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2026 ACDA Northwestern Region Conference March 4-7, 2026 Tacoma, Washington

E nc oun t er C hoirs
Encounter Choirs

Force of Nature: sion is to use the power of music to connect with the
Singing and Resistance in the Baltic Region community and continue to celebrate cultural heritage
through the arts. Our philosophy as both a specialized
A presentation of history, stories, and repertoire fo- repertoire ensemble and a treble ensemble is to demon-
cusing on the importance of choral music in the Baltic strate the effect music can have for empowerment, both
region, the use of nature as a metaphor during times of in social responsibility and gender identity.
censorship, and the vital role women played in the re-
sistance movements. At the centerpiece of the session is Heather MacLaughlin Garbes is affiliate
the composition “Div’ dūjiņas gaisā skrēja” by Latvian assistant professor at the University of
composer Laura Jēkabsone. “Dedicated to the ‘Daugh- Washington, where she helped develop
ters of the Forest’—Latvian women who got involved and maintains the UW Baltic Choral Li-
in the partisan movement, which stood up against oc- brary, the first collection of its kind in the
cupation and Soviet rule after World War II. Living United States. She is also founder and artistic director
in inhumane circumstances for many years, in a state of the Mägi Ensemble. MacLaughlin Garbes has pre-
of constant fear, hiding, and sacrificing themselves in sented at ACDA national and region conferences, Col-
the name of Freedom” (Jēkabsone). The audience will lege Music Society’s national and international confer-
learn about the importance of singing in resistance and ences, the Library of Congress, and the Association for
cultural identity in the Baltic and how women were and the Advancement of Baltic Studies conferences. She
still are an integral part of those elements. New and coauthored the chapter “Baltic Languages: Latvian,
rarely heard pieces by women-identifying composers Lithuanian, and Estonian” in the book The Use of the
from the Baltic region will also be showcased. International Phonetic Alphabet in the Choral Rehearsal (Scare-
crow Press). She has conducted collegiate and commu-
nity ensembles in Seattle, Chicago, and Houston.
Mägi Ensemble

Making Sense of the Squiggles:
Building Blocks to Music Literacy

The choral score presents a complex array of musi-
cal symbols that can overwhelm developing musicians.
Many young singers bypass this “complicated mess of
squiggles” in favor of learning by ear. While rote learn-
ing is valuable, exclusive reliance on this method pre-
vents singers from accessing the full interpretive pos-
sibilities that written scores provide. Jean-Marie Kent
and Intermezzo from Seattle Children’s Chorus will
demonstrate practical strategies and fun activities for
The Mägi Ensemble is a professional SA vocal en- teaching Western notation theory that is connected to
semble that specializes in music from the Baltic region the repertoire being studied. Through this Encounter
of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. We perform and Session, participants will gain a better understanding
record music from these countries and promote new of why music literacy matters, will learn how to scaf-
choral works from Baltic women composers. Our vi- fold building blocks of pitch and rhythm, will develop

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 75