Inclusive Choral Conducting Intensive

June 24–28, 2024

9:00a–4:00p

(for credit and non-credit options)

This workshop delves into the contemporary research and application of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) within the realm of choral arts. Participants, specifically conductors, will embark on a journey to cultivate a teaching and conducting pedagogy rooted in cultural responsiveness. This will be achieved through an in-depth exploration of pertinent case studies and hands-on learning experiences in simulated and situated contexts.

The workshop harnesses the power of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to dissect the nuances of gesture, meaning, and communication. This analysis serves to foster artistic empathy, ignite musical imagination, and enhance sound production and vocal technique. Conductors, by delving into this innovative approach, will gain a deeper understanding and ability to apply Personal Practice Knowledge (PPK). Moreover, they will refine their capacity for empathy and social agency, aligning these attributes with the communication and learning styles of students from diverse ethnic, cultural, and artistic backgrounds.

Inclusive Choral Conducting YouTube Link

OUTCOMES

Conductors will work with each other and with a LIVE CHOIR to:

  • Assess, classify, and execute movement through the system of Laban movement analysis.
  • Analyze the physical sensations of singing and breathing to an awareness of physical gestures.
  • Develop a cultural diversity knowledge base through an understanding of cultural particularities and the contributions that different ethnic groups provide to the choral arts.
  • Apply cross-cultural communication which encompasses a variety of ethnic and cultural demographics.
  • Demonstrate cultural caring and building learning communities in a diverse choral ensemble.

Location/Facilities

Swope Music Hall

What To Bring

  • Casual dress is necessary for daily workshops.
  • Full black concert attire is needed for performances.
  • Pencils or smart devices for taking notes.
  • Digital scores are available for tablets.
  • Bottled water.

Medical Information

Slippery Rock University and the SRU Foundation Inc. do not provide medical insurance for participants. Participants with special medical problems must notify the workshop director; all medications must be registered with the workshop director. SRU staff will NOT administer medications.

Photo Consent

Participants consent to and authorize the use and reproduction by the Office of Conference Services and Slippery Rock University of any and all photographs and audio-visual materials taken for promotional materials, educational activities, exhibitions, or for any other use for the benefit of Conference Services or Slippery Rock University.

Questions?

For more information about the workshop contact Dr. Timothy Little Trần at timothy.little@sru.edu

COST:

RESIDENT: $599 Includes camp instruction, overnight accommodations, access to facilities, and all meals
COMMUTER: $499 Includes camp instruction, access to facilities, and lunch & dinner

Registration: Register online and pay with a credit or debit card only. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is included in the registration fee.


**If you are seeking a "For Credit" option, please follow the below links and do not go any further on this registration. **


To register and take this as a "For Credit" Course and for students wanting the certificate, please click link for more details:

For-Credit Registration

Current SRU Student
Register for either MUSI 356 (Undergraduate level) or MUSI 556 (Graduate level).
Students wishing to declare the "Certificate in Culturally Relevant & Sustaining Music Education must complete the Certificate Declaration Form.

Non-SRU Student
Apply through undergraduate or graduate admissions as a non-degree seeking student.
Undergraduates will work with the ESAP Department for registration into MUSI 356.
Graduate students would work with Graduate Admissions for registration into MUSI 556.

Louisiana native, Timothy Little Trần is a singer/songwriter, conductor, church music minister, and educator. Currently, Dr. Little Trần is the Director of Choral Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Slippery Rock University where he conducts choral Chamber Singers and Concert Choir. In addition, Dr. Little Trần teaches music education and music theory courses within the academic music curricula.

Prior to Slippery Rock, Timothy was Executive Director of Performing Arts and Professor of Choral Music at Notre Dame College, where he shaped the department into dynamic performing divisions of music, theatre, and dance, as well as created majors in music and theatre entrepreneurship. Timothy also served as the Coordinator of Arts in Residences and Area Coordinator for the Senior Experience at Oberlin Conservatory and the Resident Director at the School of Creative and Performing Arts-Manhattan [SOCAPA], where he was one of the founding members of the Music Program. Dr. Little Trần has also held positions in Student Life & Development and Arts Marketing & Communication at Interlochen Arts Academy, the Shenandoah Conservatory, Columbia Choirs of Metropolitan Seattle, and Louisiana State University, where he also was a photographer for LSU Football and the LSU Tiger Marching Band.

Timothy holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting & Literature from Louisiana State University, and a Bachelor of Music degree with Vocal and Music Education studies from the Shenandoah Conservatory.Timothy is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity and is passionate about LSU Football; his nephews and nieces; and using the arts as a medium to support students academically, artistically, and socially.

Timothy Little Trần: Artist Statement: I believe music is central to the human experience. As a music educator, choral conductor, and researcher, I aim to connect the learning of music from song literature to a deep immersion of artistic literacy and individualized expression. My educational and artistic approach to music is not sustained by the assessment of ability and talent alone. If this were true, my own musicianship may never have come to fruition. As a multicultural person, I focus on how practical learning techniques in rehearsal and on-stage help develop emotional intelligence and relationship building for students with multiple identities. The collaborative process of establishing common terminology and gestural meaning is the culmination of my creative process; here I find that pitch, rhythm, and text are analyzed and applied literally, internally, and interpersonally. The relationship between instructor and student, conductor and singer, or peer and peer are equally as important as the common language used to understand, apply, and interpret music.