Col- shaping artists across genres and backgrounds. She is
lege, Columbia University. Rosen most recently served known for her personal vocal fingerprint method—an
as the choir coordinator for the CMEA Northern Re- individualized, holistic approach to voice training that
gion high school choirs and choir chair for the CMEA honors each artist’s identity, sound, and story. Chanell
Western Region middle school festival. Johnson is the founder of OnStage Performing Arts
Collective and has held leadership roles at Howard Uni-
versity and Metropolitan AME Church. She currently
serves on the faculty at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
Envisioning Every Voice:
Inclusive Vocal Pedagogy

Envisioning Success and Inclusion
Choral conductors serve as both musical leaders and
vocal educators. This session offers practical strategies for Changing Voice Ensembles
to integrate vocal pedagogy into rehearsals, promot-
ing healthy singing and inclusivity. Attendees will learn Working with singers during the voice change is one
techniques to address vocal challenges and foster an of the most daunting challenges of teaching adoles-
environment where every singer’s identity is respected cent-aged ensembles. The most important foundations
and celebrated. of successfully guiding singers through this time lie in
two categories: common vocal challenges and their
Frances Fonza is the director of cho- physiological roots, and voicing and grouping ensembles
ral activities at Southeastern Louisiana for healthy pedagogical growth, success, and inclusion.
University, where she teaches conduct- The session will begin with attendees playing the role
ing, choral methods, and conducts the of pedagogue or diagnostician as they listen to audio
Bella Voce, Concert Choir, and Gospel samples of many common vocal challenges that chang-
Choir. She earned a BME from the University of Mis- ing voice singers face. With the presenter, attendees will
souri-Columbia and both a master’s and doctorate in assess the technical issues the singers experience and

32 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5