2020 ACDA Central/North Central Region Conference 2 2020 ACDA
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
20202 ACDA Central/North Central Region Conference OOverviewverview Joining Voices is all about the process of making con- and/or diversities. Further, the conference will highlight nections both within and between singers from various innovative choral programming and practices. walks of life. All aspects of the conference are designed Throughout the conference, you will not only hear to help choral conductors/teachers increase the richness inspiring performances (all in the incredible Marcus of their work with singers. The conference will represent Center), but you will also learn from inspiring master the primary ACDA Repertoire and Resource areas— clinicians, most of whom engage in choral music making Youth, Collegiate, Lifelong, and Repertoire-Specifi c within the Central and North Central Region’s elemen- (Men’s, Women’s, Jazz, Ethnic, Contemporary/Com- tary, secondary, and post-secondary schools and lead mercial)—with a diverse, broad representation of per- church and community choirs. If you are eager to help formances and interest sessions that explore the potential your singers connect to one another in meaningful ways, for choral organizations and ensembles to create rich, re- to help them sound better, to sing with greater artistry, to warding, and meaningful connections between singers, better connect their musical “doing” with their musical audiences, and communities. In addition to celebrating thinking and feeling, and to value the role music plays our past traditions, the conference will feature ensembles in their lives and in the lives of our communities, then and programs that represent underserved populations Joining Voices is for YOU! 20202 ACDA Central/North Central Region Conference SSpecialpecial EventsEvents Immersion Day Joining Voices Festival Choir The conference begins on Wednesday, March 4, with Anton Armstrong, Tosdal Professor of Immersion Day: a day focused on working with singers Music at St. Olaf College, became the who have a variety of specifi c needs, with special em- fourth conductor of the St. Olaf Choir phasis on creating meaningful connections between in 1990 after ten years in Grand Rapids, singers with varying abilities. Immersion Day will in- Michigan, where he served on the facul- clude sessions that focus on the unique opportunities ty of Calvin College and led the Calvin and challenges related to building singing communities College Alumni Choir, the Grand Rapids Symphony whose members have particular learning and perfor- Chorus and the St. Cecilia Youth Chorale. He is a grad- mance needs. Participants will also have the opportuni- uate of St. Olaf College and earned advanced degrees ty to observe rehearsals of an honor choir that will be at the University of Illinois (MM) and Michigan State a fi rst in ACDA conference history: the Joining Voices University (DMA). He is editor of a multicultural choral Festival Choir. The Joining Voices Festival Choir will be series for earthsongs and co-editor (with John Ferguson) conducted by Anton Armstrong, with integrated body of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg For- singing sessions led by Therees Hibbard. Susan Vaughan tress Publishers. and the High Five Choir will present an interest session/ concert and will present a brief virtual performance during the Joining Voices Opening Night Concert. CHORAL JOURNAL January 2020 Volume 60 Number 6 9 20202 ACDA Central/North Central Region Conference SSpecialpecial EventsEvents Therees Tkach Hibbard is associate pro- formed at the Illinois Music Education Conference in fessor of choral music at St. Olaf College Peoria, Illinois (2009, 2014, and 2017), ILMEA TED- and directs the Manitou Singers and St. style Talk at North Central College (2018), and IL-AC- Olaf Chamber Singers. Her background DA Fall Conference (2019). She earned a master’s in as a voice and movement specialist in the vocal performance from Northwestern University and training of choral singers and conductors a bachelor’s in music education from Eastern Michigan has created unique opportunities for her to collaborate University. with choirs and conductors from around the world. Her research on enhancing choral performance through movement training has led to the development of a com- prehensive choral education philosophy of “BodySing- Opening Night Concert ing,” most clearly demonstrated through her work with choirs such as the Oregon Bach Festival Youth Choral Academy and The American Boychoir. The opening night concert of the Joining Voices Con- ference will bridge our Immersion Day focus on working with singers who have a variety of specifi c needs with our full conference focus on the process of making con- New Trier High School nections both within and between singers from various High Five Choir walks of life. This focus requires us to refl ect, plan, and act both broadly and deeply regarding issues related to inclusion, access, unity, and diversity. The opening night concert will include a program by one of our auditioned choirs, the Roosevelt High School Concert Choir, titled “Building Humanity… Together.” The cornerstone of the program will be the premiere of a collaborative work by Kyle Pederson and the members of the choir. Immer- sion Day presenter and performers, Susan Vaughan and High Five Choir is a group of students of all abilities the High Five Choir, will participate in the evening con- coming together through music, building long-standing cert through a brief performance/media presentation friendships, raising disability awareness, and serving as that will be shared virtually via video. Immersion Day agents of change for our school, our community, and our presenter and invited performers, G. Phillip Shoutlz III world. The High Five Choir is currently in its fi fteenth and the VocalEssence Singers of This Age (VESOTA), year at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, un- will perform selections that represent the backgrounds der the direction of their founding choral director, Su- and values of its membership. Finally, the Joining Voices san Vaughan. Currently there are over eighty High Five Festival Choir will sing individually and in collaboration Choir members from both general and special education with other performers, culminating in an opening night populations ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-one. fi nale you will not want to miss! Susan Vaughan is currently in her twen- ty-seventh year as a choral music educa- tor at New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois. Vaughan, along with the High Five Choir, have presented and per- 10 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2020 Volume 60 Number 6 March 4-7, 2020 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Special Events Roosevelt High School VocalEssence Singers of This Age (VESOTA) Concert Choir VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) is a The Roosevelt High School Concert Choir is an au- dynamic group of young people from Twin Cities area ditioned group of juniors and seniors from all walks of high schools who sing, move, write their own music, rap, life who work together to achieve a high level of mas- and—most importantly—refl ect the diversity of our tery in singing, sight reading, and musicality. The source community in its membership. Under the visionary lead- of their collective joy stems from a shared commitment ership of founding director, G. Phillip Shoultz III, the toward excellence in building community through hu- students present a wide range of music. VESOTA is in manity and celebrating each other’s personal growth. residence at Augsburg University. The program is free to The Roosevelt High School Concert Choir is a part of participants upon successful completion of an interview a well-balanced program, off ering twelve daily choirs process. totaling 650 singers. This is the second regional ACDA appearance for this ensemble, with the fi rst being at the G. Phillip Shoultz III is known for fos- NC-ACDA conference in 2016. tering community and inspiring action among people of all ages and abili- Robyn Starks Holcomb has served as ties. He enjoys a multifaceted career in the head choral director at Roosevelt the arts, learning, and worship arenas. High School, Sioux Falls, SD, since Shoultz serves as associate conductor/ 2011. Under her direction, the depart- director of Learning and Engagement of VocalEssence ment has grown to twelve choirs totaling and also oversees worship and music activities at Good over 650 singers. Her ACDA conference Samaritan UMC. He frequently conducts choirs and performances include: 2014 Concert Choir and 2017 leads workshops across the United States and beyond. Chamber Choir at SD-ACDA; 2016 Concert Choir at He is the winner of the 2015 ACDA Graduate Conduct- NC-ACDA; and 2019 Advanced Mixed show choir, Ex- ing Competition and an International Conductors’ Ex- ecutive Suite, at National ACDA. She holds degrees in change Program Participant. music education and education, having studied at the University of Minnesota, Augustana University, and Augsburg University. CHORAL JOURNAL January 2020 Volume 60 Number 6 11 20202 ACDA Central/North Central Region Conference SSpecialpecial EventsEvents Thursday Night Concert All-State and festival programs, and at venues including the Library of Congress, Kennedy Center, and Royal Opera House Muscat. He is a co-creator of the theatri- In alignment with our focus on innovative program- cal production of All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914. ming and practice, our Thursday night line-up begins Takach has frequent national work as a composer-in-res- with Nation, a collaborative vocal band from Minneap- idence, presenter, conductor, clinician, and lecturer. olis/St. Paul, MN, pioneered by composer/performers Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy C. Takach. Our evening continues with Variant 6, a vocal sextet. Variant 6 Nation Nation is a collaborative vo- cal band from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, pioneered by com- poser/performers Jocelyn Ha- gen and Timothy C. Takach. Blurring the lines of pop, clas- sical, a cappella, singer/song- writer, folk, and many other genres, Nation’s sound de- fi es defi nition and commands attention from the stage.