Latest Blog Posts

“Advocacy.” Sometimes it is an intimidating word. It’s not too fancy, not too hard to spell, but it can feel a bit daunting. We’ve all heard situations where colleagues had to advocate to keep to their programs or where larger communities had to find the data to fight for the arts. Those can be intimidating […]

By Robyn Hilger All the best pieces of my life have been connected to music. Music class is where I discovered where I excelled, learned important skills like work ethic and collaboration, and where I first practiced being a leader. And, as a music teacher, I found that I had the opportunity to impact the […]

At least once a year I review my original mission statement for this blog:  “The Conductor as Yogi blog will explore mindfulness, wellness, inspirational writings, and classic yoga philosophy and practice to encourage readers towards greater wholeness in their professional and personal lives.  The Conductor as Yogi is an authentic, conversational approach to finding one’s […]

The May 2022 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “FLOWERS AMONG THORNS: A STUDY OF INDIANAS BY CARLOS GUASTAVINO AMID ARGENTINE POLITICAL UNREST” Benjamin T. Saunders. You can read it in its entirety at acda.org/choraljournal. Following is a portion from the introduction. _________________ Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000) is one of the most recognized and prolific […]

“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.” Victor Hugo NOTE: I wrote this piece a few years ago and it hasn’t been appropriate to run it again until now. Most of us are […]

Amy Gordon, an LA-based composer, has a catalog of almost 40 choral works, including pieces for treble choirs and online performance. In addition to her compositional activity, she teaches theory and has created a theory-themed Escape Room game (called Escape Tone), available in both Easy and Intermediate for purchase on her website.   This blog […]

By Rebecca Lord What music is being programmed for our nation’s choirs and why? What issues or criteria weigh most heavily in the minds of those choosing repertoire and where are conductors turning for ideas and inspiration? Are there solid trends or are our choirs all over the map? Become part of the answer to […]

The newest issue of Choral Journal is available online. Following is a list of the articles you will find in this issue. ACDA members can log in with their username and password to view and download the newest edition. You can also read our electronic version. If you are not already a member of ACDA, join today to start receiving […]

Directing choirs is about the people… well, it’s kind of also about the music… but I’m not supposed to say that out loud, so it’s just about PEOPLE! I grew up captivated by music. It wasn’t until later that I fell in love with the transformative personal power of group singing. Since that time, I […]

“Sunflowers for Ukraine,” Russell Amenta, artist with autism (April is National Autism Awareness Month) “Autism is part of who I am.” Temple Grandin “Mrs. Amenta, we have to be kind to those poor parents. They have children with autism and have no hope.” For some reason, Dr. Marguerite’s* comment just ticked me off. This was […]