Congratulations to our 2021 ACDA-PA Award Winners, who were announced in a video compilation by outgoing Past President, Susan Medley, at the virtual summer conference on August 1, 2021.

Outstanding Young Conductor Award
MARK HELMS
Mark Helms is an active conductor based in southeastern Pennsylvania. Mark is currently the Director of Music and the Arts at Doylestown Presbyterian Church (Doylestown, PA), where he oversees a comprehensive music ministry involving 200 participants of all ages in a variety of vocal and instrumental ensembles. Mark also recently served as the Director of Choral Activities and Liturgical Music at DeSales University (Center Valley, PA), where he conducted three choral ensembles and taught additional courses in music.
 
Mark moved to Pennsylvania following the completion of his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY). Mark is also a graduate of Furman University (Greenville, SC), where he completed a Bachelor of Music summa cum laude in Church Music. This fall, Mark will be returning to school to begin the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Maryland (College Park, MD).

Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence:
O. DAVID DEITZ
O. David Deitz retired as a choral music educator/vocal music department chair for the Central Dauphin School District in Harrisburg PA, and as an adjunct choral and music education professor for Bucknell, Mansfield, Lebanon Valley, Susquehanna and Penn State Universities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Mansfield State College, where he was selected to the Music Alumni Honor Roll, and a master’s degree from Penn State University. A 1999 finalist for Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year and featured director for the Fall 2004 issue of Choral Director magazine, Deitz served as president of ACDA-PA 2003-2005 and as Eastern Division Conference Chair 2010. Mr. Deitz currently serves as the Fine Arts Education Consultant for the Pennsylvania Department of Education and was named 2019 Educator of the Year by the non-profit organization Little Kids Rock.