Tim Sharp (BM, MCM, DMA) is Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the national professional association for choral conductors, educators, scholars, students, and choral music industry representatives in the United States. He represents choral activity in the United States to the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) and serves as Vice-President.
Sharp, himself an active choral conductor, researcher, and writer, has varied his career with executive positions in higher education, recording, and publishing. Prior to his leadership of ACDA, Sharp was Dean of Fine Arts at Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, and earlier, Director of Choral Activities at Belmont University, Nashville, TN.
Tim’s research and writing focuses pedagogically in conducting and score analysis, and various published essays and books betray his eclectic interests in regional music history, acoustics, creativity, innovation, and aesthetics. He has conducted university, community, church, and children’s choirs, and continues to serve as choral conductor and clinician in the United States and internationally. He is in his tenth year as Artistic Director/ Conductor of the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus, Tulsa, OK.
Innovation in the Ensemble Arts: Sustaining Creativity is Tim’s third book in the ensemble arts series published by GIA Publications, Inc. The other books in this series are Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts: Helping Others Find Their Voice and Collaboration in the Ensemble Arts: Working and Playing Well with Others. He is currently completing the book Teaching Music Through Performance of European, British, Canadian, and American Sacred Music.
Dr. Sharp is a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, with degrees in music and conducting from The School of Church Music of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Belmont University, and Bluefield College. He resides in Edmond, OK, with his wife Jane and daughter Emma Jane.
Rhonda Fuelberth (pictured, far left)
Rhonda J. Fuelberth is associate professor of choral music education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she serves as the Chair of Graduate Music Education. Dr. Fuelberth taught choral and general music in the Omaha, NE area and has worked with singers of all ages, from children through adults. She currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses with a focus on choral music education and inclusive music education. She also co-conducts the University Chorale, an ensemble that has performed under her direction for numerous state, regional, and national conferences, and frequently serves as a clinician and guest conductor.
Rhonda is the founder and artistic director for i2Choir**--Inclusive, Intergenerational, Exponentially Better Together, a community choral organization that seeks to provide a model for inclusive choral music experiences. She currently serves as the President-Elect of the North Central division of the American Choral Directors Association and is Past-President for the Nebraska Choral Directors Association. Her research has focused on choral music education, music teacher training, inclusive music education practices, and Universal Design for Learning as a model framework for inclusive music education. Rhonda has presented and published research at the state, regional, national, and international levels of the National Association for Music Education, the International Society for Music Education and the American Music Therapy Association.
**i2Choir-- i2Choir is an inclusive and intergenerational choral ensemble that has partnered with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music (GKSOM) and International Quilt Study Center and Museum (IQSCM) to provide music-making opportunities for individuals of all abilities. In i2Choir, individual contributions are valued, musical growth is championed, and all members are partners in creating high quality music. i2Choir members participate in cross-age, cross-ability groups or “singing teams” of two to four who want to sing in the ensemble together. Singing teams consist of singers who would like to sing with, and support family members and friends with a variety of physical, sensory, and cognitive challenges.
Penelope Cruz
Penelope Cruz is the President-Elect Designate for ACDA Eastern Region and will begin her term as President July, 2020. She is a member of the inaugural National ACDA Diversity Initiatives Committee for which she made contributions to the Choral Journal and as part of an ad hoc committee on audition guidelines for honor choirs and auditioned choirs.
For the Eastern Division, Cruz has been Program Chair (2016 and 2020) and Honor Choirs Chair (2012 and 2014), where she initiated the Latino Repertoire and Chinese Repertoire Honor choirs. She has served as NY State President (2014-2015) and as Repertoire and Standards chair for both Women’s Choirs and Multicultural and Ethnic Perspectives.
Since 2003, she has been the choral conductor at White Plains (NY) High School. Penelope Cruz is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and earned the Masters of Music degree from Eastman School of Music. Born and raised in Wisconsin, she currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.