
Choir Fam Podcast
Dean Luethi & Matthew Myers
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Season 3 Wrap-Up
Choir Fam Podcast
02/19/24 • 13 min
Thank you for listening to our show this season!!
Here are the favorite choral pieces from our guests in the third season:
Sommerpsalm, Waldemar Åhlén
Christmas Oratorio, Johann Sebastian Bach
Komm, Jesu, Komm; Johann Sebastian Bach
Agnus Dei, Samuel Barber
Bluegrass Mass, Carol Barnett
Afternoon on a Hill, Eric Barnum
Missa Solemnis, Ludwig van Beethoven
The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee, Jean Berger
Chichester Psalms, Leonard Bernstein(x2)
Ave Maria, Franz Biebl
Ballad of the Brown King, Margaret Bonds
Credo, Margaret Bonds
Schicksalslied, Johannes Brahms
The New Colossus, Saunder Choi
Underneath My Foot, Jennifer Lucy Cook
Prayer of St. Francis, Robert Delgado
Requiem, Maurice Duruflé (x2)
When the Violin, Reena Esmail
Imagine Me, Kirk Franklin
Done Made My Vow, Adolphus Hailstork
I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Adolphus Hailstork
Messiah, George Frideric Handel
Zadok the Priest, George Frideric Handel
Song of Democracy, Howard Hanson
Bring Us, O Lord God; William Harris
Lux Aeterna, Morten Lauridsen (x3)
Sure on This Shining Night, Morten Lauridsen
Fire Dance of Luna, Darius Lim
Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection," Gustav Mahler (x2)
The Awakening, Joseph M. Martin
Stabat Mater, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
And So I Go On, Jake Runestad
Selig Sind die Toten, Heinrich Schütz
Curse Upon Iron, Veljo Tormis
Eternity, Alvin Trotman
In the Middle, Dale Trumbore(x2)
Requiem, Giuseppe Verdi
O Quam Gloriosum, Tomás Luís de Victoria
Here are the composers that our guests suggested you check out:
Amy Beach
Brittney Benton
Arron Bratt
Stephen Chatman
Samuel Coleridge Taylor
Eleanor Daley
William Dawson
R. Nathaniel Dett
Melissa Dunphy (see Choir Fam Episode 72)
Maurice Duruflé
Leon Firšt
José Maurício Nunes Garcia
Carlo Gesualdo
Edie Hill
Shabaka Hutchings
Juliette Lai
Guillaume de Machaut
Joanne Metcalf
Rosephanye Powell
Florence Price
Marie-Claire Saindon
Valerie Showers Crescenz
Heather Sorenson
Billy Strayhorn
Gerald Thompson
Alvin Trotman
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Brandon Waddles
Ruth Watson Henderson
Mary Lou Williams
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us. Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.

12/09/24 • 52 min
“I said, ‘I really wish a book existed with more women composers in it’... This book is so important in 2024 with equality and inclusivity being at the forefront of our profession. I think that this is timely, and I think it's a great representation of where we're going in our profession right now especially given the fact that I see a lot more programming to be equal with male composers and women composers.”
Alan Troy Davis is a conductor, music educator, tenor, and voice teacher with extensive experience in both academic and community music settings. He has completed the coursework for a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in choral conducting at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and is currently finalizing his doctoral document. He also holds a Master of Music (M.M.) in Choral Conducting from California State University–Los Angeles, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Secondary Education from Portland State University, and a Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) in Music from Pacific Lutheran University.
Davis has taught in public high schools across Oregon, Colorado, and California and has directed a variety of church and community ensembles. His research interests focus on choral intonation, conducting pedagogy and score study, vocal pedagogy within choral rehearsals, Renaissance and Baroque performance practices and repertoire, and the exploration of choral repertoire by women composers.
As a compiler and contributing author, Davis is playing a key role in the forthcoming book Choral Repertoire by Women Composers, scheduled for publication by GIA Publications, Inc. in January 2025. In addition, he will co-present an interest session titled In Her Voice: Highlighting Female Composers at the 2025 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference in Dallas, Texas.
To get in touch with Alan, you can find him on Instagram (@thechoralgeek) or Facebook (@alantdavis) or email him at [email protected].
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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Ep. 113 - Advancing Composition with Improvisation and Mixed Media - Katerina Gimon
Choir Fam Podcast
03/10/25 • 51 min
“You never know someone else’s story. You never know what the experience of a concert or hearing a piece is to somebody. You don’t know how that affects them. So much of my music and why I do what I do is to facilitate these moments of connection between choristers, to give autonomy to choristers to feel like co-composers of my music themselves each time they’re performing the work. I always tend to seek out music, texts, stories, ideas that facilitate that.”
Composer, improviser, and vocalist Katerina Gimon's uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style has earned her a reputation as a distinct voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. Her music has earned her several honours including multiple SOCAN Awards, nominations for Western Canadian Composer of the Year, and a Barbara Pentland Award for Outstanding Composition.
In her music, Katerina draws influence from a myriad of places — from the Ukrainian folk music of her heritage to indie rock, as well as from her roots as a songwriter. Her compositions are performed widely across Canada, the United States, and internationally, with notable performances at Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Recent commissions include new music for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Youth Choir, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and re:Naissance Opera. Katerina is the composer-in-residence for Myriad Ensemble and is based in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.
In addition to her composing work, Katerina is also a founding member (vocalist, electronics, co-composer) of dynamic new music and AR/VR collective Chroma Mixed Media alongside multi-media artists David Storen and Brian Topp. Excited by the ever-evolving landscape of technology in today’s society, Chroma endeavours to explore new avenues and intersections for artistic expression by combining various art forms and new technologies to explore new possibilities and challenge audience expectations.
Katerina holds a Master of Music in Composition from the University of British Columbia ('17) and an Honours Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and Improvisation from Wilfrid Laurier University ('15). When she isn’t making music, Katerina enjoys playing board games, puzzling, adventuring outdoors, and relaxing with her husband and their two cats.
To get in touch with Katerina, you can find visit her website, katerinagimon.com, or find her on Instagram (@katgimon) or Facebook (@kgimon).
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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08/23/23 • 51 min
“As first-year teachers, we have more power than we think we do. Our voice is heard more because we’re the new person in town. As young teachers, I think that our confidence is still growing. We’re still learning to navigate what to ask and how to ask admin... You can always ask for something, and the worst thing they’re going to say is ‘no’ or ‘not yet.’”
Christina Hall is a master's student in Choral Conducting at Arizona State University. Concurrently, she is in her third season as a soprano in the GRAMMY-award winning Phoenix Chorale. Christina served as the choir director at Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, for four years teaching choir and class guitar and founded the first piano curriculum in the district. She is a native of Walla Walla, Washington, and received her Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Education at Northern Arizona University. While in Flagstaff, Christina directed the Living Christ Lutheran Church Choir for three years and performed at Carnegie Hall in December 2019.
Vocally, she trained with Dr. Judith Cloud and performed as a backup singer for Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman. An active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Christina frequently attends state, regional, and national conferences and recently presented at the AzACDA State Conference on Program Advocacy. She serves her second term as the Youth Repertoire & Resources Coordinator for the Western Region of the American Choral Directors Association and first year as the AzACDA Vocal Jazz Chair.
To get in touch with Christina, you can find her on Instagram (@challmusic) or Facebook (@christina.hall.213), visit her website (https://www.challmusic.com), or email her at [email protected].
Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us.
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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09/12/22 • 47 min
"Smart kids are good thinkers. They don't like to make mistakes, but they're going to. So many of them are perfectionists, as are many musicians. The beauty is giving students a chance to explore, to fail, and try again - all the time figuring out what it means to be okay with being uncomfortable. Beautiful things come out of that vulnerability."
Heath Weber is Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Morningside University. During his tenure at Morningside, he has served as Associate Dean for Performing Arts, Music Department Chair, Director of Choral Activities, and artistic director for the Betty Ling Tsang Summer Performance Series. Prior to his appointment at Morningside, Heath Weber worked in public school music education at all levels, K-12.
A South Dakota native, he found his home in Sioux City, Iowa, first teaching at East High School for 10 years before assuming his position at Morningside. His comprehensive choral program at East was the largest student organization in Iowa, engaging one-third of the student body at EHS. His competitive show choir, The Headliners, was voted one of America’s top three favorite show choirs in Parade Magazine’s first contest.
As a performer, Weber has performed as a member of the GRAMMY-nominated South Dakota Chorale, an organization for which he has also served as Board President. Additionally, he has performed as a bass/baritone soloist with the South Dakota Symphony, The Sioux City Symphony, Opera South Dakota, and Together in Hope Choral Singers.
Weber has directed camps for gifted and talented students for nearly three decades. Each year, Morningside University hosts The Catalyst Collective, a two-week immersive experience offering students an opportunity to learn various academic pursuits from Morningside faculty, receive leadership development opportunities, and intense performing arts training for high-ability youth from all over the country.
To get in touch with Heath, you can email him at [email protected] or find him on Instagram: @weberday. You can also check out the Morningside School of Visual and Performing Arts at @msideperforms on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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10/26/23 • 65 min
“We were doing some Anglican chant, and we went on to the Hogan ‘Ride On, King Jesus.’ It was as if it was the first time we had ever seen light. It was a revelation for me and for the singers and led to a lot of rebranding of who we are, our values, whose music is important, and the right balance we should be striving for. I felt like I had finally found a place where I could express my full musical identity because it had been fragmented in every other professional setting.”
Arreon A. Harley-Emerson graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, with bachelor’s degrees in Music Theory & Composition and Vocal Performance (opera). He received master’s of music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from the University of Delaware School of Music and is a doctoral candidate and University Fellow at the Boyer School of Music and Dance at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has had the opportunity to conduct in venues such as St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, The Kimmel Center for the Arts in Philadelphia, and the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore.
Mr. Harley-Emerson has held a number of teaching and artistic director positions. He served as Director of Music and Operations of the Choir School of Delaware from June 2013 through December 2022. In this position, he was responsible for the musical components of the renowned Choir School program as well as serving as Executive Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the organization.
An avid researcher and presenter, Mr. Harley-Emerson has contributed a chapter to The Oxford Handbook for Choral Pedagogy entitled “The Gang Mentality of Choirs: How Choirs Have the Capacity to Change Lives.” He also has a TEDx Talk with the same title and contributed to the research literature regarding culturally responsive choral and classroom practice.
Committed to the principles of Access, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Restorative Practice (ADEIBR), Mr. Harley-Emerson has established a thriving consultancy to assist arts and culture nonprofit organizations in remaining relevant in the 21st century. His work includes longitudinal studies, strategic planning, Board Excellence training, resource and asset development, and board diversification. Mr. Harley-Emerson currently serves as the National Chair of the American Choral Directors Association’s Diversity Initiatives Committee. An active member of the Wilmington, Delaware community, Mr. Harley-Emerson is on the Delaware Arts Alliance’s Board of Directors, where he serves as President of the Board and chairs the Advancement Committee, which is tasked with fundraising, membership development, and DEIB.
To get in touch with Arreon, you can visit his website, equitysings.com. You can also find him on Facebook (@EquitySings) or Instagram (@equitysings). Learn more about Arreon's pro choir, Elevation, at elevatevocalarts.org.
Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us.
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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10/16/23 • 73 min
“If people think you value them, they will do anything in the world to make the music for you."
André J. Thomas is an Associate Artist with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Thomas is Professor Emeritus of Music at Florida State University. He was visiting Professor of Choral Conducting at Yale University from 2020-2022. He also served as faculty member at the University of Texas, Austin.
Dr. Thomas received his degrees from Friends University (B.A.), Northwestern University (M. M.), and The University of Illinois (D.M.A). He is in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician, and director of Honor/All-State Choirs throughout North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and Africa Dr. Thomas has conducted choirs at the state, division, and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference (NAFME) and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). His international conducting credits are extensive. They include conductor/clinician for the International Federation of Choral Musicians' summer residency of the World Youth Choir in the Republic of China and the Philippines. He was also the conductor of the World Youth Choir's winter residency in Europe and a premier performance by an American choir (Florida State University Singers) in Vietnam.
He is a highly respected guest conductor who has led numerous prestigious orchestras and choirs around the world, including the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in England, the Berlin Radio Choir and the North German Radio Choir in Germany, the Netherlands Radio Choir, The Bulgarian Radio Choir and Orchestra, the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus, Ansan City Choir, Jeju Provincial Seogwipo Chorale in South Korea, the Charlotte Symphony, China's People's Liberation Orchestra, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony. He also served as the Artistic Director of the Tallahassee Community Chorus for 31 seasons.
Thomas has also distinguished himself as a composer/arranger. Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimons Music Company, Lawson Gould, Earthsongs, Choristers Guild, and Heritage Music Company publish his compositions and arrangements. Dr. Thomas has produced two instructional videos—What They See Is What You Get on choral conducting, with Rodney Eichenberger, and Body, Mind, Spirit, Voice on adolescent voices, with Anton Armstrong. His recent book, Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual, has quickly become a significant source in this area of study.
Various musical organizations have recognized Thomas. The African Diaspora Sacred Music honored Dr. Thomas as a Living Legend. In 2011, Chorus America recognized Thomas' dedication to and accomplishments in the choral arts, presenting him with its Distinguished Service Award. In March 2017, ACDA presented Thomas with its highest honor, the Robert Shaw Award, and in November of 2017, NCCO (National Collegiate Choral Organization) presented Thomas with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In January 2019, he was inducted into the Florida Music Educator's Hall of Fame. In 2022 he was presented with the Award of Excellence from the Southern Region of ACDA. Yale University School of Music presented Thomas with the Samuel Simons Sanford Medal, the most prestigious honor conferred by the Yale School of Music.
He is a past president of the Florida ACDA, a past president of the Southern Division of ACDA, and the current Past President of the National ACDA.
To get in touch with André, you can email him at [email protected] or find him on Facebook (@andre.thomas.52).
Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us.
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05/03/22 • 44 min
"Education is an opportunity for self-reflection, a beautiful time to look inwards and ask 'Who am I? Why am I here? Do I really want to be here?' Those answers for me have been, 'yes, I really want to do this. I want to effect change in this world in a positive way.'"
Dr. Raul Dominguez was recently accepted as a Fellow for the Cleveland Institute of Music's inaugural Future of Music Faculty Fellowship, sponsored by the Sphinx Organization. He is also the founder of the Choral Conductors Colloquium which provides its 900+ subscribers with opportunities to learn from choral music’s finest conductors; subscribers are made up of choral musicians representing every continent (except Antarctica) and 54 different countries. Next fall, Raul will continue his role as the Associate Artistic Director of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and serve as the Director of Choral Activities at Regis University in Denver, CO. His primary research focus is the choral music of the United Mexican States.
He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), where he studied with Dr. Gregory Gentry, and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Ithaca College, where he studied with Dr. Janet Galván. Prior to Ithaca, he was the Choir Director at Clear Lake HS in his hometown of Houston, TX, for four years. He earned Bachelor of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Oklahoma City University, where he studied with Dr. Randi Von Ellefson and Judith Willoughby.
To get in touch with Raul, you can find him on Instagram (@raulconducts) or visit raulconducts.com.
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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Ep. 68 - Choral Music for Social Action and Community Dialogue - Alexander Lloyd Blake
Choir Fam Podcast
11/27/23 • 44 min
“Being text-focused has been really beneficial and a change from the way I’ve seen concerts programmed in the past: ‘Do the keys align? What is the soundscape?’ Those things are important, but for these concerts, the message that we’re putting out there has to be priority. We are choral musicians, and we have words and stories to share, and those have to take precedent.”
Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake works as a conductor, composer/arranger, vocal contractor, singer, and music activist. Blake is the Founding Artistic Director of Tonality, an award-winning choral ensemble focused on spreading a message of unity, peace, and social justice through a culturally diverse choral setting. He also serves as Principal Associate Conductor of the National Children’s Chorus.
As an arranger, Blake’s “Wade in the Water” was a featured arrangement at the 2013 North Carolina Music Educators Association convention and is published with Santa Barbara Music Publishing. His choral arrangements are published by Alliance Music Publishing and Walton Music Publishing. Other musical activities include an opera conducting premiere at the 2019 Prototype Festival in New York City, preparing choirs for live performances with UCLA Center for the Art of Performance, and vocally arranging for a nationally televised performance during the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.
Recent film and TV credits include singing on the soundtrack of Jordan Peele’s “Us,” Disney’s “Lion King,” and Pixar’s “Spies in Disguise,” and leading sessions for Warner Bros "Space Jam: A New Legacy" and Netflix film "Escape from Spiderhead." Blake also worked as the choral contractor and vocal arranger for Andy Grammer’s performance at the 2019 ARDYs (Radio Disney Awards). Blake recently prepared singers for the 2020 Grammy Awards and performed at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Blake completed the Doctorate in Musical Arts degree at the University of Southern California in 2019, the Master of Music degree at the University of California Los Angeles in 2014, and the Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in Vocal Performance at Wake Forest University in 2010.
To get in touch with Alex, you can find him on Instagram: @alexanderlblake. To learn more about Tonality, look for @ourtonality on Instagram or Facebook.
Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us.
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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Ep. 33 - Situating Community at the Center of Artistry - Alysia Lee
Choir Fam Podcast
11/30/22 • 42 min
"We’ve found other ways to make music by centering on the creative process and composition – collective composition in particular. Bringing young people together to meet across difference and to put music at the center as a tool for them to engage in dialogue has just been greater than I could have imagined."
Alysia Lee receives national recognition for advancing access, equity, and decolonization with leaders, organizations, and communities. Her methods center on youth, anti-racism, creativity, and justice.
Alysia is the inaugural President of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund, the bold hyperlocal grantmaker stewarding public funds to support the success of Baltimore’s young people. Lee is the Founder and Artistic Director of Sister Cities Girlchoir (SCG), the El Sistema-inspired, girl empowerment choral academy in Philadelphia, Camden, and Baltimore in its tenth season. SCG is an award-winning and trendsetting choral education program with performance credits from Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and numerous school and community stages.
Lee has an emerging voice as a choral composer. She is the series editor of Hal Leonard’s Exigence for Young Voices, the new choral series uplifting Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian composers for young choir ensembles. Her piece ‘Say Her Name’ is published by Hal Leonard. She has recent composition commissions from Baltimore Choral Arts, Portland Lesbian Choir, and GALA Choruses. Lee is also a Board member of Chorus America and a National Advisor to ArtsEdSEL. Lee is formerly the education program supervisor for Fine Arts Education for the Maryland State Department of Education across five arts disciplines: music, dance, visual art, theatre, and media arts.
Recent recognitions include awards from The Kennedy Center, The Knight Foundation, National Association of University Women, Stockton Bartol Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and BEQ Pride. Recent speaking/facilitation engagements include the U.S. Department of Education, The Kennedy Center, VH-1 Save the Music, Carnegie Hall, Arts Education Partnership, TEDX, many colleges and universities, and national and state professional associations.
A Baltimore native, Lee is an alumna of Maryland public schools (Baltimore County Public Schools). She earned her graduate degree from Peabody Conservatory. Alysia also completed Executive Education programs at Harvard University and La Salle University.
To get in touch with Alysia, follow her on Instagram: @alysiadlee.
Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro episode to hear how to share your story with us. Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Choir Fam Podcast have?
Choir Fam Podcast currently has 125 episodes available.
What topics does Choir Fam Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Music Education, Conversation, Teaching, Interview, Music, Podcasts, Education, Classical Music, Arts and Performing Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Choir Fam Podcast?
The episode title 'Ep. 67 - Promoting Healthy Singing in All Styles - Ryan Holder' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Choir Fam Podcast?
The average episode length on Choir Fam Podcast is 47 minutes.
How often are episodes of Choir Fam Podcast released?
Episodes of Choir Fam Podcast are typically released every 8 days.
When was the first episode of Choir Fam Podcast?
The first episode of Choir Fam Podcast was released on Jan 17, 2022.
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