The World Choir Games arrive this summer, and for the very first time, to a U.S. city, bringing over 350 choirs from around the world to Cincinnati, Ohio. International adjudicators and workshop presenters include Rollo Dilworth (USA), Oscar Escalada (Argentina), Morten Lauridsen (USA), John August Pamintuan (Philippines), and a long list of stellar choral leaders […]
Searching for an American Choral Style
On June 29-31, ACDA celebrates the conclusion of the initial phase of our multi-year partnership with the Library of Congress in the National Symposium on American Choral Music, “The Search for an American Style.” The Symposium features keynote speaker/composer Conrad Susa, along with Pulitzer Prize winning composer and 2013 Brock Memorial Commission composer, Steven Stuckey, […]
USA/Cuba Choral Summit
The Pope may be one of the most celebrated visitors Cuba has welcomed this spring, but next month, the American Choral Directors Association will be there, joining with choral conductors and composers of Cuba for the ACDA initiated US/Cuba Choral Summit in Havanna. This event grew out of ACDA’s International Conductor Exchange Program (ICEP) […]
Miracle–Community Becomes Art
Turning a community into an art form is for me, a miracle. This miracle is taking place throughout the world, every day. In New York City, a community of lawyers, judges, and clerks, under the direction of miracle-worker Kathryn Schneider, formed the City Bar Chorus. And not to be outdone, in Northern Ireland the […]
What Makes An Idea Stick?
My thanks for ACDA Northwest Division President-elect Dr. Gary Weidenaar for pointing me to the thinking of Chip and Dan Heath in their 2008 book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. For anyone interested in creativity and innovation, this book gives thought-provoking stories to back up the authors' thesis that "stickiness" […]
The History of the Future
If you are working with colleagues that are hesitant immigrants into today's digital learning environment and networking, the following thoughts are offered toward moving closer to be part of the history of the future. As those of us digital immigrants work alongside digital natives, we can become more comfortable in this new culture and communication […]