Singers sometimes have difficulty connecting the idea of gentleness with the idea of strength. My common analogy is the difference between picking up a bag of suigar versus picking up a newborn. While there’s not much difference in the weight, there most certainly IS a difference in the way in which we use our muscles […]
ACDA National Youth Honor Choir Scores in London
Olympic sport isn't the only special event taking place in London this summer. Among the many valuable and highly visible undertakings by the American Choral Directors Association in the summer of 2012 was the inaugural National Youth Honor Choir's concert tour of England. Those traveling with the choir were impressed. "The thing that struck me […]
ACDA is Like a Drive-in Theatre
Drive-in theatres are making a comeback! Yes, that iconic symbol of the 50s & 60s is experiencing a Renaissance. “People love the communal experience,” said Kipp Sherer of drive-ins.com. The recent USA Today article continues, saying “There is definitely a resurgence of drive-ins, maybe because people are tired of the sterile environment in multiplexes.” […]
ACDA Crafts Mission Statement
The American Choral Directors Association has developed a mission statement that will serve as a guiding declaration for the Association as it grows though the second half of its first century: The mission of the American Choral Directors Association is to inspire excellence in choral music through education, performance, composition, and advocacy. The mission statement […]
Choral Caffeine: Chili in My Chocolate
Recently a friend introduced me to chili infused chocolate. It sounded less than appealing (okay, it sounded gross), but I tried it. And although it killed me to admit it out loud, she was right . . . it was delicious; a tasty oxymoron in a foil wrapper. Certain words just don’t go together, […]
Choral Caffeine: Is She an Alto?
There are certain topics in our profession that seem to generate a fair amount of disagreement between colleagues. The use of vibrato in an ensemble setting. Repertoire performed at ACDA conferences. The value of certain types of choral groups. And – gulp! – the placement of female singers in an alto section. In her […]