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CHORAL
CHORAL

TION
S
VERSA
CON
CONVERSATIONS

A Conversation with Pearl Shangkuan

with Mary Tuuk Kuras

Dr. Pearl Shangkuan is a highly sought-af- a tour stands out as well—visiting the Great Wall of
ter conductor, lecturer, and clinician China and singing Lift Thine Eyes by Felix Mendelssohn.
nationally and internationally. She is Singing all over South Africa, including at Robben Is-
the current national president-elect of land where Mandela was imprisoned for many years;
ACDA, and previously served on the singing in an AIDS hospice; and singing and dancing
board of directors of Chorus America, our way through airport security at the request of the
and as president of Central ACDA Region and Michigan airport personnel! Singing in a very poor church in the
ACDA. She is the chorus director of the Grand Rap- township of Soweto—a two-hour-long service in a sim-
ids Symphony, editor of Hinshaw Music, and professor ple structure that was their church building and yet one
emerita of music at Calvin University. She has conducted of the most powerful glimpses of heaven for my stu-
numerous all-states and headlined several ACDA confer- dents and me. My students singing in a favela (slum) in
ences. She has received awards from Michigan ACDA, Brazil and seeing the pride on the faces of the Brazilian
Michigan YWCA, Calvin University, and an Honorary children who sang for us.
Life Member Award from the National Collegiate Choral Introducing my students and leading them in per-
Organization. forming movements of the monumental B minor Mass
by Bach. Hosting residencies at Calvin of the Bach
Collegium Japan, Stephen Paulus, Moses Hogan,
In 2024, you stepped down as professor of mu- Dan Forrest, and bringing in guest conductors for my
sic at Calvin University. What aspect of your students to experience like Anton Armstrong, Maria
outstanding tenure there makes you smile most Guinand, and my own teacher, Joseph Flummerfelt.
as you reflect on your work? Commissioning new works and bringing these to life.
In all these experiences, the underlying goal of helping
Taking my choirs on international tours to four con- to broaden the minds and hearts of my students was
tinents! I have so many wonderful memories of concerts ultimately met.
in amazing venues. But the spontaneous singing during

CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2025 Volume 65 Number 7 35