As was announced at the beginning of the summer conference on August 4, the following changes to the ACDA-PA state board have been approved:

• Elizabeth Colpo was elected to the position of President-Elect.  Her term begins immediately, and she will serve as President for the 2021-2023 term, then Vice President for the next 2 years.
• An election will be held in January for the position of President-Elect Designate.  That person will join the board on July 1, 2020, then will assume the role of President-Elect when the 2021 board begins.
• A Student Activities chair position has been created that will fall under the Collegiate R&R committee.  This position will serve as a facilitator for communication among the collegiate chapters in the state.
• The Conducting Competition chair position has been eliminated, and those responsibilities will now fall to the Collegiate R&R chair.
• The Ensemble-Specific R&R area has been renamed "Encompassing Genres" to more accurately reflect what falls under that committee.
• The Ethnic/Multicultural R&R chair position has been eliminated as multicultural music is represented in almost every other R&R area now.
• An Equity and Justice R&R chair position has been created to focus on the various types of choirs not previously represented that relate to social justice, prison choirs, representation, and more.
• In the interest of promoting more inclusive language, the Women's Choirs and Men's Choirs R&R positions have been renamed Upper Voice Choirs and Lower Voice Choirs R&R.
• A Conference Chair position has been created to serve on the executive committee.

Check your e-mail for log-in information and a link to the ballot for our special election to fill the vacancy on the board due to Joy Hirokawa's appointment to the ACDA board as national R&R chair for Children and Community Youth Choirs.  The election is run through ElectionRunner, and a separate e-mail with log-in and candidate bio information should have gone out to our active membership.  Some e-mail filters may catch it, so check your spam.  The voting window closes August 2, 2019.

Dear colleagues,
 
As I write this it is 60 degrees and the daffodils are trying to open. Spring is finally here!  As the weather gets warmer I start to think of summer, ACDA is offering some exciting events this summer that I want to share with you.
 
NextDirection Choral Leadership Conference for High School Students
July 23-26, Virginia Wesleyan University, Virginia Beach, VA
Dr. Shane Lynch and Dr. Lisa Billingham, headliners
A Special Leadership Opportunity for Outstanding High School Students
ACDA-PA will offer $350 scholarships to two high school students to attend the ACDA NextDirection Choral Leadership Conference. The scholarship covers housing, meals, and material costs.  Transportation is the responsibility of the student.  This is a two-step application process.  Both applications are due April 15.

1. The student must apply for the conference here.
2. The student can apply for the ACDA-PA scholarship here.

 
Please encourage your outstanding high school students to take advantage of this opportunity!
 
 
ACDA-PA 2019 Summer Conference, Bring Your Song
August 4-6, Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, PA 
 
We have an incredible lineup of offerings this year, and I want to personally invite you to Pittsburgh August 4-6 to take in all that this conference has to offer.  Here are some highlights:
 
Headliner: Dr. Lynda Hasseler from Capital University
If you attended ACDA National and heard her choir perform the Brock Commission, you know what a passionate artist she is. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from her!

Conducting Masterclass with Lynda Hasseler
This event is open to conference attendees though application on the registration form. Participants will conduct a semi-professional choir in a selection of mixed choral repertoire. For more information, email President-Elect, Caron Daley at daleyc1@duq.edu  (All attendees are invited to observe the masterclass.)

“Bring Your Song” session
Share your favorite piece of choral music with your colleagues. In addition to our dynamic reading sessions, conference attendees will find even more new repertoire in this exciting session. More information and the opportunity to apply to present a piece can be found on the registration form.

Performances – Now accepting applications for performing choirs!  Apply here.

Interest Sessions – Would you like to present an Interest Session?  Apply here.

Reading Sessions – Including music for all types of choirs

Roundtables – Share ideas with conductors who work with choirs similar to your own

Exhibits – Browse the latest choral music with The Musical Source

Great Food – Breakfast and lunch included with registration

Social Event – Sing the National Anthem at a Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park!
Stand on the field of PNC Park in front of 30,000 of your closest friends. We will sing Robert Page’s unpublished arrangement of the National Anthem, which you will receive as a PDF via email after you register. Registration includes a game ticket loaded with $10 in concession credit. If friends and family would like to sit in our group for the game, additional tickets will be available for purchase. Game is Monday, August 5 at 7:05 pm vs. Milwaukee Brewers. We sing the anthem at approximately 6:45 pm.
 
Conference housing information is available here.
 
Mark your calendars now! Registration will be open soon. 
You will receive an email when you can register online!

Susan Medley, DMA
ACDA-PA President
Professor of Music
Director of Choral Activities
Washington & Jefferson College
60 S. Lincoln St.
Washington, PA  15301
724-223-6115

ACDA-PA 2019 Summer Conference
August 4-6, 2019
Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh
 
Call for Interest Session Proposals
 
ACDA-PA invites proposals for interest sessions to be presented at its summer conference.  Sessions should be one hour in length and can be on any topic related to choral music.  These could include, but not be limited to: repertoire, conducting, warmups, rehearsal techniques, inclusivity, building community, vocal health, commissioning, and advocacy.
 
To be considered as a presenter, please submit a proposal using the link below.  Proposals should be submitted by June 1, 2019 (deadline extended).
 
It is understood that ACDA-PA will not assume financial responsibility for travel, registration, food, or lodging for presenters or interest session participants.  Submitting a proposal implies that the presenter is prepared to travel, register for the conference, and present at the conference if accepted.
 
To submit a proposal, click here

ACDA-PA 2019 Summer Conference
August 4-6, 2019
Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh
 
Call for Performing Choirs
 
ACDA-PA invites applications for performing choirs to appear at its summer conference.  We seek to represent the primary ACDA Repertoire and Resource areas—Youth, Collegiate, Lifelong, and Repertoire-Specific (Equity & Justice, Men’s/TTBB, Women’s/SSAA, Jazz, Ethnic, Contemporary/Commercial)—with a diverse, broad representation of our 21st-century choral art, and we invite audition recordings from choirs of all age levels, specializations (e.g. Gospel, Barbershop), or renown, including ensembles that represent historically underrepresented populations. Innovative and inspiring programming reflective of the choir’s strengths should be the cornerstone of the proposed program. Concerts should be 30 minutes in length.
 
Application Materials

• The ensemble’s biography (up to 100 words maximum).
• The conductor’s biography (up to 100 words maximum).
• A proposed program if accepted. The proposed program should include the title, composer and/or arranger, and approximate performance time in minutes and seconds of each work on the program. The program should be for 30 minutes total on stage (including applause, changes of formation, etc.).

Recording 

• Please submit recordings of two contrasting pieces in MP3 format.
• Total recording time cannot exceed ten minutes.
• Recordings should not be enhanced or engineered in any way.
• Recordings should reflect repertoire similar in complexity and style to the program proposed for the conference performance, but they need not be pieces on your proposed program.

 
IMPORTANT: Do NOT include any identifying information within the recording itself (e.g., an announcement of the group or conductor, a visible banner of the school in a video clip, etc.).
 
To be considered for performance, please submit an online application using the link below.  Application materials should be submitted by June 1, 2019 (deadline extended).
 
It is understood that ACDA-PA will not assume financial responsibility for travel, registration, food, or lodging for performers.  Submitting an application for performance implies that the performing ensemble is prepared to travel, and perform at the conference if accepted.
 
To submit a proposal, click here