“From my first ACDA in 1991 to ACDA now: complete reversal. People are not afraid to perform something that moves the soul, and in 1991 nobody did it. Now people are digging in and not being afraid. I applaud all of my fellow choral conductors for being fearless and not being afraid to tell the stories that mean something.”

Tim Seelig is a conductor, singer, speaker and educator. He continues a busy schedule of appearances across the U.S. He conducted LGBTQ+ choruses for 35 years and is Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and Conductor Emeritus of the Turtle Creek Chorale.

Dr. Seelig holds four degrees, including the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas and the Diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. He has written 6 books on choral technique, several of which are best-sellers, and his memoir, Tale of Two Tims: Big Ol’ Baptist, Big Ol’ Gay.

Dr. Seelig has conducted at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for 25 years. He conducted the Guinness Book Of World Record's Longest Choral Concert and carried the Olympic torch in 1996 as a community Hero.

He has conducted over 50 recordings which have been on Billboard Top Ten and iTunes Top Ten classical charts. His choruses have been the topic of three documentaries. The PBS documentary, After Goodbye: An AIDS Story was awarded the national Emmy for best documentary.

He is the proud grandfather of the amazing Clara Skye, Eden Mae, Cora Rose, Ivy Hope.

To get in touch with Tim, you can find him on Facebook (@tim.seelig) or email him at tgseelig@gmail.com.

Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.

Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

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“I have fallen deeply in love with looking at a piece, seeing what it is, and realizing that there are no real absolutes in music. There are no rules. You have to look at each piece of music for what it is and consider it in its historical and cultural context and then find out enough about the composer. It feels like a journey, a rabbit hole that go down.”

Dr. Elizabeth Schauer serves as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arizona, where she is in her twentieth year of teaching. An award-winning educator, Dr. Schauer directs the Symphonic Choir and teaches graduate courses in conducting and choral literature. In addition, she served as Chancel Choir director at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. She came to the University of Arizona following ten years as Director of Choral Activities at Adams State College in Colorado.

Dr. Schauer is in demand as an adjudicator, clinician, presenter and guest conductor throughout the United States, including recently for performances at Carnegie Hall and with Georgia, Connecticut and New Mexico All-State Choirs. Choirs under her direction have been selected by audition and invited to perform on local, state and regional conferences of American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, College Music Society, and American Guild of Organists. In addition her choirs have been featured on the ACDA National YouTube Channel and the Community Concert Series of KUAT-FM Classical Radio, and are regularly invited to collaborate, notably with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Arizona Symphony and the UA Wind Ensemble.

She has presented sessions at the national conventions of American Choral Directors Association, Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and College Music Society; regional conferences of ACDA, and state conferences of ACDA and National Association for Music Education. Dr. Schauer holds degrees from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Westminster Choir College, and University of Michigan.

To get in touch with Betsy, you can find her on Facebook: @betsy.schauer.9. You can find more about the University of Arizona choral program on Facebook (@uarizonachoirs) or Instagram (@uarizonachoirs) or visit their website: choral.music.arizona.edu, where you can find their Distinguished Speakers Series and discover more information about the DEI Choral Literature Intensive.

Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.

Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

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“I grew up thinking that we should sound like the music we're singing. There was never one right way for me. There are those great choral traditions where they sing everything a certain way. I never wanted to be that way. We can do seven different pieces in seven entirely different styles. You would think, 'is that the same choir?' That's something that my choirs take seriously.”

Recipient of the President’s Award from the California Music Educators Association honoring "extraordinary accomplishments in music education," Dr. Jonathan Talberg serves as Director of Choral Activities at the Bob Cole Conservatory, where he is conductor of the international award-winning Bob Cole Conservatory Chamber Choir and the CSULB University Choir. Recent career highlights include leading the Chamber Choir to first place at the Austrian Spittal International Choir Festival and the "Choir of the World" competition in Wales. Additionally, he and the choir have performed with groups as diverse as the Kronos Quartet, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Pacific Symphony and the Rolling Stones.

A passionate advocate for choral music education, Dr. Talberg is regularly engaged to conduct honor choirs across the US, including numerous all-state choruses, and Music Education conference choirs. His choirs have performed in venues throughout Europe and Asia.

A past-president of the California Choral Directors Association, he serves as an editor at Pavane Music Publishing, where a choral series dedicated to outstanding quality, collegiate-level music is published under his name.

Of the many hats he wears each day, the one he is most proud of is mentor to the next generation of choral musicians. Alumni of the Bob Cole Conservatory Choral Studies program are teaching at elementary, middle and high schools, churches, community colleges and four-year universities throughout the country. Scores of alumni are professional singers and/or currently earning—or have finished—their doctorates at some of the finest institutions in the country.

Dr. Talberg received his BM from Chapman University, his MM and DMA from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops, and the May Festival Chorus.

To get in touch with Jonathan, you can email him at jonathan.talberg@csulb.edu or find him on Instagram: @jonathantalberg .

Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.

Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.

Podcast music from Podcast.co
Photo in episode artwork by Trace Hudson