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

t
Interest Sessions
essions
In
est S
er
Survival Imperative: ral arrangers and singers. From their earliest choir ex-
Reimagining What Concerts Accomplish periences to their current careers at the top of the vo-
cal world, they’ll share how formative moments shaped
Traditional arts programming faces an existential their artistry—and what still drives them today. You
crisis in our overstimulated digital age. This session will hear untold stories and “choral secrets,” gain in-
equips conductors with a comprehensive framework sight into how traditional choral training impacts their
for reimagining concerts beyond entertainment to ad- modern work, and learn how the recording world and
dress authentic community needs including connec- the choral world can better connect. Discover practi-
tion, healing, and civic engagement. Through hands- cal ways to record in acoustic spaces without breaking
on application of a community-centered programming the bank, how choirs are hired for professional projects,
framework, participants will learn systematic needs-as- and whether networking or formal channels matter
sessment processes, develop strategic program design most. We will explore the pathways to high-level col-
that maintains artistic excellence while creating social laborations, what’s missing between the recording and
impact, implement change management skills for or- choral industries, and how educators, conductors, and
ganizational transformation, and create measurement composers can position themselves for meaningful in-
frameworks that demonstrate tangible benefits securing dustry connections.
sustainable funding. Conductors will discover how to
align repertoire and rehearsal processes with commu- Cheryl B. Engelhardt is a Grammy-nom-
nity needs while creating inclusive spaces. inated composer and artist who creates
music for theater, choirs, commercials,
Erin Guinup is a composer, conduc- meditation apps, and beyond. Engel-
tor, and arts consultant whose innova- hardt’s seventh album, created during
tive work spans multiple continents. As a cross-country train journey, earned critical acclaim
founding executive and artistic director and a Grammy nomination. As a certified trauma-in-
of the Tacoma Refugee Choir, she led formed coach, she empowers musicians and creatives
singers from seventy-five countries in performances for through her mastermind program, Amplify, and her
more than fifty thousand people, including TEDxSeat- resource platform, In The Key of Success. A Cornell
tle and national conferences for ACDA and Welcom- University alumna with advanced orchestration train-
ing America. She serves as director of Puget Sound ing from Juilliard, she is a moderator and panelist at
Singers at the University of Puget Sound. As found- conferences like SXSW and the ASCAP Expo and has
er of Arts Resonance—a consulting firm centered on shared her expertise at numerous universities. She also
strategic planning, audience development, and the art serves as R&R chair of contemporary/commercial for
of belonging—and choral composer, she creates trans- the Eastern ACDA Region.
formative musical experiences. Guinup’s accolades in-
clude the American Academy of Teachers of Singing Tehillah Alphonso is a New Jersey-born
Award for Inclusion. and Nebraska-raised, Nigerian Ameri-
can vocalist, pianist, music director, and
Grammy-nominated arranger based in
Los Angeles, California. A proud graduate
The Visionary Integration of the University of Southern California, she received
of Choir and Industry her bachelor’s in popular music performance from the
Thornton School of Music and was named 2020 Out-
Step into “the room where it happens” with five of standing Graduate, becoming the first Black woman from
today’s most renowned pop, jazz, a cappella, and cho- the pop program to achieve this award. While a full-time

42 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5