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About the

Advocacy & Collaboration Committee

Jeffrey Benson is director of choral activi-
ties and professor of music at San José State
University. He is also the conductor of Pen-
insula Cantare, a community choir in Palo
Alto. “I am thrilled to serve on the Advocacy
& Collaboration Committee with such an
incredible team of collaborative conductors.
I am always open to new and creative ways
for us to collaborate as artist-teachers, and I
love to dream about ways we can impact our
audiences and inspire musicians across all
cultures.”

Emily Williams Burch is a professor of
music at the Savannah College of Art and
Design and the host of the “Music (ed) Mat-
ters” podcast. She is the founder and for-
mer artistic director of the RISE Chorales
& RISE Outreach. “Connecting people is
one of my favorite things to do! I thoroughly
enjoy listening to folks ideate, problem solve,
or dream and then figuring out who needs
to be connected to make those things hap- L-R: Alex Gartner, Tim Westerhaus, Emily Williams Burch, Jeffrey Benson, Tom
pen. I love high-energy brainstorm sessions Merrill (ACDA National Treasurer, Executive Committee Liaison to the A&C Com-
and getting creative with a solution for how mittee), and Riikka Pietiläinen Caffrey.
to make something happen.”
working together can make a noticeable difference in
Riikka Pietiläinen Caffrey is a Finnish American our lives. Choral singing is not only beautiful; it pro-
teaching artist, conductor, and singer. She is an associ- motes teamwork, demands accountability, and helps us
ate professor of the practice and director of choral and discover more about the world and about each other.
vocal performance at Boston College. Her composi- That’s a message I seek to amplify on every stage.”
tions are published by Alliance Music Publications and
Kandinsky Music. “I love meeting new artistic collabo- Tim Westerhaus is the director of choral studies and
rators, coming up with wild ideas, and making them associate professor at Northern Arizona University.
happen. I am passionate about bringing narratives to He is also director of Choral Arts Northwest in Seat-
the forefront that are often hidden and highlighting the tle. “It’s those ‘light-bulb’ moments of transformation
voices and dreams of our singers. I curate programs that inspire me when we sing together. I’m passionate
that bridge different art forms, styles, and cultural con- about programming and collaborating in ways that
nections.” bring about that transformation, leading us to a greater
understanding and appreciation of our human family.
Alex Gartner serves as the artistic and executive di- I’m eager to support anyone who wants to intentionally
rector of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus, a communi- broaden their programming and to create collaborative
ty-based youth choir comprising 300 singers. He is also projects.”
a collaborative pianist, composer, author, and clinician.
“I believe choral music is the ultimate example of how

6 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2024 Volume 65 Number 3