by: Alex Gartner Happy Back-to-School Season! 🍎 As choir directors return to classrooms and rehearsal halls, the concept of “choral community” might be top of mind. Many choral leaders liken choirs to families—we want every singer to feel like they belong and are celebrated through singing. Indeed, the choral community—the choral culture—is an important element […]
Share Your Story! – an Advocacy & Collaboration Monthly Blog Post
The National ACDA Standing Committees were established in 2017 as a way to serve ACDA members between the conferences. The idea was to create committees that could do some of the work needed to sustain members in the day-to-day. Each summer the Advocacy & Collaboration Committee gathers to set goals and create resources for the […]
A&C Monthly Blog: Encouraging Composers Within Your Ensemble
Guest Author: Dale Trumbore Let’s say you have a promising musician in your choir who’s interested in composing. As a conductor, how can you encourage them to write music? I don’t use the word “encourage” lightly. The most important thing for anyone new to composing, even more important than feedback or criticism, is encouragement […]
A&C Monthly Blog: Developing Black-Belt Choral Musicians: Transferable Lessons from the Jiu-Jitsu Mats
by Dr. Jeffery Wall During our monthly Advocacy and Collaboration Committee meetings we always talk about unique collaborations or transfers we hear or see from our colleagues as a way to spark ideas or celebrate what folks are doing. What’s a transfer? According to the recent book by Jessica Nápoles and Rebecca B. MacLeod, […]
A&C Monthly Blog: Our Most Critical Collab..the text
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 By Dr. Robert Bode April was poetry month, so the Advocacy and Collaboration Committee posted weekly ideas, stories, and even favorite poems on their social media platforms to celebrate. Week one featured a poem by poet, author, and choral conductor, Dr. Robert Bode. This sparked a conversation – what better person […]
“Let’s Be Each Other’s Audience” – an Advocacy & Collaboration Monthly Blog Post
By: Emily Crowe Sobotko What does it mean when we say, “Let’s be each other’s audiences?” To put it simply, it means that you show up for others and they show up for you. By building up our community, especially through collaboration and advocacy, we broaden our perspectives and ultimately learn from and celebrate others […]