Webinar: Choral Spectrum LIVE: Middle School Edition by Hal Leonard

About This Webinar

This one-hour webinar promises an enriching experience packed with inspiring and useful content from Hal Leonard's Roger Emerson and Sophia Miller, composers, and arrangers. You will have the exclusive opportunity to preview new, high-school focused choral music and resources, opening doors to fresh and exciting repertoire for your choir. Moreover, you'll dive into innovative choir classroom techniques, ensuring a dynamic learning environment. A short Q&A will wrap up the session.

Roger Emerson

With over 500 titles in print and 15 million copies in circulation, Roger Emerson is one of the most widely performed choral composers in America today. He received his degree in Music Education from Southern Oregon University and served as music specialist for 12 years in the Mt. Shasta Public School system. He concluded his teaching career at the College of the Siskiyous, also in Northern California, and now devotes full time to composing, arranging and consulting. Roger is known for creating 'songs kids love to sing,' and has written such best sellers as First, We Must Be Friends, Sinner Man and Shoshone Love Song. His educational arrangements include We Are The World, The Greatest Love of All and My Best Friend's Wedding, as well as some of the most successful Broadway and commercial titles in the industry, including Disney's Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast and Seasons of Love from RENT. For 12 years running, Roger has been awarded ASCAP's (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Standard Award, as well as performances of his works at The Kennedy Center, The White House and Carnegie Hall. Roger is constantly in demand as a lecturer on popular choral music and has addressed major music education groups including MENC (Music Educators National Conference), CMEA (California Music Educators Association), TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association), ICDA (Iowa Choral Directors Association), OMEA (Ohio Music Educators Association) and NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association). Roger currently resides in Mt. Shasta, California with his wife Mari, daughter Kayla, and son Ryder.

Sophia Miller

Sophia Miller is a conductor and creative director for the Foundation for Small Voices, an organization dedicated, through music, to crossing cultural, generational, and ideological boundaries to raise awareness and funds for national and international music and mentoring programs for children. An adjudicator, lecturer, and clinician, she gives choral, collegiate, and teacher-education workshops and guest-conducts regional and all-state choruses nationally and internationally.

Sophia has served as a conductor for the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City, conducting not only for its core after-school program, but also within many New York City public schools across the boroughs. She has conducted at a number of notable venues throughout New York City, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, the 92nd Street Y, Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, and Symphony Space. She has prepared choruses for national radio and television appearances, recording sessions, collaborative performances with such ensembles as the Kronos Quartet and the Stephen Petronio Company, and for performances not only in New York City, but also in major venues throughout North America, Asia, Europe, and South America. She has conducted professional, university, youth, and community choirs, and maintains an active voice studio.

Sophia is also active as a studio and live-event producer. She is a magna cum laude graduate of the Ithaca College School of Music where she is a member of the Choral Music Experience artistic faculty.

Stacey Nordmeyer

Host

Stacey Nordmeyer began her career in music publishing as a choral editor and was an editor for the textbook series Experiencing Choral Music, as well as for numerous sight-singing methods, along with music for school, church and community choirs. Now, as General Manager, Choral Publications, she oversees the choral publication process for both Hal Leonard and Shawnee Press. She is also a celebrated composer and arranger, with anthems published in both the Hal Leonard and Shawnee Press church catalogs. She has been active in church music for over 35 years, having served as music director, worship leader, and accompanist at various churches throughout southeastern Wisconsin. She currently directs the praise bands and the adult handbell choir at UNITY Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Stacey holds a Bachelor of Music degree with an emphasis in piano and music theory from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and she is a member of the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble.

Luke Talen

Host

Luke Talen is the Creative Director, Choral Publications at Hal Leonard. Luke has played a pivotal role with the company’s choral product development, digital expansion, and marketing efforts. He has taught at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and has been a music director at various high schools, colleges, and theatre companies in Wisconsin.