Choral students, faculty and alumni attend Western ACDA conference

USC Thornton’s Choral & Sacred Music program was well represented at the Western American Choral Directors Association conference that took place on March 6-9 in Pasadena.

Robert Istad (DMA ‘06) performed with the CSU Fullerton University Singers while Shawna Stewart (DMA ‘13) performed with the Biola University Chorale. Michelle Jensen (DMA ’23) presented a concert with the Sterling Ensemble L.A., which featured Brandon Dinoto (MM ‘21) and master’s student Ryan Wai Hei Cheung. Undergraduate student Rosie Ding led a conducting masterclass, and DMA student Ali Sandweiss Hodges conducted a concert session featuring the Choral Arts Initiative.

Students, faculty and alumni also presented at various sessions throughout the conference, including Emily Sung (DMA ‘23) and Yu Hang Tan for “A Taste of Southeast Asian Choral Music,” Niké St. Clair (MM ‘98, DMA ‘15) for “Got Solfège? – Music Should Belong to Everyone,” and Adán Fernández (DMA ‘20) for “A Look Into the Syncretism of Choral Music of Central and South America.” Ariel Quintana (DMA ‘09) co-presented “Live Workshop with Composer and Choir” with Matthew Lyon Hazzard. Iris Levine (DMA ’90) co-presented “Mosaics from the Middle East” with Cari Earnhart. Zanaida Robles (DMA ‘14) presented a reflection at “We Are One – Songs of Unity and Service.”

Additionally, Composition program alumni Dale Trumbore (MM ‘11) and Saunder Choi (MM ‘16) presented “Yes, You Can Compose & Arrange for Your Choir: Why & How Every Educator Should Try Writing for Their Own Ensemble.” Choi also co-presented “Live Workshop with Composer and Choir” with Jennifer Lucy Cook, and had several of his compositions featured in performances.

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Photo by Ben Gibbs