'Ai Pōhaku: Decolonizing Our Choral Future

Enacting a decolonial philosophy is crucial to forging a more inclusive and equitable path forward in our craft. Join us as we discuss the artistic and administrative possibilities in forming right-relationships with the land our organizations are built on, the host cultures we engage with, and how an embrace of Native and Indigenous methodologies is paramount in modeling best practices and building solidarity and affirmation with communities unseen. Participants will explore practical ways to employ trauma-informed practice, culturally sustaining strategies, and liberatory pedagogies to ensure that our ensembles are a place where all members are seen for all that they are and where our practices acknowledge the past harms of our choral histories in empathetic ways. Together, our collective work can build towards a reframing of choral excellence.