Be in the room where innovation meets inspiration. Our Invited Sessions feature some of the choral world’s most respected and visionary leaders…composers, conductors, and educators whose work is shaping the future of our art form.
John Atorino
This session explores the use of rounds and part songs as powerful warm-up tools to engage your ensemble from the very first minutes of rehearsal. Participants will experience quick-to-learn pieces that promote successful part singing, develop intonation and solfège skills, and build ensemble confidence that they can bring back to their ensembles as soon as they get back to rehearsal. These songs can be revisited to isolate and refine vocal techniques such as timbre, placement, articulation, and dynamic control. Starting rehearsal with accessible, joyful music fosters focus, connection, and a shared sense of achievement. The session will also include strategies for creating your own part songs—whether to support specific repertoire goals or simply to cultivate joy and musicality. When used intentionally, these short songs can transform the first ten minutes of rehearsal into a springboard for deeper musical growth. Above all, these warm up songs are meant to inspire and inject joy into your rehearsal. Sometimes, a productive and focused rehearsal is best begun with a quick sprint to joyful singing.
Shams Ahmed
In this fast-paced, hands-on session, participants will be split into teams and given just two things: a well-known song and a pitch pipe. No scores, just voices, ears, and imagination! After a brief primer on a cappella arranging techniques and performance style, each group will go off and collaborate to create an arrangement on the spot, using intuition, vocal experimentation, and teamwork. I will hop from one group to another to provide insights*. Afterwards, we will all come together and share the performances in a mini final concert! The goal? To foster musical instincts, build collaboration skills, and expand a cappella arranging vocabulary.
Shawn Kirchner
Join an inspiring reading session with celebrated composer and songwriter Shawn Kirchner. From the piano he’ll lead an exploration of original sacred music for congregation and choir: simple songs for prayer/worship and the seasons of the church year, choral introits and anthems in many styles, and excerpts from larger works Songs of Ascent, Princeton Motets, and The Light of Hope Returning. Come and discover new, immediately-usable material for your own church settings and concerts – or just come for an hour of uplift and spiritual renewal.Many of Kirchner’s best-known concert pieces have church origins, including Unclouded Day – written for his church choir’s first international tour, and premiered on Pentecost Sunday. Over the years he has written dozens of hymn settings and original anthems – often out of a need arising in worship planning sessions, and sometimes just as a bolt “out of the blue.” Kirchner’s most recent projects include new service music for communion liturgy at Princeton Chapel and a “bluegrass” mass setting for congregational use at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal in Atlanta. Kirchner was raised in the Church of the Brethren, a denomination related to the Mennonites — with a similar robust a cappella singing tradition of which Alice Parker was so enamored. He learned to sightread and improvise by playing through the hymnal, and soon was accompanying the choir, playing organ, and leading with guitar around campfires. For decades he led music at national youth conferences and denominational events and has continued in recent years to serve locally at the Church of the Brethren in La Verne, California. A church career highlight was serving as music director for the 2004 CBS Christmas Eve special, an occasion that gave rise to many carol settings that have since become favorites – Brightest and Best, Lo How a Rose, One Sweet Little Baby, and Silent Night. Explore more at www.shawnkirchner.com.
Cheryl B. Engelhardt | Tehillah Alphonso | Scott Hoying | Shams Ahmed | Ben Bram
Step into “the room where it happens” with five of today’s most renowned pop, jazz, a cappella, and choral arrangers and singers. From their earliest choir experiences to their current careers at the top of the vocal world, they’ll share how formative moments shaped their artistry—and what still drives them today. You’ll hear untold stories and “choral secrets,” gain insight into how traditional choral training impacts their modern work, and learn how the recording world and the choral world can better connect. Discover practical ways to record in acoustic spaces without breaking the bank, how choirs are hired for professional projects, and whether networking or formal channels matter most. We’ll explore the pathways to high-level collaborations, what’s missing between the recording and choral industries, and how educators, conductors, and composers can position themselves for meaningful industry connections.
Brandon Williams | Kelly Rocchi
This reading session features tried-and-true favorites and exciting newer works for treble and bass clef ensembles. Attendees will explore music written for two-, three-, and four-part treble and bass clef voicings suitable for high school, collegiate, and community ensembles. The session includes a diverse selection of genres, styles, and difficulty levels with varied instrumental accompaniments.
Rollo Dilworth } Roger Emerson | Karla McClain
Join Rollo Dilworth, Roger Emerson, and Karla McClain as we guide you through warm-ups and repertoire that will teach your students the skills they need to become expressive musicians with artistry. You can develop artistry through accessible music and attention to building skills while navigating the challenges of adolescence.
Christopher Jackson | Chris Shepard
In a time when we are all grappling with the many cross-currents in public life, turning to an anchoring figure like J. S. Bach can provide a moment of respite and a chance to refresh ourselves in the ongoing musical stream that is our choral heritage. Both presenters have extensive experience with Bach’s music, while at the same time being strong advocates for current cultural and musical trends. Responding to our twenty-first-century landscape can mean pairing Bach with new works from different traditions; sometimes this can mean focusing directly on this unique figure in music history. In this session, we will examine programs that do both of these things, as well as present a list of Bach’s works that are far more accessible to the average choir—of any age, in any setting—than might be imagined. We will sing through pieces by Bach, as well as contemporary works that use Bach as a reference point. Emphasis is on giving attendees permission to explore Bach in any way that makes sense for you: to help you envision a way for you and your singers to experience the music of this foundational composer.
Rebecca Saltzman | Ben Bram
Come join us to explore pop a cappella repertoire arranged with choir in mind—no soloists or vocal percussion! These pieces can be performed by any size ensemble, from one on a part to a choir of one hundred plus. We’ll do a deep dive into some contemporary repertoire of arrangers, voice parts, and accessibility levels. Pop music is a great tool to “bring in” students who may not have otherwise been interested in choir, and this session will provide responsive strategies to explore multiple contemporary genres and attract new students to your program.
Emily Crowe Sobotko | Kenneth Griffith
Great repertoire fuels every thriving youth ensemble in classrooms and community settings alike. As singers grow in literacy and performance, the right music sparks both skill and imagination. This session explores eight to ten choral works for singers from elementary through high school. Each piece highlights storytelling through bravery, rhyme, adventure, or the deeper story of our shared humanity. Selections range from unison to mixed voicings, offering practical tools to inspire growth and connection. Linked with From Classroom to Concert: Fostering Deep Artistry with Elementary Singers, this session provides accessible yet rich, the repertoire builds vocal technique, ensemble sound, and expressive artistry.
Matthew Lee | Moll Brown
Are you looking for meaningful repertoire selections for your high school program? Whether your choir is at the beginner level or preparing for competition, this reading session will aim to address repertoire needs for a wide variety of skill levels. With a focus on living composers, our hope is that all choral conductors who conduct a high school SATB ensemble can take away pieces that will be successful with their students.