Lift Every Voice 2023
October 24-27, 2023
Lift Every Voice, sponsored by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), is a mentoring program for talented young choral conductors from under-represented groups. For 2023, Lift Every Voice will serve conductors of color.
The 2023 program will bring six young conductors of color and ACDA members nearing the end of their undergraduate music study to the U of I campus to work with an outstanding faculty of experienced conductor-teachers, including Anton Armstrong, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Pearl Shangkuan, Andre Thomas, and Illinois faculty.
The week will include private conducting lessons, conducting classes, participation in graduate level choral courses, sessions on underrepresented composers, rehearsal technique and round-table discussions on how to navigate the day-to-day challenges of being a choral conductor of color. All participants will rehearse and conduct U of I ensembles in a closing performance which will be the opening concert of IL-ACDA Fall Conference.
All travel costs, housing, and tuition will be paid through the Choral Music Engagement Fund at the University of Illinois.
Nomination process
Students or their faculty may initiate a nomination using the Nomination Form. Upon submission of the form, the student will receive an email link to upload an audition video, and the nominating professor will receive a link to upload a written recommendation.
One nomination per institution, please.
Nominations will close on April 30 at 11:59 PM (Central Time).
Questions may be directed to Andrea Solya, Associate Director of Choral Activities, University of Illinois, at asolya2@illinois.edu.
Mentors
