Ever since Jason Ferdinand moved from Oakwood, the choir world started to wonder what was next for the Aeolians. After their 2019 National ACDA performance, they were thrust into the conversations about the “BEST” collegiate choirs in the world. I started to wonder who the next director would be and what kind of pressure might be attached.
Enter Jeremy Sovoy Jordan, an Oakwood Alumn, composer, conductor and mutli-faceted musician who knows, loves and appreciates the history and tradition of this renowned ensemble. In this conversation Jeremy and I discuss what it has been like to take over the group and his dreams for the future. We also discuss ideas about programming in terms of repertoire, as well as philosophies related to creating an ensemble cohesion and culture.
Tune in, and have your thinking stimulated and challenged. Then, weigh in yourself on Facebook in the Choralosophers group or over on choralosophy.substack.com.
For future rehearsal clips, find me on TikTok, Insta and FB!
Choralosophy Podcast (@choralosophy) • Instagram photos and videos
Jeremy Sovoy Jordan – A native of Huntsville, AL, Jeremy Sovoy Jordan attended Oakwood University where he studied vocal performance and pedagogy and was a member of the Aeolians, under the direction of Jason Max Ferdinand. In 2017 along with his brother Justin, Jordan was inducted into the North Alabama Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame. In 2013, he accepted the position of Director of Music and Choral Department at Miami Union Academy (MUA), teaching grades 6th-12th.
MUA is a historically black private academy that has been in existence since 1917. The high school choir enjoyed much success under the direction of Jordan, being participants in the 2018 Music for All National Choir Festival. They’ve also had the privilege of performing at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. Under his leadership, the MUA Choral Department initiated an annual social justice concert to raise awareness about the injustices our students see in their communities and the world at large. Jeremy also serves as Conductor and Composer-in-Redsidence for the New Canon Chamber Collective Orchestra whose goal and purpose are to promote new and existing compositions by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color(BIPOC) composers. Jordan is currently the Director of Choral Activities and conductor of the Aeolians of Oakwood University.
Find Justin on Social Media!
IG – oakwoodaeolians
FB – The Aeolians
TikTok – TheAeoliansofOU
Episode 107: Retention Matters MORE than Recruitment
Episode 105: Work Less Hard, Have Better Choirs
Episode 104: Don’t Abandon the Canon! With Dr. Anika Prather
Episode 103: Finding My Voice with Brittney E. Boykin
Episode 102: Belonging Isn’t Top-Down
Episode 101: The Science of Program Building with Dr. Seth Pendergast
Episode 100: Sing Softer, You’re Off Key with Beth Munce
Episode 99: The World Imagined with Gabriel Jackson
Episode 98: You Are Your Story with Brent Morden, Michelle Pollino and Angel Eduardo
Senioritis vs. The Last Concert
Episode 97: Intentions Matter with Emily Williams Burch
Episode 96: “Real Men” Sing? with Braeden Ayres
Episode 95: Your School’s PD is Not Evidence Based with Dr. Kristina Mitchell
Episode 94: Singing High, Singing “Us” with Patrick Dailey
Episode 93: Togetherness Activists with Micah Hendler
Episode 92: Live at Missouri Music Educators
Episode 91: Music is My Culture with Trevor Weston
Episode 90: Sound Before Sight with Carol Krueger
Episode 89: Writing Music People LIKE to Sing with Alan Bullard
Episode 88: Music is Inherently Raceless with Theron Jenkins
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Marty Ray Project: Chats
What’s the Res?
It’s All An Act
Anne of Green Gables
The Art of War
The Magnus Archives
The Moth