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VERSA
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CHORAL CONVERSATIONS
CHORAL CON

to the Eagles game. I think we have the opportunity our humanity.
to think deeper and not concern ourselves so much
with reaching wider. I want to spend more time on our Please provide a question to the next Choral
stories, and I want our stories to have greater depth. I Conversations interviewee.
don’t know what’s next, and in fact, you know, this deci-
sion that I’ve made comes with a number of unknowns. If art is supposed to change us, why do you think
I just have to trust that. so many choral conductors program music that simply
If you listen to the universe, it tells you stuff, right? affirms the morality of their singers and audience?
And the universe is telling me that now is the time to
concentrate on one thing for a while and to develop
my own projects. I do these museum live installation William Southerland, Ph.D., is program coordina-
art projects all over the world with these artist friends; tor of the Faculty Support Center at the Bienen School
they’re bizarre and wonderful and I learn so much, and of Music, Northwestern University, and a doctoral re-
they invite me to question what it is I do with choirs. I search fellow for the Center for Expanding Leadership
like doing things in which I don’t actually know what and Opportunity (CELO).
the outcome will be. I like collaborating with friends. williamgsoutherland@gmail.com
But the answer to your question about the future is, I
don’t know, and I probably I don’t want to know.

One final question, provided by the previous Choral Conversations is an ongoing column series
Choral Conversations interviewee: How can in Choral Journal. The editorial board approved the
conductors identify, recruit, and promote local addition of this column during our biennial meeting
or lesser-known composers? at the ACDA national conference as a way to highlight

conductors outside of a regular feature article. For past
As I’ve said before, I don’t think there’s been a better installments of Choral Conversations, see the following
time to be a musician in the United States. Composi- issues:
tion is alive and greatly varied, and a great number of
musicians and ensembles—many of whom are special- February 2016 – Joan Catoni Conlon
izing in whatever area/style/practice they love—are June/July 2016 – Paul Aitken
eager to take on new works. It helps give them identity
and purpose, and it’s fun to be a part of making some- September 2016 – Bill Dehning
thing from nothing! November 2016 – Robert Page
The more obvious answer is to do a Call for Scores October 2017 – Carol Beynon
with a focus—regional or topical or career level, etc.— May 2019 – Emma Lou Diemer
and get the word out by contacting places and people March 2020 – Rosephanye Powell
where composers hang out: university composition and April 2020 – Anton Armstrong
ensemble programs; other conductors, ensembles, and
musicians; churches; friends. (I am not a fan of pay-to- August 2020 – Roland Carter
play competitions with entrance fees.) Calls can be a December 2020 – James Benjamin Kinchen, Jr.
real pain, because you’re going to get tons of scores to Sepember 2021 – Darla Bair
review, but it can be worth it. That’s how we encoun- November/December 2021 – Terry Barham
tered Michael Gilbertson, now a Pulitzer Finalist. As I May 2022 – Amanda Hanzlik
mentioned, the piece he composed for us, among our
most loved, went on to be the title work on a Grammy- November/December 2022 – Sharon Hansen
winning album. New music is about discovery: people, May 2023 – Mari Esabel Valverde
things about ourselves, and pieces that remind us of

78 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2023 Volume 64 Number 3