Ep. 25 - The Intersection of Gifted Education and Choral Music - Heath Weber

09/12/22 • 46 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.
Podcast music from Podcast.co
Photo in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

Previous Episode

Ep. 24 - Vocal Technique from the Stage to the Choir Loft - Benjamin Sieverding

"Being part of an ensemble taught me to look not just at my line but at all the music. The composer gives you so much information in the orchestra that you don't get from just the vocal line. That really informs your character. It allows me to be more fun and more creative if I can focus on being part of the whole at any given time."

Bass Benjamin Sieverding of Minneapolis, MN has gained notice for his “resonant, expressive bass” (StarTribune). He most recently made his Metropolitan Opera debut as one of the Offstage Voices/Jury in Brett Dean’s Hamlet. In 2022, he also made his Intermountain Opera Bozeman debut as Mr. Noble (Pish-Tush) in The Montana Mikado. In 2021, he made his Tulsa Opera debut as Betto in Gianni Schicchi and his Omaha Symphony debut performing excerpts from Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. In 2020, he was slated to return to Minnesota Opera to sing the roles of Bull and Neal in the world premiere of Edward Tulane, to make his Austin Opera debut as the Mandarin in Turandot, reprise the Dough’s Mate in Companionship with Virginia Arts Festival, reprise Doctor Grenvil in La traviata with Out of the Box Opera, and return to Mill City Summer Opera as Sparafucile/Ceprano in Rigoletto. Mr. Sieverding has performed several roles with Minnesota Opera including Alfred Austrian in The Fix, Prison Warden George Benton in Dead Man Walking, Colline in La bohème, Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, Sacristan in Tosca, and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. Other recent performances include appearances with South Dakota State Symphony, Madison Opera, Glacier Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Fort Worth Opera, Opera in the Heights, Opera South Dakota, Lakes Area Music Festival, and Madison Symphony Orchestra. In the upcoming season, Mr. Sieverding returns to Minnesota Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, and Madison Opera.
To get in touch with Ben, you can visit his website: www.benjaminsieverding.com.
Email [email protected] to contact our hosts.
Podcast music from Podcast.co
Photo in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

Next Episode

Season 1 Wrap-Up

Thank you for listening to our show this season!!
Here are the favorite choral pieces from our guests in the first season:
Even When He Is Silent, Kim André Arnesen
The Gift I Leave You, Kim André Arnesen
Bist du bei mir, J. S. Bach
Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf, J. S. Bach
St. Matthew Passion, J. S. Bach
Warrior, Kim Baryluk
Chichester Psalms, Leonard Bernstein
Hymn to St. Cecilia, Benjamin Britten
War Requiem, Benjamin Britten
In the Beginning, Aaron Copland (x2)
Ka Huliau ‘Ana, Palani Vaughan, arr. Randie Fong
On the Strangest Sea, Daniel Hall
O Magnum Mysterium, Morten Lauridsen
Be Not Afraid, Knut Nystedt
Threshold of Night, Tarik O’Regan
The Road Home, Stephen Paulus
To Touch the Sky (Mvt. 9: Most Noble Evergreen), Kevin Puts
Bogoroditse Devo, Sergei Rachmaninoff
Gospel Mass, Robert Ray
Let My Love be Heard, Jake Runestad (x2)
Concerto for Choir, Alfred Schnittke
Symphony of Psalms, Igor Stravinsky
Path of Miracles, Joby Talbot (x2)
Sea Symphony, Ralph Vaughan Williams
As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending, Thomas Weelkes
A Boy and a Girl, Eric Whitacre
Cloudburst, Eric Whitacre
Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine, Eric Whitacre
Here are the composers that our guests suggested you check out:
Amy F. Bernon
Abbie Betinis
B. E. Boykin (x2)
Maddalena Casulana
William Dawson
Ashi Day
Rob Dietz
Melissa Dunphy
Antonin Dvorak
Ēriks Ešenvalds
Reena Esmail (See Choir Fam Episode 50)
Laura Farnell
Ryan Gunderson
Jocelyn Hagen (See Choir Fam Episodes 34-35)
Elaine Hagenberg
Bo Holten
David Lang
Undine Smith Moore
MaryAnne Muglia
Kyle Pederson
Rosephanye Powell
Sarah Quartel
Zanaida Robles
Kentaro Sato
Moira Smiley
Ingrid Stölzel
Z. Randall Stroope
Joby Talbot
Randall Thompson
Dale Trumbore (See Choir Fam Episode 16)
Gwyneth Walker
Tracy Wong
Manuel de Zumaya