Page 69 - CJJanuary2026

2026 ACDA Midwestern Region Conference February 25-28, 2026 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

tion, vocal performance, and choral conducting. She Using Technology to Enhance
has conducted choirs across North America, the UK, Student Learning in Choirs
and Europe, and currently directs the South Metro
Chorale in Savage, MN.
As this year’s conference theme eloquently states,
we as choral music educators should strive to embrace
the “ever-evolving tapestry of our art.” One of the
Unified Music: most significant aspects of our evolution in the choral
A Practical Demonstration of Music for All classroom over the past decade has been innovation in
technology. This immediately applicable session will
explore a range of technological tools that can enhance
Unified Music is a celebration of belonging and in- student learning in the choral setting. Current trends
clusion that offers a practical model where students of in music technology will be examined, including the
all abilities—those receiving accessible education ser- use of performance assessment platforms, laptops/tab-
vices and their general education peers—make music lets, smartphones and web-based collaboration, Artifi-
side by side. This interactive session demonstrates the cial Intelligence, and more. Benefits of using technol-
daily structure of a thriving Unified Music program, ogy-assisted learning tools will be discussed alongside
including classroom rituals, a mini lesson, and a closing barriers that may impede successful technology inte-
activity. Designed for educators new to or experienced gration. The session will also feature practitioner-fo-
with inclusive practices, the session includes resources, cused demonstrations of technology-assisted tools and
curriculum ideas, and Q&A. We’ll explore advocacy suggestions for effective implementation.
tools and student perspectives that highlight music’s
power to unify. Join us as we expand access to music Jason Hawkins is a professor of choral
making and help Unified Music become a celebrated music education at Western Illinois Uni-
practice across the Midwest and beyond. versity, where he directs choral ensem-
bles, teaches music education courses,
Zack Carlson-Giving is the vocal music and serves as the assistant director of the
director at Buffalo High School, where School of Music. He earned degrees in music educa-
he leads all curricular and extracurricu- tion from WIU, Governors State, and the University of
lar choirs, directs annual musicals, and Illinois. Hawkins returned to WIU as a professor fol-
teaches Unified Music. Under his lead- lowing twelve years at Plainfield North HS, a program
ership, the Concert Choir was selected to perform at that grew from thirty-five to two hundred students
the 2020 MMEA Midwinter Clinic. Unified Music during his tenure and received numerous honors, in-
performed at the 2024 ACDA-MN Fall Conference cluding a spotlight performance at Carnegie Hall and
and the 2025 MMEA Midwinter Clinic. Carlson-Giv- a DownBeat award in vocal jazz. Hawkins makes fre-
ing cofounded the Minnesota Choral Mentorship Pro- quent appearances as a clinician/conductor for state
gram and has presented sessions at MMEA and ACDA choral festivals and nationally with WorldStrides Her-
conferences at the state and regional levels. He is the itage Festivals. He has presented research on the use
current ACDA-MN R&R chair for high school choirs of technology in the choral classroom at multiple state
and was honored in 2021 as the ACDA-MN Outstand- music education association conferences and has relat-
ing Young Choral Director of the Year. In 2024 he ed publications in print.
conducted the ACDA-MN 7-8 CTB Honor Choir. He
holds degrees from the University of Minnesota Dulu-
th and Michigan State University.

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 67