Embrace the Crack
Dr. Erin Plisco & Daniel Gutierrez
If you have heard yourself say, “My basses won’t sing in tune.” “My singers have about an octave range”, “My choir sounds strident”, you are joining the many choirs that deal with excess tension that can be detrimental to healthy singing.
We are proposing our motto, “EMBRACE THE CRACK”.
This session will explore the purpose of the “voice-crack” and exercises to use it to create artful, healthy, clear sounds that complements solo singing, and an ensemble.
Meet Your Professors
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Dr. Erin Plisco is the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Missouri State University, where she conducts multiple choirs and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting and literature. She is a frequent guest clinician across the United States and abroad, and has presented at state, regional, and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. She currently serves as the ACDA National Women’s/SSAA Choirs Repertoire and Resources Chair, and choirs under her direction recently performed at both the 2022 ACDA Southwestern Region and Missouri Music Educators Association Conferences.
Dr. Plisco completed the DMA in choral conducting from the University of Arizona, where she studied conducting with Bruce Chamberlain and voice with Elizabeth Futral. She also studied at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship and worked with Stephen Layton.
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Daniel Gutierrez is the head choir director at Nixa secondary schools. Daniel is an active conductor, clinician and presenter throughout the country. Daniel has received accolades for his work as a teacher, being named Teacher of the Year for Springfield Public Schools and Southwest Missouri (also a finalist for the state TOTY award), Springfield Rotary Award for Outstanding Community Service, honoree for Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, quarterfinalist for the GRAMMY National Music Educator Award, and the recipient of the Missouri Choral Directors Association Podium Award.Â
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Daniel’s speaking engagements include presenting for TEDx, presenting for regional and National ACDA conference, and other choral workshops nationally. Daniel's Choral ensembles have won music festivals and have received numerous invitations to perform at the Missouri Music Educator Association Conference, Southwest American Choral Directors Association Conference, the National Conference for MS/JH Choral Music, and the National American Choral Dirhectors Association Conference.
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