Session Proposals

Dr. Abby Musgrove is Director of Choral Activities at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, where she conducts the Southeastern Chorale and SE Choral Union, and teaches conducting, music education, and musicology courses. Dr. Musgrove received degrees in Music Education and Choral Conducting from the University of Kansas, University of North Texas, and Millikin University. She is the founder and director of the Springfield, IL based professional choir, the Spero Chamber Chorale. Her over 25 years of music teaching experience includes tiny rural public schools, suburban parochial schools, small-town churches and megachurch choirs, private liberal arts colleges, and large state universities. Dr. Musgrove is often in demand as a clinician at district and state festivals for her practical and effective rehearsal techniques, and her unique repertoire choices and concert experiences. Dr. Musgrove's research interests include historic and modern performance practices, developing solutions for small schools, and the science and physics behind aesthetics. She is a staunch advocate for choirs in small schools, often mentoring new, as well as veteran, teachers in small districts with repertoire selection and vocal technique for smaller and unbalanced ensembles.

Almost all choir directors, regardless the age group of their ensembles, find themselves occasionally (or always!) leading choirs that have “not enough” of one or more voice types. Whether it’s a year of no tenors, or a group with few true first sopranos, or an ensemble with widely mixed ages and vocal timbres, these singers nevertheless still deserve to experience the fullness of the choral singing experience. Yet, no matter how advanced the singers might be, or how solid the teaching strategies, these “uniquely balanced” groups often struggle with traditionally voiced SATB, SAB, SSA, or TTB music. During this practical session, attendees will learn strategies for helping a choir with unbalanced or unique voicing achieve true excellence. Dr. Musgrove will first identify common balance issues and the musical and educational struggles that arise, such as intonation difficulties, confidence and independence challenges, and stylistic autheticity concerns. The session will highlight specific repertoire selections that are proven winners for choirs of various voicings, and also describe strategies for using traditionally-voiced repertoire with unique or unbalanced choirs. The session will include examples from all style eras and cultures, showing how these uniquely-voiced ensembles can achieve performance excellence with everything from Medieval organum to K-pop. Attendees will leave the session with a list of proven repertoire winners, and a handout with a tool-box of strategies to help these unique ensembles thrive.

• Choral - Middle School
• Choral - Secondary