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​The Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence

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​The Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence is presented to an individual for outstanding lifelong work in the choral art. Started in 1998, this award is named in honor of Elaine Brown, the founder/director of Singing City in Philadelphia, PA.

From the Singing City Website:
She was born Elaine Isaacson in the northeast Pennsylvania town of Ridgeway in 1910. Her mother was an organist and choirmaster, taking her to choir rehearsals as a baby in a basket and later serving as her first piano teacher. She left Ridgeway at the age of sixteen to pursue a degree in music education at the Bush Conservatory (now Northpark College) in Chicago. In 1929 Dr. Brown began her first teaching job in Jamestown NY, but when Westminster Choir College under the direction of John Finley Williamson, came through Jamestown on a concert tour, she became so inspired she gave up her teaching job to pursue another bachelors degree at Westminster, receiving that degree in 1934. She received a Master degree from Temple in 1945.

At that time she joined the faculty at Temple University. It was during this period of her career that she was contacted by Fellowship House to discuss the establishment of a volunteer choir open to community members. Within the first few seasons, the Choir was presenting over 45 performances each year. After a one year sabbatical spent serving on the faculty of the Julliard School at the invitation of William Schuman, she returned to Philadelphia and in 1948, transformed the Fellowship House Choir into Singing City, now one of the most respected cultural institutions in the City. Elaine Brown resigned her appointment at Temple in 1956 and Singing City became her "life" (and some would say obsession) until her retirement in 1987. Elaine Brown passed away in 1997 at the age of 87.

The recipient of many awards and recognitions from musical and humanitarian organizations, Elaine Brown was also the first American woman to conduct The Philadelphia Orchestra. Her honors are impressive but it was Singing City that held her heart.


Past Recipients

1998 - Elaine Brown
1999 - Fred Waring
2000 - Robert Page
2001 - Elma Heckler
2002 - Douglas Miller
2003 - Pierce Getz
2004 - Helen Kemp
2005 - Lois Williams
2006 - Cyril M. Stretansky
2007 - Alan Harler
2008 - Marvin Huls
2009 - William Payn
2010 - Peggy Dettwiler
2011 - Linda Tedford
2012 - Sonya Garfinkle and Janet Yamron
2013 - Lynn Drafall
2014 - Jeffrey Cornelius
2015 - John Goldsmith
2016 - Jeffrey Brillhart
​2017 - Craig Cannon
​2020 - Steven Sametz
2021 - O. David Deitz
​2022 - Anthony Leach

Criteria
Candidate must demonstrate:
  • outstanding, lifelong achievements in the choral art
  • a minimum of 15 years experience as a choral musician
  • musical/choral leadership in the state of Pennsylvania
  • high, consistent musical standards
  • his/her active participation in ACDA

ACDA-PA: American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania
Independent voices joining to form a common theme.
  • Home
    • About ACDA
    • PA Chapter By-Laws
    • ACDA-PA Glossary
    • Past PA Presidents
    • Join ACDA!
  • Leadership
  • News
  • Conferences
    • Summer 2023 >
      • 2023 Interest Session Proposal
      • Conducting Masterclass
      • Choir for All Honor Choir '23
      • In the Middle Honor Choir '23
    • 2023 National Conference
    • 2024 Eastern Region Conference
    • Past Events >
      • Summer 2022 >
        • 2022 Conference Schedule
        • Choir for All Honor Choir
        • On-Campus Housing
        • Conducting Masterclass
        • Submit Interest Session Proposal
      • Summer 2021
      • 2021 National Conference
      • Summer 2020
      • Eastern Region 2020
      • Summer 2019
      • Fall 2018
      • Summer 2018
      • Eastern Region 2018
      • Fall 2017
  • Awards
    • Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence
    • Outstanding Young Conductor Award
    • Eileen M. Hower Memorial Award
  • Events
    • State-wide Events >
      • Composition Contest
      • Undergraduate Conducting Competition
    • Regional Events >
      • Mucho Macho Music
      • Sweet Harmony Festival
    • 2020-21 Online Events >
      • May Motivator 2021
      • January Jumpstart 2021
      • Resilient Leadership 2020
  • #SingNewMusic