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Stick Time: The Renaissance at ACDA

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One of the on-going topics of discussion in the choral profession surrounds the matter of programming for performance at a divisional or national ACDA conference (scroll to page 8).  The question boils down to this: do we program the great works of the standard canon, or do we seek out new music?  (I know I’m a simple guy, but what’s wrong with a little both of both?  Just my 2¢.)  An evaluation of the programs presented at ACDA conference over the past decade does show a distinct emphasis on new music.  But not every concert program is solely populated by recently-composed literature.  Here we have a performance of Victoria from a recent ACDA divisional conference.

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  1. Scott, I’m with you in that we should do a little of both. But I should qualify that statement in that I think we should do a both, but more of the standard canon.
     
    I read the link to the Letter to the Editor in the CJ Nov ’10 by William Dehning. Full disclosure: I sang in his USC Chamber Choir while getting my Masters there. I know Bill has his detractors. I’ve known one or two of them, but never have spoken to them as to why. At any rate, I’m with him. There is most definitely a need for more of us professionals to perform the standards. I feel I am fortunate in that I am now working towards my doctorate here at the University of Arizona under Bruce Chamberlain. He’s like Dehning in that we do a lot of the standards and the classic composers. I love it.
     
    Both Dehning and Chamberlain are great interpreters and programmers of music, something that Dehning addresses in his letter and subsequent artlcle. Dehning truly practices what he preaches. His repertoire and programming are widely varied creating a delightful experience for both performers and audience. How many times have we listened to a set, totally bored out of our gourds because it was all the same? I know that my high school students have and have criticized it.
     
    Anyway, to address what Dehning wrote and partially on why I think he has detractors, I believe it is because he is 1) right and 2) blunt. He pulls no punches and if a choral director has an ego (surely not!) that ego is going to be bruised. Indeed, the crux of the point I think he was making was that because of fear of criticism from fellow conductors is the reason why the familiar standards are not performed very much. This is brought on by the incessant criticizing of each other’s interp and performance behind everyone’s backs. And since everyone knows that “everyone” does it, they have brought on this self created fear. Perhaps if conductors had more confidence in how they justify their interpretive choices, they would do more of the standards. I think if one is more confident about what you are doing and that you have well-grounded reasons for doing it the way you are, your priorities will focus more on the music than the opinions of our peers.
     
    I’m one who purchased and read his book, Chorus Confidential, and I highly recommend it.

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