As I was walking to the vending machine at the University of Wisconsin Platteville before my Choral Literature course, I was stopped by Dr. Bob Demaree about a potential great opportunity. He said something to the effect of “How would you like to spend your summer in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the ACDA national office funded through UW-Platteville’s PACCE program?” Without hesitation, I simply responded “YES!” This opportunity appeared to be a great segue into my student teaching semester this fall. From there, everything began to come together for this internship to take place.
Prior to my time with ACDA, I had a basic knowledge of the association. I understood that it served thousands of choral teachers, it produced a monthly Choral Journal, and it put on great national conferences every other year. I knew that most of the offices in the association were volunteers and I envisioned a staff of fifty strong. Choral Net was a resource I had used before, whether it was the daily posts by Dr. Dorsey, or the forums posted by different members. By and large, ACDA was a new resource that I was still learning about.
After spending two months with the national staff, I learned all about ACDA.
The Staff
The national staff contains twelve full time members working in almost entirely one person departments. Each staff member contains individual responsibilities that develop, renovate, and perfect according the association’s needs.
On Site Resources
- Staff members, working hard each day for the members.
- Multiple archival rooms that include original Choral Journals dating back to 1959, thousands of recordings, conference program books, newsletters from each state, monographs, and more.
- A museum in which ensembles perform and learn about ACDA, this includes an original Eric Whitacre electronic piano.
Online Resources
- The Choral Journal, 1959 to present.
- Monographs, individual pages for each division and state chapter, “how to” guides for just about everything needed from a member, ACDA history, competition information, national conference information, ACDA radio, up and coming initiatives, and all of the necessary contact information.
Student Benefits
- Developing a student chapter
- The Choral Journal
- Chor Teach
- The up and coming mentoring program
- Job postings
- Choral Net
- ACDA Radio
- Research Opportunities for all
- The International Journal of Research in Choral Singing
New Teacher and Seasoned Teacher Benefits
- The up and coming mentoring program
- Research Opportunities for all
- The Choral Journal
- ACDA Radio
- A gateway to address those issues so many other new teachers face
- Job postings
- The International Journal of Research in Choral Singing
- Leadership potential, making a difference and paying it forward
- Chor Teach
- Graduate and Continuing Education opportunities
- Choral Net
After spending quality time with each of the employees at the national office, I have learned how ACDA functions, how I will proceed as an educator to use these resources in a respectful manner, the importance of being active within the association; whether as a conference attender, a guest blogger for Choral Net, an author for the Choral Journal, or an R & S chair member. The deepest lesson learned comes down to a new perspective as a student and soon to be teacher.
As an undergraduate, we live, breathe, and think choral music. When graduated, he or she is unleashed into the public school systems, and put into a situation where the wheel is awaiting creation. Often times he or she is the only choral music educator in the school, and a longing for the intellectually stimulating environment that is within a college choral program begins to come forth. ACDA is a professional organization wishing to fill those needs, in whatever length is desired. This association is available to help accelerate your growth, dive into top quality discussion on teaching methods and literature, and lifelong professional connections develop. My summer experience has taught me that ACDA covers the gamut of resources, and you can benefit greatly from becoming a member.
READ MORE about Lucas Ensign's "Summer of ACDA."
Tim Sharp says