Page 92 - CJJanuary2026

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

Interest Sessions
In t er est S essions

the University of Memphis, and a doctorate in cho- MusicSpoke
ral conducting at the University of Washington. He Reading Session
has been in music education for nearly twenty years
and enjoys every bit of it, even when days get hard. MusicSpoke will present a reading session of new
He has conducted church choirs almost everywhere and exciting works focused on composers who live in
he has lived since the late 90s. Danielson’s choral com- the Pacific Northwest. You’ll find new pieces for your
positions have been performed throughout the United ensembles and interact with the composers who creat-
States as well as internationally. Since 2023 he and his ed the works.
wife, Angi, have lived in Meridian, ID, with their rapid-
ly shrinking family. They have seven children, most of Kurt Knecht is a composer and key-
them grown, and one grandson. boardist living in Kansas City, Missouri.
His compositions have been described as
“funky” and “joyous” in the Washington
Post, and “brilliant in concept” in The
Middle School Choral Students: Tracker magazine. His music has been performed at the
How Do You Motivate Them? Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Kimmel Cen-
ter and by Grammy Award-winning groups like the KC
When middle school students are motivated, they Chorale and the Washington Chorale. His music has
are unstoppable. How do you channel their energy so been performed at the national conventions of ACDA,
that you can guide them on a musical journey? Refresh the Organ Historical Society, ClarinetFest, the National
your choral director toolkit by exploring tips and ideas Flute Association, and the Association of British Cho-
from various master choral music educators who teach ral Directors. He has been featured on the American
adolescent singers. Be ready to move and sing! Public Media program “Pipedreams” multiple times as
a composer and performer. Knecht has been a featured
Lynn M. Brinckmeyer recently retired as soloist with groups ranging from Smokey Robinson to
professor of music, associate dean of the The Florida Orchestra.
College of Fine Arts, and communication
and director of choral music education
at Texas State University. During 2006
to 2008 she served as president for NAfME. Brinck- One Voice: Vocal Pedagogy Ideas
meyer has published five books, and her research ini- for Solo and Choral Singing
tiatives continue to focus on developing young voices,
music from across the globe, and music advocacy. She We each sing with just one voice, but we use it very
has conducted all-state choirs, honor choirs, lectured, differently depending on what genre we’re singing and
presented master classes, and performed in forty-nine with whom we’re singing. Join a voice teacher and cho-
states and over twenty-five countries, including Chi- ral conductor as we dive into the similarities and dif-
na, Brazil, South Africa, Cuba, Peru, and Australia. ferences between teaching solo and ensemble singing.
Brinckmeyer continues to serve as a choral clinician We’ll explore the science of resonance, breath, phras-
and mentor teachers and other professionals as a life ing, tone, diction, style, vocal health, movement, and
mastery certified coach/consultant. more in a way that is accessible to all teachers. With
a healthier knowledge of vocal pedagogy, we can all
teach our students healthy singing concepts regardless
of whether they’re singing alone or in a large group.

90 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5