Lift Every Voice Symposium—Closing Performance

The Closing Concert of the Lift Every Voice Conducting Symposium features all University of Illinois choruses and ends with a special performance of “Lift Ev’ry Voice” led by conductor Andre Thomas.

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 underrepresented 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 this closing performance which will be the opening concert of the ACDA Illinois Regional Fall Conference.