Contributors: Juan Carlos Acosta, Melissa Baughman, Rhonda Fuelberth, Monte Garrett, Alex Gartner, Stephanie Henry, Joy Hirokawa, Suzy Johnson, Chris Ludwa, Jennifer Rodgers

Relevance unlocks new ways to build deep connections with people who do not immediately self-identify with our work as musicians. Relevance in the Choral Art outlines the alchemy of relevance and its role in offering meaningful programs and concerts for today’s audiences.

Relevance in the Choral Art is a collection of essays from leading practitioners in the choral field that challenges musicians to reflect on the role choral music plays in today’s culture and what can be done to keep it relevant.

Now more than ever we must face the challenge of the relevancy of choral music in our culture, for artistic directors and their role within choral organizations, for members of choral organizations, and for the community that choral music education and performance serves.

Tim Sharp along with ten contributing authors explore the idea of relevance and what it means to the choral community, offering wisdom and guidance on a range of topics, including:

• The alchemy of choral relevance
• A rubric for achieving choral relevance
• Programming for choral relevance
• How to empower minority and underrepresented groups in choral music
• How to create choral experiences for non-traditional groups, such as those comprised of individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia, cognitive or physical differences, and even those who are incarcerated
• How to encourage and develop youth leadership in choral organizations

When something is relevant it leads somewhere, brings new value, and succeeds in opening a door to something valuable. It gives new information, adds meaning to life, makes a difference, and yields a positive effect. Relevance in the Choral Art provides valuable insights based on research, decades of experience, and practical applications for those looking to revive and grow the relevancy of their work in choral music.

Tim Sharp is Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Vice-President of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), and Artistic Director of the Tulsa Chorale. Relevancy is at the center of his aggressive agenda in strategic planning and progressive initiatives, achieving unprecedented success and changing the conversation in the choral world. Tim appears regularly as a guest conductor and choral clinician throughout the world. Additional books in this series are Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts, Collaboration in the Ensemble Arts, and Innovation in the Ensemble Arts.

Chapter 3: Programming for the Twenty-First Century Handout

Chapter 10: Previous i²Choir Concert Programs

Chapter 10: Full Color Examples