A one of a kind event happened at this year’s convention of the Southwest Region of American Choral Directors. We gathered a panel of thoughtful professionals and an inquisitive crowd of colleagues and had an “unsafe” conversation in public. And what do you know? No one threw tomatoes!
Are we speaking a language our communities actually understand?
In this special live episode recorded at the Southwest ACDA conference, we move past the performative “curated consensus” of the professional bubble. For seven years, Choralosophy has been a space for the conversations we’re often disincentivized from having—and this panel is no exception. I was joined in Albuquerque by Odell Zeigler, Clelyn Chapin, Heather Orr and Reginal Wright for a lively and informative discussion you won’t want to miss.
We dive deep into the terminology that defines our field: Excellence. Rigor. Access. Equity. These words matter, but through overuse, they risk becoming social signals rather than clear objectives. If we can’t define what we mean to the “normal” people—the parents, administrators, and taxpayers who sustain our programs—we risk losing them entirely.
In this episode, we tackle:
- The “existential” threat of insular language.
- Whether Excellence and Access always align, or if we’re ignoring the trade-offs.
- Navigating the tensions of gender balance and repertoire origins with nuance instead of reaction.
- What is equity?
It’s time to be precise, be brave, and look beyond the buzzwords to the future of the choral profession.
🎧 Tune in now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself with your related ideas and experiences on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com Also, don’t forget to grab a reading rope for your classroom wall from the shop! Music Reading Rope
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Reginal Wright is a renowned composer, conductor, and educator whose compositions blend melody, rhythm, and text into powerful musical narratives that engage both performers and listeners. An accomplished composer, his works are performed widely and cater to choirs of all levels from beginning ensembles to advanced collegiate and professional groups. With over 25 years of experience, he has received numerous awards for his work in middle and high school education. As a conductor, he fosters collaboration and artistry in choirs of all levels, helping them reach their full potential.
Dr. Clelyn Chapin serves as the Associate Director of Choirs at University of Northern Colorado where she leads choral ensembles and teaches courses in choral music education. As a frequent presenter and clinician, Clelyn focuses on non-hierarchical rehearsal practices and making individual vocal technique accessible and efficient in the choral rehearsal. Her scholarly work centers on creating collaborative rehearsal spaces and amplifying the work of women composers. Before joining the faculty at UNC, Clelyn spent 14 years teaching and conducting secondary, collegiate, and community ensembles in Texas, Colorado, and Michigan. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at Michigan State University, studying under Dr. David Rayl and Dr. Sandra Snow, and holds a Master of Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Heather Orr serves as Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Texas A&M University, where she conducts the freshman ensembles Bella Voce and Legacy Voices. She previously spent 30 years in public school music education as Head Choir Director at Montgomery High School in Texas. Orr is a frequent clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, with expertise in treble choir tone development and effective rehearsal strategies. Her ensembles have presented nine invited convention performances at the TMEA, SWACDA, and ACDA. Orr holds a Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Heidelberg College, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Music Education. She is the mother of four grown children, grandmother to three grandsons, has been married for 32 years, and they are now navigating life as empty-nesters with their dog, Nugget.
Odell Zeigler, IV, is the Director of Choirs at the Visual & Performing Arts Academy at Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk. He leads Concert Choir, Women’s Chorale, Men’s Chorus, and Mixed Chorus, and teaches Music Appreciation and AP Music Theory. Odell is an active clinician, adjudicator, and speaker who presents regularly at All-State and All-Region conferences across the country. He deeply values time with his family, taking great joy in watching his children grow in their academic pursuits and sports, and in sharing family vacations together each year.
@choralosophypodca
This episode lands at a useful moment. The panel’s willingness to treat terms like excellence, access, and equity as things that actually need defining, rather than ritual phrases, feels like a small act of courage in a field that often prefers polished consensus. The worry about losing parents, administrators, and taxpayers through insider language is quietly pragmatic; choirs do not survive on professional signalling alone.
What stays with me is the underlying insistence on precision over performance. If the discussion managed to hold nuance around repertoire choices, gender balance, and genuine trade-offs without sliding into slogans, that itself advances the conversation. Choral music has always depended on clear craft and shared understanding; anything that pushes back against vagueness strengthens that foundation.
It will be interesting to hear whether the episode leads to sharper thinking in rehearsal rooms and board meetings, or whether the buzzwords simply acquire new packaging. Either way, the attempt is welcome.