2017 ICEP of the Americas

In 2017, the ACDA International Conductors Exchange Program will embark upon its most robust offering in the history of our association.With eight weeks left until the application deadline of July 1, 2016, now is the perfect time to consider completing the ICEP Online Application.

ICEP of the Americas will open multiple doors to cultural exchange through choral music in 2017 with countries representing North, Central and South America. Our ICEP of the Americas partners include: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. These partner countries represent a rich diversity unique in the world and help to provide a more apt definition of what it means to be an American. In this spirit, the American Choral Directors Association encourages applicants who also represent the rich diversity of the United States.

As in past ICEP exchanges, the 2017 program is a one-to-one cultural exchange whose primary objective is to To create connections between potential leaders of the U.S. choral community with counterparts across the globe. Each partner country will select a pre-determined number of participants, or ICEP Conducting Fellows, to travel to the US and in turn, each partner country will then host the same number of US ICEP Conducting Fellows in their country. These Visiting International Conductors (VICs) will travel to the United States as choral music ambassadors to engage in official residencies with institutions and ACDA chapters throughout the country. These US residencies will include attendance at the 2017 ACDA national conference in Minneapolis, MN. In turn, our partner countries will host U.S. conductors to be official guests of their respective countries in 2017.

ICEP Conducting Fellows are in essence goodwill ambassadors for the choral profession whose primary focus is simultaneously artistic and humanistic. On behalf of all of us in ACDA, these USA conductors are connecting every member of their own singing communities with their international partners. The influence of this program becomes exponential. As a result of these ACDA initial international residencies, ICEP alumni are creating new opportunities for collaboration and meaningful dialogue beyond the borders of the original exchange. Additionally, the ICEP alumni are beginning to work together to explore the ways in which people are using choral music to create positive social change, promote mental well being, and foster community. Through the International Conductors Exchange Program and its related activities, our membership is provided numerous opportunities to directly engage with conductors, choirs, repertoire and choral traditions from around the world.