By Cassie Bannion, KMEA Middle Level Choir Chair.
The KMEA All-State Middle Level Choir is excited to welcome Dr. Rollo Dilworth as the 2018 guest clinician.
Rollo Dilworth is Professor of Choral Music Education and Chair of the Department of Music Education and Therapy at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance in Philadelphia, PA. Prior to his position with Boyer College, he taught music education and was the director of choral activities for 13 years at North Park University in Chicago, where he prepared and conducted numerous extended and choral-orchestral works. Before teaching at the college level, Dilworth also taught choral and general music at the middle school level in his hometown of St. Louis, MO.
During his doctoral program at Northwestern University, Dilworth was accepted into the composition studios of Robert Harris, Pauline Oliveros, and Marta Ptaszynska. Throughout his career, he has written or arranged African American spirituals, gospel songs, Broadway selections, art songs, vocal exercises, and a musical—all of which are frequently performed by school, church, community, university and professional choirs in the United States and abroad.
Over 150 of Dilworth’s choral compositions and arrangements have been published, and many are part of the Henry Leck Creating Artistry Choral Series with the Hal Leonard Corporation. He is also an established author and contributor for the Essential Elements for Choir and the Experiencing Choral Music textbook series. He has authored 3 books of choral warm up exercises intended for elementary and secondary choral ensembles, entitled Choir Builders: Fundamental Vocal Techniques for General and Classroom Use (2006); Choir Builders for Growing Voices (2009); and Choir Builders for Growing Voices 2 (2014).
In addition, Dilworth has conducted 43 all-state choirs ranging across various levels, 6 regional honor choirs, and 4 national honor choirs. Dilworth is currently National Board Chair for Chorus America. He is an active life member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He also holds memberships with several other organizations, including the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).
We are excited to welcome Dr. Dilworth back to Kansas this February, and for the opportunity our students will have to work with this dynamic and energetic conductor.
