UA choral conductor wins ACDA student contest

By Cathalena E. Burch

University of Arizona choral conducting doctoral student Phil
Moody won the 11th National Choral Conducting Competition Graduate
Division in Chicago March 11.

Moody began his journey to the national contest, sponsored by
the American Choral Directors Association, last September, when he
competed against his 12 fellow UA choral conducting doctoral
colleagues for a shot at submitting a video application to the
national panel. In all, 150 videos were submitted and a panel of
national judges winnowed the entries to eight semifinalists. Those
folks were judged on conducting an 80-voice choir of college music
majors from 22 colleges and universities.

Moody is a student of Bruce Chamberlain, who has been professor
of music and

director of choral activities at the UA since 2001. During
the last six

biennial competitions, 2001 thru 2011, the UA has always
placed a finalist in

the final four; Phil Moody joins Lee Nelson as the second
winner of the

competition. Nelson, who earned his doctoral degree in 2008
and is director of choral activities at Wartburg College in Iowa,
won the competition as a UA doctoral student in 2005.