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DEI Programming for Choirs

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Why DEI Matters

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Why DEI Matters

    • Artistic: expands palette, narratives, technique
    • Educational: global traditions, literacy, history
    • Human: validates experiences, belonging, connection

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Canon vs Hidden Canon

Canon: Weighted heavily toward white, European,male composers (Bach/Brahms/Britten)

Does not represent totality of historical musical production

Hidden Canon: historically under-programmed due to race, gender, class, colonialism, geography

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Canon vs Hidden Canon

Examples:

      • Maria Grever (Mexican early 20th Cent)
      • Nathaniel Dett (Afro-Canadian/ American),
      • Undine Smith Moore (20th Cent African-American)
      • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (Afro-British)
      • Amy Beach (American late Romantic)
      • Jose Nunes Nunes Garcia (Afro-Brazilian)

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Categories of Underrepresented Repertoire

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Categories of Underrepresented Repertoire

    • Race/Ethnicity: African American, Asian, Latin American, Indigenous

    • Gender Identity: women, trans, nonbinary

    • Geographical: Baltic, African, SE Asian, Middle Eastern

    • Other: neurodivergent, blind/low vision: Blind Tom Wiggins (Pueblo)

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Ethical DEI Framework

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Ethical DEI Framework

    • Representation: multiple perspectives (avoid tokenizing one composer as the representative)

    • Context: historical & cultural framing

    • Collaboration: culture-bearers (invite guest artists)

    • Reciprocity: benefit both the choir and the community

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DEI Program Models

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DEI Program Models

    • One-Third Rule

    • Mirrors / Windows / Sliding Glass Doors

    • Consider Themes: Resilience, Women of Americas, Sacred Voices

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Composer Lists

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Women

Amy Beach (Peace, I Leave with You)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK-ZXdYoxPk

Lili Boulanger (Hymn du Soleil)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCSu97iazX4

Dame Judith Weir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtztxHkW_6c

Caroline Shaw (And the Swallow) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mA8UHWFg-M

Jocelyn HagenAve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVBlkv2kEVwry

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Indigenous

    • Andrew Balfour- Cree Composer, Winnipeg, Manitoba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFXflD8_gOU

    • Jeremy Dutcher,- Wolastoqiyik Composer, New Brunswick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trfm9e-Tf88

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Latin-American

Nico Gutiérrez - Colombian-American

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLMTmIpsVg

Beatriz Corona Rodriguez- Cuba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvZZ7JbJ6jo

Guido López-Gavilán - Cuba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkjNhHxuY-U

Julio Morales-Mexico

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hVx8aJa-As

Diana Syrse- Mexico

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3Ewjj0iXDU

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Asian/ Pacific

Chen Yi- China

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6G2sH96ayk

Ko Matsushita - Japan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEKmXVDNn80

Hyo-Won Woo- Korea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddI4-a7f5rI

Zhou Long- China (married to Chen Yi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAHC5I_ix00

Tracy Wong- Malaysia (Graphite)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ihf_1GB9k

Saunder Choi- Filipino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RUtWfSNRRY

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African-American

Florence Price https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Qy5FKENfg

Nathaniel Dett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8sJi-uxPAc

Margaret Bonds (collaborated with Langston Hughes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAYLjUT2ovs

Undine Smith Moore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xW4hPPDj48

Adolphus Hailstork https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkvvSUH4yJg

Zanaida Stewart Robles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyCzEas_HSA

Marques L. A. Garrett (Oxford Book of Choral Music by Black Composers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5_-oDHucwM

Rosephane Powell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g5G3nCtKU8

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Cultural Considerations

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Cultural Considerations

    • Use native speakers
    • Understand cultural function
    • Avoid appropriation

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Best Practices

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Best Practices

    • Know context
    • Perform with integrity
    • Name cultures correctly
    • Use guest artists

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Commissioning

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Commissioning

    • Identify emerging composers
    • Use consortium models
    • Reflect ensemble identity

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Case Studies

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Case Studies

    • Joel Thompson: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0PRQqoUvcs

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Tools for Conductors

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Tools for Conductors

    • Composer databases:
      • Institutte for Composer Diversity https://www.composerdiversity.com/
      • Anna’s Composer Database

https://annascomposerdatabase.com/

      • Musicspoke

https://musicspoke.com/

      • Kassia Database (women)

https://www.kassiadatabase.com/

      • American Composer’s Alliance

https://composers.com/

  • BIPOC Voices Project

https://morebipocvoices.com/

    • DEI grants
    • Year-long DEI plan

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Closing Reflection

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Closing Reflection

    • DEI is a craft and mindset
    • How will you shape understanding?
    • Whom will you elevate?