Page 91 - CJJanuary2026

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

rehearsal techniques for secondary choral music edu- From “Next” to “Welcome!” —
cation majors. Dominguez earned a DMA in choral
conducting and literature from CU Boulder, an MM Equitable Auditions for a New Era
from Ithaca College, and a BM in education and vocal
performance from Oklahoma City University. He pre- We are in the midst of a long overdue effort to in-
viously taught at Clear Lake High School for four years crease diverse representation in choirs across America.
in his hometown of Houston, TX, after graduating Yet, there is an area in our field that continues to be
with a BM in music education and vocal performance overlooked: the audition process. How can we build on
from Oklahoma City University. the progress we’ve made and work to increase diverse
representation in our select, auditioned choirs? This ses-
sion will examine frequently assessed audition criteria
From Chaos to Choir: and propose adaptations for a more equitable audition
Building a Program that Works process. Although auditions were never designed to be
inherently inclusive, that doesn’t mean we can’t take
steps to make them more equitable. Together, we can
In this session, Lesli Olson shares practical strate- implement audition criteria that affirm, welcome, and
gies for building a strong middle school choir pro- celebrate the wide spectrum of musical aesthetics and
gram—starting with culture, not just cutoffs. With over lived experiences that our prospective musicians bring to
two decades of experience in K–12 music, she offers the table and, ideally, to our choral ensembles.
real-world solutions for sight reading, behavior man-
agement, and developing confident singers. Learn how Katy Green will be the clinician for this session. Her
to create warm-up routines that build connection, give photo and bio are on page 31.
students ownership in repertoire, and structure your
week to keep kids learning and engaged. You will leave
with tools, ideas, and a whole lot of reassurance.
How to Jazz

Lesli Olson is a twenty-two-year music When You’ve Never Jazzed Before
educator with experience teaching Orff-
based elementary music, high school This session is for choral directors who want to start
choir, and (her favorite) middle school a jazz choir—or suddenly find themselves leading one—
choir. She holds Orff Levels I & II, Ko- but aren’t sure where to begin. We’ll break down the es-
dály Level I, and extensive Dalcroze training. After sentials of vocal jazz in an accessible, encouraging way,
eleven years in classroom music and seven years in high covering key stylistic elements, rehearsal techniques, and
school choir, she realized her true passion is preparing concepts like swing feel, jazz harmony, and scat singing.
middle schoolers with the confidence, skill, and musi- Learn how to use tools you already have to choose rep-
cality she once wished her high school singers had. Her ertoire, work with rhythm sections, and guide students
rehearsals blend structure and spontaneity, serious mu- through improvisation and performance practice. With
sicianship, and joyful connection. Olson believes in stu- practical tips and resources, you’ll leave confident and
dent voice, flexible routines, and creating a safe space ready to start jazzing—even if you’ve never jazzed be-
where kids feel seen, capable, and excited to sing. fore.

Steve Danielson is a father, musician, ed-
ucator, composer, and podcaster—in that
order. He received a BA in voice from
BYU, a master’s in choral conducting at

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 89