Vision...David Scholz, editor [email protected] CSU, Chico Music Dept. 400 W. 1st St. Chico,...

Visionfor the

Future

2 • Cantate • Vol. 27, no. 3 • Spring 2015 California aCDa

Cantate • Vol. 27, no. 3 • Spring 2015 • 3Leading the Way

ContentS

Articles 5 Opportunities for Professional Growth

by Lou De La Rosa, President-Elect

7 Whiplash... and a Few Parting Words by Jonathan Talberg, Past-President

9 Coro Espresso by Shulamit Hoffmann, guest author

15 Fifty Thoughts from a Sabbatical by Robert Istad, College & University Choirs R&S Chair

17 Seven Habits of Highly Effective Choral Musicians by Jeffrey Benson, Bay Area Region Representative

22 The Figurative Gesture by Janine Dexter, Community Choirs R&S Chair

25 Choral Success at CASMEC by Merryl Nelson, ACDA Representative to the CMEA Council

27 Finding Great Literature By Women Composers— and Why It Matters

by Eliza Rubenstein, Women’s Choirs R&S Chair

Of Note... 4 Calendar, Advertisers Index

13 California ACDA’s “Vision for the Future”

14 California ACDA Southern Regional Fall Conference

by Christopher Peterson, Southern Region Representative

19 Exciting News for Junior High Teachers: An All-State Honor Choir!

by Molly Peters, Junior High/Middle School Choirs R&S Chair

20 Helping Students Tap Their Voices Within

28-29 Top Five for Your Choir p. 28 - Worship in Music p. 29 - Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives

30 California ACDA in Salt Lake City

31 California ACDA Directory

WHEREAS, the human spirit is elevated to a broader understanding of itself

through study and performance in the aesthetic arts, and

WHEREAS, serious cutbacks in funding and

support have steadily eroded state institutions and their programs

throughout our country,

BE IT RESOLVED that all citizens of the United

States actively voice their affirmative and collective support

for necessary funding at the local, state, and national levels of

education and government, to ensure the survival of arts programs for this and future

generations.

California ACDA members are encouraged to print this ACDA

resolution in all programs.


Official Publication of theCalifornia Chapter

American Choral Directors Association

CANTATEVolume 27, Number 3

David Scholz, [email protected], Chico Music Dept.

400 W. 1st St.Chico, CA 95929-0805

530-898-6127

SUBMISSION DEADLINESFall Issue — August 15 (mailed September 15)

Winter Issue — November 1 (mailed December 15)Spring Issue — March 1 (mailed April 15)

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONSThe editor welcomes the submission of articles, announce-ments, reports, music and book reviews, job vacancies, and any other item of interest to the California ACDA mem-bership. Articles should reach the editor no later than the established deadline and should include the following infor-mation:

1. Title2. Author’s name and phone/email address3. Name of school, church, or organization4. Author biography (50 words)5. A good full-face photo

The manuscript should be limited to a maximum of two typewritten pages. Electronic text is preferred and may be emailed to the editor at the above address.

The editor reserves the right to edit all submissions.

GUIDELINES FOR ADVERTISINGCharges listed are for camera-ready copy only, submitted electronically by TIFF, PDF, JPEG, or GIF. Cantate is pro-duced in black ink.

Advertising copy is subject to editorial approval. The Edi-tor reserves the right to head and/or box any advertisement bearing confusing resemblance to editorial content.

ADVERTISING RATESSize ........................................................Single Annual1/6 page (2.5”x5”) ..................................$55 $1101/4 page (3.75”x5”) ................................$75 $1501/3 page (2.5”x10” or 3.33”x7.5”) ....... $95 $1901/2 page (3.75”x10” or 5”x7.5”) ........$140 $2802/3 page (5”x10” or 6.67”x7.5”) ........$190 $380Full page (7.5”x10”) ..............................$275 $550

Calendar

2015Summer Conference at ECCO .................................. July 26-29

Regional ConferencesNorthern ....................................................................Sept. 12Southern .....................................................................Sept. 19

2016California ACDA State Conference ......................... Feb. 11-14

“Those who wish to sing always find a song.”

- Swedish Proverb

Cover photo: Los Angeles Master Chorale in the Disney Concert Hall

adVertiSerS index

CSU, FreSno .................................................................................2

San JoSé State UniVerSity .........................................................6

CSU, FUllerton ........................................................................ 11

CSU, loS angeleS .................................................................... 12

tUning at tahoe ...................................................................... 14

UniVerSity oF redlandS ......................................................... 16

USC thornton SChool oF MUSiC ......................................... 18

San JoSé State SUMMer MaSterS degree ............................ 21

UniVerSity oF San diego ....................................................... 24

SonoMa State ............................................................................ 24

UniVerSity oF portland ......................................................... 26

CSU, long BeaCh ......................................................BaCk CoVer


One of the goals I set for my upcoming presi-dency has been to dramatically increase the opportunities for California ACDA member-ship to experience outstanding learning oppor-tunities that take place at conferences and workshops. For years, we have offered a won-derful experience at the Summer Conference at ECCO and have modified the Fall Reading Sessions into one-day mini-conferences in the North and South. However, these serve only a fraction of our 1,500 members: the Summer Conference at ECCO has a capacity of 185, and attendance at each of the Regional Conferences normally numbers about 100. Assuming no one went to more than one of these—a poor assumption—that would still leave 75 percent of California’s membership serviced only by Cantate and our website, acda-cal.org

That goal of expanding opportunities for more of our membership will come to fruition in February 2016 with the inclusion of a strong choral strand at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC). Through a well-timed coincidence, the All-State Honor Choirs will be held in San Jose at the same time that our band, orchestra and general music colleagues from across the state meet at CASMEC.

In addition to the existing CASMEC Choral Leadership Academy for high school and com-munity college students considering a career in choral music education (brilliantly created by Christopher Petersen, along with Anna Hamre, Jonathan Talberg, Scott Hedgecock, who was the CMEA vice president at the time, we plan to add:

• the three high school All-State Honor Choirs;

• a new All-State Honor Choir for junior high/middle school students;

• a full slate of high-quality choral performances;

• a full slate of high-quality choral interest sessions.

In the distant past, CMEA state board mem-bers controlled the content of the choral strand at CMEA state conferences. The cur-rent CMEA state leadership has placed that control in the hands of California ACDA to work in partnership with the CMEA state board. To that end, please refer to the Call for Proposals for Interest Sessions and the Call for Performance Auditions on the California ACDA home page (acdacal.org) for a glimpse at the level that we seek. Perhaps you will be a presenter or bring your choir to perform at what will essentially be the first California ACDA State Conference.

In addition to the new conference, the California ACDA board has created a brilliant lineup for the regional conferences in Fall 2015. On Saturday, September 12, 2015, the Northern Regional Conference will feature Dr. Sharon Paul of University of Oregon as the headline clinician. The following Saturday, September 19, 2015, the Southern Regional Conference will feature Dr. Andre Thomas of Florida State University at Tallahassee as the headliner. If you have never been to a regional conference, THIS is the year that you should attend.

All this is in addition to the longstanding Summer Conference at ECCO, Sunday, July 26 to Wednesday, July 29, 2015 in Oakhurst, the beautiful southern entrance to Yosemite via Highway 41. Our headliner this year will be Dr. Edith Copley of Northern Arizona University.

So mark your calendars for the September 2015 Fall Regional Conferences, the July 2015 Summer Conference at ECCO, and February 11-14, 2016 for the first California ACDA State Conference at CASMEC in San Jose. I’ll see you there!

Opportunities for Professional Growth

Mr. De La Rosa is President-Elect for California ACDA and is the Director of Choral and Vocal Studies at West Valley College in Saratoga.

loU de la roSa

California aCDa6 • Cantate • Vol. 27, no. 3 • Spring 2015

SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITYSCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DANCE

Dr. Jeffrey BensonDirector of Choral Activities

Dr. Charlene ArchibequeProfessor Emeritus

SJSU Choir

@sjsuchoirs

SJSU Choirs

sjsu.edu/musicwww

July 20 - 24, 2015

Techniques of Choral ConductingTeaching Music in Choral Rehearsals

www.sjsu.edu/music/ChoralWorkshop

SUMMER CHORALWORKSHOPS

ChoraliersConcert ChoirWomen’s ChoirMen’s Glee ClubOpera Theatre

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

SCHOOL OF MUSIC & DANCE


Dr. Talberg is Vice-President of California ACDA. He is Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies at CSU Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, Director of Music at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Bach Festival.

Jonathan talBerg

It was described this way in the trailer, “At a prestigious music college, a professor known for both his talent and unusual

teaching methods drives a talented young drummer to the point of insanity in order to realize the boy’s full potential and achieve per-fection.” I was intrigued, then offended, by the movie Whiplash. In fact, I am deeply insulted by the movie Whiplash.

You don’t make a world-class musician by throwing a cymbal at his head. You don’t teach a lesson to your students by sabotaging them or by choosing the wrong repertoire. You don’t put your singers on stage when they’re not ready to perform. Any successful music teacher will tell you that you create excel-lence by putting your student’s success first and methodically and meticulously crafting a one-year, a five-year and a ten-year plan for your program. You learn who your students are—and glean their strengths and the areas they need to improve on—and you choose pieces carefully (and with the help of mentors, if need be) that address those needs. You help them with their sight-reading daily. You study scores ahead of time so you can plan rehearsals meticulously, and you help every member of the ensemble become their best through sup-porting them, honoring the humanity within them, and mentoring them with your time, your wisdom, and every bit of musical skill you have. In many cases, you’ve known them since you recruited and auditioned them. Your job is not to make them cry; it’s to be there for them when they need to cry. The best teachers—and I’ve been blessed to have a few of them in my life—would never have set me up for failure.

Much has been written about tyrannical master teachers. I’m sure we all know legendary stories from our colleagues of incidents with choral, orchestral, and band directors. The lore of “great” teachers who call their students into their studios after a recital to tell them they’ll never amount to anything are mostly folklore. Where they are true, they didn’t result in a student becoming better. A former student of Jascha Heifitz saw the great master rip the

violin out of a colleague’s hands—in front of a master class—play an entire Bach Partita and say, “That’s how it goes. Now, go practice.” But, I bet Heifitz also suggested fingerings, worked endlessly on bow technique, and ana-lyzed and taught pieces with the fecund mind of the greatest violinist of his generation. Having a lapse and doing something regret-table like embarrassing a student in front of her peers may happen on a very rare occasion. It is not excusable and the student is owed an apology—as soon as the teacher realizes his or her mistake. That’s not to say that students shouldn’t be accountable for their progress and for their contribution to the ensemble. But that progress can be ascertained—and improve-ments can be suggested—in such a way that doesn’t destroy them.

In the words of Christopher Peterson, “Sarcasm is never a teaching device.” Neither is harassment, intimidation, or name-calling.

Teaching is what you do every day. It’s taking your emerging singers and musicians from where they are now to where they need to go. Teaching is helping them refine their musical skills. Teaching is preparing concerts. Teaching is helping choose music for the all-state, all dis-trict, musical auditions, and church solos. The tyrannical jazz band teacher in Whiplash says, “There are no two words in the English lan-guage more harmful than “good job,” which might have made good drama. But all teachers know an ensemble and people need encour-agement and constructive criticism. They need humor that’s not at the expense of individuals, and is certainly not chauvinistic, homophobic, or racist. If you teach middle school, high school, or college music, you know that you may spend more time with your students than any adult besides their parents. Like it or not, you’re one of their biggest role models.

Whiplash...and a Few parting wordS

- continued on page 8


In the words of Rodney Eichenberger, “What they see is what you get.” That holds true for more than our conducting gestures. If we want our students to be competent, organized, hardworking, and emotionally stable, we must demonstrate that from the podium. If we want their phones off in rehearsal, we’d best leave ours in the office. If we want them to work on their parts outside of class, we’d better do everything in our power to demonstrate that we’ve taken score study seriously. If we want them to be loving and supportive of each other, we have no choice but to be those things to them.

Whiplash made me angry because it perpetrates a false myth—the person with talent and a maniacal work ethic will work harder and more maniacally if they’re angry and have something to prove. They can make it in spite of their teachers. I mean, in a 1 hour and 23-minute movie about a music teacher and his students, we didn’t see one instance of teaching the subject matter. We saw berating and intimidation, physical abuse and psychological torture. The imaginary Professor Fletcher didn’t offer one suggestion as to how to make the music better technically, more inspiring, more meaningful, or more pas-sionate. He didn’t offer any technical solutions to his young players. As for me, I have yet to see a successful adult at the top of their profession who attains the heights of greatness in spite of bad teaching. Somewhere along the line, they had a great teacher who made up for the bad one, vis-à-vis I’ve seen lots of people—from singers at the Metropolitan Opera to vocalists on the Grammys—say, “I couldn’t have done this without my high school or college music teacher.”

We have an awesome responsibility to do the best we can within our given circumstances. Most of us do it well. All of us can do bet-ter. And we should push ourselves to explore appropriate new repertoire, refine our craft, listen to great choirs, go to festivals, enjoy professional ensembles, and mentor the next generation.

Remember why you started; it was to change lives for the good.

You’re in an extraordinary position to do that. California ACDA is a fantastic organiza-tion that educates and enriches the lives of thousands of singers yearly by inspiring and offering professional growth to their conductors. Meetings, all-states, confer-ences, and workshops have changed my teaching and, in fact, changed my life. I hope you’ll take advantage of all we have to offer. ACDA has certainly affected my students and the singers who have sung with me at church, in community choirs, and at the Los Angeles Bach Festival. For all these things I have my mentors to thank: William Hall who brought me into the organization as an undergradu-ate by suggesting I—along with my colleague Jeff Brookey—revitalize the student chapter at Chapman when we studied there; past-president Kathy Smith who brought me on the board three years into my tenure at CSULB; and past-presidents Julie Dana, Travis Rogers and Ken Abrams who convinced me that I had something to say and a vision that could only be realized if I agreed to the six-year commitment to being president-elect, president, and past president. It has been my honor to serve on six fabulous boards (for those above and, the one of my making, and for the last two years, under Lori Marie Rios). Now, I look forward to being just another member of the community who will do whatever he’s asked to do to help both California’s singers and the conductors who teach them. At the Summer Conference at ECCO 2004 we learned from Eph Ehly that we do not teach music to people, we teach people through music.

Let’s never forget that and let’s always put people first.

- continued from page 7 (Talberg)

We have an awesome responsibility to do the best we can

within our given circumstances.


Coro eSpreSSo

What’s in a cuppa coro espresso? Expression is perhaps the most deeply meaningful aspect of musical

performance both for performers and for their audiences. Yet, even as expression has long prevailed as the raison d’être of music, it remains elusive to define and difficult to achieve.

“Expression is arguably one of the most dis-cussed subjects in music performance. It is part of the everyday parlance of performers, teachers, and listeners and is used as a measure of the aesthetic value of the performance… Despite its ubiquitous presence, the notion of expression seems to escape a straightforward and unambiguous understanding” (Alessandri, 2014, p. 22).

Many hold the view that “the primary pur-pose of music––and the arts in general––is the communication of expression and emo-tion” (Woody, 2000, p. 14). How do choral ensembles convey emotion and communicate expressively?

Music and text, most would agree, are the two primary modalities for choral expression. Music is usually considered and rehearsed first; depending on historical style, text may be con-sidered next in the hierarchy of choral tasks or of equal importance to the music, or text may take precedence over music. Whatever the relationship in particular repertoire, the choral marriage of text and music holds manifold communicative power. Custer and Henson, 2014, write persuasively of the richness of this relationship.

A third modality, seemingly less generally attended to, may be as important as music and text in communicating expression to an audi-ence: character, the visual or theatrical state-ment the ensemble makes about the feeling content of the music and text. I use “theatri-cal” not in the melodramatic sense, but in the sense of good acting: convincingly portraying credible character. Creating character requires as much craft and technique as do the musical and textual requisites of intonation, rhythm,

diction, and blend. These latter, however, can take so much energy that the theatrical por-trayal of character may receive short shrift in rehearsal.

Exasperated by choristers who sing buried in their binders, haven’t we all used the adage, “Either the music’s in your head or your head’s in the music.” Looking up is a first step toward an ensemble being visually convinc-ing. To this end, I exhort my choir, “Your eye lids are not nearly as expressive as your eye balls!” or “You are singing ‘joyful’ but you look so worried that what the audience will get is ‘Worry!’” Some of my singers (usually older adults) have countered my requests for looking engaged: “We were trained not to show emo-tion while singing in chorus; we were taught it would be distracting.” What does an impas-sive on-stage presence convey? To me, as an audience member, this feels like trying to have a conversation with someone who won’t look at you. Choirs have a different mandate than instrumental ensembles, in that they can visu-ally engage their audiences in the character of what they are singing. At the very least, a choir will surely better hold an audience’s interest if all the choristers’ faces are readable. On-book or off-book, a choir connects with an audience when music and text are presented authenti-cally, theatrically, and character-fully.

“The goal of good acting singing is to communicate all the nuances of the music, text, and characters so that the audience has a fulfilling aesthetic and emotional experience. You can achieve this goal if you create believable characters whom you evoke with expressive singing. When you are believable as your character, you engage the audience’s empathy. Once they empathize they respond with their feelings and are moved” (Ostwald, 2005, p. 20).

I cherish the traditional choral canon, but while I accept its proscribed visual performance features as a function of its liturgical origins, I envy the expres-sive resources of opera and of theater––costumes, sets, lighting, yes, but mainly I covet the acting. Might choristers use the dramatic techniques of opera singers and actors in order to create character with face and posture? Stanislavski’s (1938-2010) Method enables the actor/singer to make the text personally meaningful in order to achieve authenticity in performance. Carter explains, “Singers must identify the objective, the other, the story, the spark, and the stakes in order to have a reason to sing” (2005, p. 93). Michael Chekhov’s Psychological Gesture is another technique that may be employed:

Shulamit Hoffmann is artistic director of Viva la Musica, a community choir; adjunct faculty at College of San Mateo; and a doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University.

ShUlaMit hoFFMann



Used only in rehearsal, a physical movement incorporates and expresses the thoughts, feelings and desires of the character portrayed and recollecting this gesture can help the performer vivify character.

Research supports not only the efficacy but the predominance of the visual modality of expression in human communica-tion. According to Mehrabian, (1981) spoken words account for just 7 percent of message, tone of voice, 38 percent, and body language, an astonishing 55 percent. Music performance research finds that performers’ movements strongly influ-ence and even overrule the auditory information they deliver. “Music is a rich form of nonverbal communication, in which the movements that expert musicians make during perfor-mance can influence the perception of expressive and struc-tural features of the music” (Rodger, Craig, & O’Modhrain, 2012, p. 1147).

The three modalities of choral expression—music, text, and character—are, of course, more interconnected than they are discreet. A lifted chest, a widened eye, a smile––all of these carry visual messages, but they may also make a perceptible difference to the sound and to the clarity of the text.

“When singing, human beings credibly express as-if feelings; the feeling-stuff is ensymboled by the words and the music, of course, but also by the voice qualities, facial expressions,

body postures, and arm-hand gestures that are employed by the singers. If that kind of nonverbal expressive involvement is minimal or missing, then observers will be less able to engage empathically with the words and music” (Thurman, 2000, p. 171).

Choristers may need to be persuaded of the necessity of character. Prior experience or innate shyness may inhibit their embracing character as an integral part of choral training and performance. Dr. Kenneth Cooper, of the Manhattan School of Music, goes to the heart of why character is so desirable as a modality of choral expression:

“When choirs are primarily concerned with blend and ensem-ble, we listeners hear a big expression of pretty sound, signify-ing nothing. If you can get choral singers, especially amateurs, involved in the character and intensity of what is being said or sung…then maybe some communication will occur, some meaning will be conveyed, and some human experience will be had by all.”

Utilizing all three expressive modalities––music, text, and character––choruses may communicate more expressively, affectively, and effectively with their audiences. Like a fine cuppa espresso, coro espresso packs a potent punch with the rich-bodied taste and aroma of music and text. Character adds the crema on top!

ReferencesAlessandri, E. (2014). The notion of expression in music criticism. In D. Fabian, R. Timmers & E. Schubert, (Eds.) Expressiveness in music performance: Empirical approaches across styles and cultures. Oxford University Press. Cooper, K. (2013). Personal correspondence with the author.Carter, T. (2005). Choral charisma: Singing with expression. Santa Barbara, California: Santa Barbara Music Publishing.Custer, G. and Henson, B. (2014). From words to music: A user’s guide to text for choral musicians. Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc.Dahl, S. & Friberg, A. (2007). Visual perception of expressiveness in musicians’ body movements. Music Perception: An interdisci-plinary journal, 24, 433-454.Dewey, J. (1934/2005) Art as experience. New York: The Berkeley Publishing Group.Keller, P. (2014). Ensemble performance: Interpersonal alignment of musical expression. In Fabian et al. (Eds.) Expressiveness in music performance (pp. 260-282). London: Oxford University Press.Mehrabian, A. (1981). Silent messages: Implicit communication of emotions and attitudes. (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.Nusseck, M. & Wanderley, M. (2009). How music-related ancillary body movements contribute to the experience of music. Music Perception: An interdisciplinary journal, 26, 335-353.Ostwald, D. F. (2005). Acting for singers: Creating believable singing characters. Oxford University Press.Rodger, M. W. M., Craig, C., and O’Modhrain, S. (2012). Expertise is perceived from both sound and body movement in musical performance. Human movement science, 1137-1150. Article in press retrieved September 2014 from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2012.02.012Stanislavski, K. (2010). An actor prepares and building a character: A contemporary translation. Benedetti, J. (Trans). (Original work published 1938). Abingdon, Oxon, England: Routledge.Thurman, L. (2000). Bodymind, human selves and communicative human interaction. In Thurman, L. & Welch, G. (Eds.) Bodymind & voice: Foundations of voice education. Revised ed. Vols 1. Pp. 134-187. Collegeville, Minnesota: TheVoiceCare Network, Iowa City, Iowa: National Center for Voice & Speech, Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fairview Voice Center, Roehampton Lane, London: Centre for Advanced Studies in Music Education.Woody, R. H. (2000). Learning expressivity in music performance: An exploratory study. Research studies in music education, 14, 14-23.

- continued from page 9 (Hoffman)

Leading the Way Cantate • Vol. 27, no. 3 • Spring 2015 • 13

Throughout the nation, state ACDA chapters have estab-lished highly successful, remarkably beneficial scholar-ship programs that directly benefit their members. The

California ACDA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the establishment of the California ACDA Scholarship Fund, entitled “Vision for the Future.” This scholarship program will provide our constituency with increased opportunity for professional development and will promote lifelong learn-ing. The scholarship fund will be built over time by the good will and generosity of the members of California ACDA. A scholarship committee from the board has been established which will devise and recommend an appropriate application and distribution process. The funds will be established as a separate scholarship savings fund within our current bud-get, rolling over from year to year. Scholarship funds will be distributed via a democratic application and review process. Scholarships will be awarded (as available) to members in good standing who provide rationale of need regardless of current career status. We believe providing this kind of fund-ing opportunity for our constituency lies at the core of the purposes that govern the mission of ACDA.

Your board representatives are pleased to announce the launch of our first campaign to establish the fund! Opportunities to donate to the fund will begin during the 2015 Summer Conference at ECCO. Our initial campaign for “Vision for the Future” will honor the women and men that have served to mentor fellow conductors throughout California ACDA’s history. We offer all of you the opportunity to honor your

CaliFornia aCda’S“ViSion For the FUtUre”

musical mentors with your contribution. When you make your contribution, you may dedicate your gift in honor or memory of your personal mentor(s). This list of names and designated honorees will be printed in Cantate. During the Summer Conference at ECCO, a list of donor names and honorees will be posted in a special place and updated daily. The list of donors and honorees will also be proudly displayed at our Fall Regional Conferences, ACDA Western Division, and our state conference at CASMEC. Donors who give $100 or more will receive a California ACDA lapel pin to wear dur-ing our professional events.

We believe that the future of our profession depends on programs such as this. The participation of the leadership of California ACDA is critical to the success of this cam-paign, and we are pleased to announce that 100 percent of the California ACDA’s Board of Directors have unanimously pledged to support the initial campaign. Thank you for your consideration, your generosity, and your support of this wor-thy initiative.

Lori Marie Rios, President, California ACDA

Lou De La Rosa, President-Elect, California ACDA

Rob Istad, Chair, California ACDA’s “Vision for the Future” Scholarship Campaign

Repertoire & StandardsThe fourteen national Repertoire & Standards (R&S) Committees provide support, vision, and resources for every major area of choral work in ACDA.

R&S Chairpersons, appointed at the national, division, and state levels, serve members who share similar interests by providing resources that promote excellence in the performance of choral music in:

• Leadership • Information and networking • Excellence among colleagues • Professional growth • The lives of people

These are the state R&S people you should call if you have questions about your particular area of music. See inside back cover or www.acdacal.org for contact information. ■


Hello, everyone! I hope your spring is going well. We hope you will plan to attend the California ACDA

Southern Region Fall Conference to be held at California State University, Fullerton on Saturday, September 19, 2015. The day will run from 9:00am to 5:00pm, and free parking and lunch are included with your registration. It’s important to note that the northern and southern conferences are NOT on the same weekend this year, so if you desire, it is pos-sible to attend BOTH conferences!

The Southern conference will feature excellent reading sessions, including advanced repertoire selected by Ryan Board (Pepperdine), women’s titles selected by Desiree La Vertu (Occidental College), literature for worship selected by

Michael Busch (Concordia University, Irvine), and a special session called “California Composer’s Literature for Every Ability Level” with session leader Lesley Leighton (Los Angeles Master Chorale).

Our headliner will be Dr. André J. Thomas. He is the Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music, is Director of Choral Activities, and is Professor of Choral Music Education at Florida State University. A previous faculty member at the University of Texas, Austin, Dr. Thomas received his degrees from Friends University (B.A.), Northwestern University (M.M.), and the University of Illinois (D.M.A). He is in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician, and director of honor and all-state choirs throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. He has conducted choirs at the state, division, and national conventions of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and his international conducting credits are extensive. He has also distinguished himself as a composer/arranger. Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimons Music Company, Lawson Gould, Earthsongs, Choristers Guild, and Heritage Music Company publish his com-positions and arrangements.

You will not want to miss this invigorating day of music and growth, and you should mark your calendar now for this excellent day at Cal State Fullerton. André Thomas was a big hit at the Northern Conference this past year, and if the feedback is true (which I know it is), you will really enjoy his sessions. I’ll see you there!

California ACDA Southern Regional Fall Conference

10 Reading Sessions: including Hinshaw, Oxford, Beckenhorst, Fred Bock, Kjos, Pavane, Hal Leonard, Lorenz, GIA, Augsburg and more...

Stay tuned for updates at: WWW.ZEPHYRPOINT.ORG/TUNING-TAHOE

Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference CenterP.O. Box 289, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448

(775) 588-6759 x 107 - email: [email protected]

Past clinicians include: Scheibe, Noble, Hatcher, Bruffy, P. Smith, Powell, Dickau, Medema and many more!

Dr. Peterson is the Southern Regional Representative for California ACDA and is Professor of Music Education at Califor-nia State University, Fullerton

ChirStopher peterSon


This fall, I had the privilege to have a sabbatical from my duties as Director of Choral Studies at Cal State Fullerton.

During my time away, I traveled throughout the country learning from some our nation’s great-est conducting pedagogues. I found my expe-riences revitalizing, challenging, and thought-provoking. Because of my experiences, I have made major changes to the ways I approach conducting training for my students, and have altered much of my own technique. Solitary travel offered me the opportunity to become incredibly introspective, and I feel much more focused on important things, professionally and personally. I kept a random journal of my experiences (on my iPhone, of course), and I feel comfortable sharing some of my favorite musings with you. Although much of the list reflects my observations, I have to give credit to Jerry Blackstone, David Hayes, and Marie Bucoy-Calavan for some direct quotes. Following is the list, in no particular order whatsoever:

1. Choral Music is fun!!!

2. “My goal is for my dream to become yours.” – Jerry Blackstone

3. “Forte is not a size, it’s an energy.” – Marie Bucoy-Calavan

4. When gesture becomes too big, the choir wins. They get to pick the tempo.

5. Get the orchestra to listen to one another.

6. Show/Tell them where things “line up.”

7. Use gesture to highlight balance preference.

8. Subdivision should always be a last resort.

9. Listen for coordination at tempo changes. Don’t be afraid to stop to correct a prob-lem immediately.

10. Fluidity of stick technique changes accord-ing to articulation.

11. “Can you find the melody within the 16th notes?” – David Hayes

12. Focus on the big moments. Trust the play-ers and singers more.

13. Teach conducting students only pieces you have memorized.

14. Pulse vs. subdivision: Subdivision involves the arms and can become pedestrian. (Doesn’t give color and sonority.) Pulse can be subtler.

15. Arm has responsibility for phrase—be clear in context.

16. “Prepare the sound.” – David Hayes

17. Think about the weight of arrival.

18. In fast tempi, if it’s clean and together it sounds faster—pick the correct tempo to achieve precision. This is often a slower tempo.

19. Left hand gestures—stay in the sound—move with slow purpose.

20. Left hand doesn’t have to do much, just be clear/subtle.

21. I need to beat less, move more.

22. I need to assign my choral students one completely instrumental piece every year.

23. Use actual weight to give a student the kinesthetic feeling of showing weight in sound.

24. Stay up and present—engage with the music, not the paper.

25. “Is that your tempo? No? So take your tempo!” – David Hayes

26. “For unaccompanied choral music, feel as if there are balloons under your hands.” – Marie Bucoy-Calavan

27. Sing with a core to your sound: be singers, not readers.

28. During conducting lessons, see the com-plete student (don’t sit behind a desk or piano.)

29. Become a bass even though you are a soprano!

30. “Don’t beg—live in the sound you want to hear.” – Jerry Blackstone

FiFty thoUghtS FroM a SaBBatiCal

Dr. Istad is the College and University Choirs Repertoire and Standards Chair for California ACDA and is the Director of Choral Activities at California State University, Fullerton.

roBert iStad



31. Say “TMB” (tenor/middle/bass) and “SMA” (soprano/middle/alto) instead of “3-part men’s divisi”—it saves time!

32. Choral music should always feel fulfilling and filled with life!

33. “Put all of your musical soul in the tip of your baton”- David Hayes

34. Cut off in the tempo of the new section.

35. “One hand is your heart; the other is your amplification.” – Jerry Blackstone

36. Shifting weight shows nerves.

37. Sing with your right hand.

38. Think wide for rallentandos.

39. I’m doing too much administration—grad assistants should do more.

40. Mozart Requiem - starts on beat two, not one. (Baroque/Classical movements often start with a chord to estab-lish the tonality. Herford called it the “final chord of an unheard movement.”)

41. When a student conductor looks too clinical, say, “Tell me how you want it to sound...”

42. “Hold your music in such a way that your voice teacher would be proud of you.” – Jerry Blackstone

43. Choirs read left hands.

44. “Take it easy in performance—don’t worry about the details; they will be over emphasized (make it weightless)” – David Hayes

45. Diminuendo—as you get smaller, you get taller.

46. Skilled eye contact can be trained.

47. Choral music is to be loved... to be cherished.

48. Don’t be afraid to coach OUT LOUD while a student conducts.

49. “What do you want to hear?”

50. Remember why you love it and why you choose to live it: people and music.

- continued from page 15 (Istad)

Remarkable teachers.Extraordinary performance opportunities.

“I am truly indebted to the University of Redlands music faculty for all of their support. Not only did I receive a first-rate education during my time there, but their mentorship and encouragement has continued beyond graduation. The University has prepared me for both my activities as a professional musician, as well as for my continued academic pursuits.”Caitlin Carlos ‘11, M.Mus. Vocal Performance

The University of Redlands gave me the opportunity to customize my college education to develop my unique abilities and talents. With the help of dedicated faculty, encouraging advisors, and supportive peers, I accomplished my goal of obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in music as well as biology.Mounika Parimi ‘14, BA Music and BA Biology

Bachelor of Arts • Bachelor of Music • Master of MusicUndergraduate Scholarships & Graduate Assistantships Available

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Dr. Nicholle AndrewsDirector of Choral Studies

Dr. Joseph ModicaAssistant Professor of Choral Music

Cantate 2014-15.indd 1 8/7/14 5:29:29 AM


This March, San José State University had the privilege of hosting Dr. Betsy Cook Weber from the University of

Houston as our Artist in Residence. Dr. Weber taught us many wonderful lessons, but her insistence on singers taking more ownership in their choral programs struck a chord with me. I am confident in the caring community that SJSU has built, but we can always strive to create a stronger sense of cohesion in the vocal and choral area. The question that has continued to bounce around my head is, what are my specific expectations and goals in work-ing toward that coveted “community”?

I began to think about Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Our sing-ers can be so much more if we challenge them in effective ways! I began to prioritize the char-acteristics of my ideal singer and musician. For me, beauty rarely lies in a gorgeous voice alone. Beauty is incredibly complex and can only be found in a multifaceted musician who exempli-fies each and every one of the 7 habits below.

1) Be Respectful - Respect is taught through modeling. The more we as conductors and teachers can demonstrate respect for our sing-ers and their needs, the greater respect these young musicians will have for themselves, for their peers, and for their conductors. We must instill respect for the music

2) Be Leaders - Our choristers are actively par-ticipating in each and every rehearsal in order to be successful. They must lead musically, in rehearsal, on stage, and even as audience mem-bers. We model this, of course, but we must articulate to them the behaviors of musical leaders in our rehearsals.

3) Be Risk Takers - In order to be great leaders, we must take risks. It is OK to make mistakes; we learn from those mistakes. I constantly remind my singers to sing out and be willing to be wrong. We love to laugh together when we take risks and make mistakes!

4) Be Vulnerable - When we take risks in front of our singers, we begin to show how comfort-able we are with them. We admit our imperfec-tions and open ourselves up to our singers. In turn, they are more willing to be vulnerable in our ensembles. I am convinced that choirs who make an impact on their audiences are rarely the perfect choirs. They are always the choirs who let their audience in, who are emotionally committed, and who are vulnerable on stage and off.

5) Be Hard Working & Generous - All of our singers should be generous with their time and with their spirit. If each one of our singers volunteered to help a fellow choir member with his or her music once a week, we would have a better choir and our valuable lunch time and planning periods given up to work with individual singers and small groups would be time reallocated for our own lunch time or score study. Choir members can also offer an hour or two each quarter to help fold programs or sort music or help collect field trip forms. All of our time is incredibly valuable, but when our singers contribute in meaningful ways to the program, everyone wins!

6) Love Music - Beauty surrounds us each and every day. However, it is easy enough to take that beauty for granted. Remind yourself and your singers that we are here because we love music and we love people. We are creating beautiful art on a daily basis and we must appreciate that beauty is truth!

7) Be Superb Musicians - It is not a mistake that I left this habit for last. Ultimately, if all other habits are in place, our singers will be superb musi-cians as well. Superb teaching comes first, though. We must work to improve our teaching and enrich our singers every single day. They must leave rehearsal better off than when they began rehearsal. We teach them how to be the best musicians, and they teach us how to be the best conductors! Community is built from within. We must be a true part of the choral com-munity we hope to create by modeling each of the habits above. We give so much beauty and energy in order to be effective conductors and teachers. Can we continue to improve upon the beauty and energy we receive?

SeVen haBitS oF highly eFFeCtiVe Choral MUSiCianS

JeFFrey BenSon

Dr. Benson serves as the Director of Choral Activities at San José State University and is Bay Area Representative for California CADA.

‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty,’ —that is all ye know on earth,

and all ye need to know. - John Keats


at the university of southern californiathornton school of music

music.usc.edu/choral

The USC Thornton Department of Choral and Sacred Music was well represented at the National ACDA Conference in Salt Lake City. Jo-Michael Scheibe led the

USC Thornton Chamber Singers and Cristian Grases led the Latin American Honor Choir in performances, and USC Thornton student Ryan Tani won first

prize in the Undergraduate Conducting Competition.

FacultyJo-Michael Scheibe, chairNick StrimpleCristian GrasesMorten LauridsenLadd ThomasAlvin BrightbillMary MatteiTram SparksSuzi DigbyWilliam Dehning, professor emeritusJames Vail, professor emeritus

Degrees offeredChoral Music BA, MM, DMASacred Music MM, DMA

Application deadlineDecember 1, 2015for Fall 2016 Admission.Extensive financial aid available.

choral&sacredmusic


Molly peterS

Ms. Peters is the choral director at West Ranch High School and Rancho Pico Junior High School, is President of the Santa Clarita Choral Educators Association, and serves on the SCVA board as Vice President of Junior High Honor Choir. She is the Repertoire & Standards Chair for Junior High/Middle School Choirs for California ACDA.

All life is an experiment...and I am very excited to let all of California ACDA membership know about our latest

experiment: A state-level Junior High Honor Choir! The honor choir will be part of the CASMEC Conference in San Jose, February 11-14, 2016. Dr. Judy Bowers from Florida State University will be our guest conductor. We are very excited that she is on board, and we know your singers will love working with her.

Those of us who are lucky enough to teach junior high school students know how impor-tant it is to foster the love of choral singing at a younger age. I’ve seen my own junior high students come back from their honor choir experiences with excitement, energy, and a renewed passion for the musical process. We all know that feeling of working with a select group and putting on a magical performance, and our students should too! I also firmly believe that getting our young musicians used to the audition process will not only make them stronger junior high school singers, but it will also help us create even stronger high school honor choirs and college-level musicians. Auditions are hard (even now as an adult I get shaky knees when I audition for something!), but they are part of the musical process; so getting comfortable with them is important. No way around it!

We are still working out the details of the audi-tion process, but all audition materials will be submitted online (like Western Division and National Honor Choir auditions). This sum-mer please keep your eyes and ears open on social media, the California ACDA webpage, and the Summer Conference at ECCO for specific information regarding the auditions. Auditions will be open in the fall with results posted by December.

So, what do we need from you, dear reader, to make this happen? We need your students (grades 6-9) to audition! We also need you to help spread the word to colleagues, including high school teachers, as we will be accepting 9th graders to the honor choir. (You’ll also want to remind them that encouraging their feeder school students to audition will make their high school programs stronger.) The honor choir is open to students whose teachers are members of ACDA and CMEA.

When I was thinking about how to compose this article, I Googled inspirational quotes for trying new things. Starting a state level junior high honor choir is not only new for us, but new for your students as well. Encourage them to audition; after all, as William Ward said, “The greatest failure is the failure to try.”

exCiting newS For JUnior high teaCherS:an all-State honor Choir!

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark,

professionals built the Titanic. - Unknown

Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions.

All life is an experiment. - Ralph Waldo Emerson


The Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC), the resident chorus at Walt Disney Concert Hall, heralded for its unparal-leled artistry and expanding the spectrum of choral music, has long played a key role in nurturing the next generation of musicians in Southern California. Led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon, the chorus has garnered par-ticular attention for its award-winning Voices Within artist residency program designed for fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms that teaches students how to tap their creative voices to compose and perform their own original songs.

The program curriculum combines elements of music composition, writing, improvisa-tional games, and ensemble performances that is delivered over a 10-week residency and includes final culmination performances. Working in close partnership with teachers and administrators at participating schools, three Voices Within teaching artists (a composer, a lyricist, and a singer) create a safe environment that encourages collaboration and creative risk-taking among the students, most of whom have never had formal musical training. The teaching artists collaborate with the classroom teacher to integrate arts learning with other academic subjects, and students, working in teams, learn to express courageously their inner voices. Since its launch in 2001, the program has engaged more than 25,000 children who have created some 350 original songs inspired by such diverse topics as the Underground Railroad, women’s suffrage, the solar system, photosynthesis, immigration to the United States, the Anasazi people, the human body, and even the periodic table of elements.

LAMC subsequently adapted Voices Within for high school students, creating the Oratorio Project, an 18-week artists-in-residency program in partnership with the Ramón C. Cortines High School of Visual and Performing Arts in downtown Los Angeles. Three professional artists guide students through the process of creating lyrics and music for an original multi-movement oratorio. They learned how to adapt a classic work of literature, write a libretto based on the adaptation, and create the melo-dies for each movement of the oratorio. They also learn techniques for capturing the “voice” of the characters and how to propel musically the momentum of the plot and paint the mood of a scene. It culminates with the students pre-miering the work in conjunction with the Los Angeles Master Chorale Chamber Singers and professional instrumentalists. Original orato-rios created by the students include The Legend of Kaguya, based on a tenth century Japanese tale about a mysterious girl discovered living inside a glowing bamboo plant; Gilgamesh: Live While You’re Alive, based on an ancient poem about an Assyrian king who embarks on a quest for immortality; Frankenstein: of Monsters and Men, based on Mary Shelley’s classic tale; and The Passion of Anne Frank, a haunting ora-torio based on the Diary of Anne Frank.

Serena Boutin, a recent Cortines graduate who participated in the Oratorio Project all four years of high school, gives her perspective on the program, “That first oratorio was one of the biggest journeys I’ve taken because it was about the whole process of creating music. Working with my teachers and the members of the Master Chorale taught me a lot about how the songwriting process works. It’s not about competition. It’s about collaboration. As you grow up, you learn to see the brilliance of other people’s ideas.”

helping StUdentS tap their VoiCeS within

It’s not about competition.It’s about collaboration.

As you grow up, you learn to see the brilliance of other people’s ideas.


10 units each summer6 units online4 units in residence

course work

2-week ResidencyJuly 13-24, 2015

3 summers

Dr. Diana HollingerDr. Jeffrey BensonDr. Charlene ArchibequeDr. Edward Harris

sjsu.edu/music/summermasters

faculty to include

SAN JOSÉ STATEUNIVERSITYsummer masters degreein music education

Dr. Diana HollingerCoordinator of Music Education

SCHOOL OF MUSIC & DANCE



“To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it

in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experi-ence the same feeling—this is the activity of art. Art is a human activity consisting in this, that one man consciously, by means of certain external sign, hands on to the others feelings he has lived through, and that other people are infected by these feelings and also experience them.” –Leo Tolstoy. In this statement, Leo Tolstoy unknowingly provided an unparalleled description of the choral gesture.

Gesture is the philosophical center in the rendering of the choral arts, both literally and figuratively. Copious amounts of time and treasure are spent studying the literal effects of the conductor’s gesture and the resulting sound that emanates from the choral ensemble. Many choral conductors ascribe to the “What They See Is What You Get,” philosophy of choral masters Rod Eichenberger and Don Brinegar, the premise of which is that every movement of the conductor translates into sound from the singer. If the conductor’s gesture was harsh and punched, consequently the resulting sound would most likely be harsh and punched; or if the gesture were long and legato, the sound would be warm and connected. If the gesture were centered on the diaphragm with lots of space, the singer would be inclined to breathe deeply, or if the gesture lacked space or prepa-ration, the singer may instinctively not take sufficient breath in reaction. In other words, there will be a response to every movement, whether or not the movement was intended. The objective, therefore, is to be intentional with every gesture, choosing those that would

most closely deliver the desired outcome. The presupposition of this philosophy has been explored, studied, and analyzed extensively, to the point that it is accepted doctrine for innu-merable choral conductors.

On the other hand, the figurative effects of ges-ture in the larger picture of the choral experi-ence have received minimal attention. Gesture, in a wider-reaching sense, includes the entirety of what one is exposed to from a choral orga-nization—from outreach to education to the concert experience. If the presupposition of the literal philosophy of gesture is accurate—what the singer sees from the conductor will translate into the sound that is produced—it follows that this may be also true on a broader scale. For example, an expanded view of the concept of gesture would extend to all of the senses—not merely sight—and would include all of the participants: the singers, the conduc-tor and the listener. In other words, the entirety of the choral event—the auditory experience, the visuals, the venue, the aroma, the ambience, the movement, and even the atmosphere of the foyer—affects the experience of the choral art for every person involved, particularly that of the audience member.

The musicians—singer, conductor, and instru-mentalist—are invested at a different degree than the listener. For the musicians, the cho-ral concert is the culminating component of an extended process that involves numerous experiences from score study, to rehearsal, to social engagement. The musician approaches the entire process with a predisposed under-standing and desire for the experiences con-tained within that activity.

For the audience member, the entire process is distinctly different. They may or may not have an understanding of the music, and their investment in that particular program is, most often, solely at the performance. For that listener—not unlike a singer responding to a conductor in an ensemble—everything that transpires at the concert affects the

the FigUratiVe geStUre

Ms. Dexter is the Com-munity Choirs Repertoire & Standards Chair for California ACDA and is the founding Artistic Director of Colla Voce of the Sierra.

Janine dexter

The musicians—singer, conductor, and instrumentalist—are invested at a different degree than the listener.


- continued from page 22 (Dexter)

experience of the music and their total expe-rience—past and present—has a corollary effect on their future participation in that art form. Oftentimes, the extraneous conditions in a concert setting—from presentation style to the comfort of the seats—will affect an individual’s feeling toward and comprehension of the music that they experienced. Moreover, the lifetime exposure of that same person has a significant effect on their future support. Some of these circumstances are not easily altered. However, many of them are, and if they are addressed with intention and awareness, the overall effect unquestionably could revolution-ize the experience and understanding of any given concert for an audience member as well as the transformational possibilities for that person.

Another figurative interpretation of gesture within the choral realm includes formalized and strategic outreach—individual, professional and educational—within choral communities and extending outwardly to the community at large. Again, if the presupposition of the literal philosophy of gesture is accurate—what the singer sees from the conductor will translate into the sound that is produced—it may also be true that the larger, figurative interpretation is correct: what the greater community sees from the choral arts community will translate into a wider acceptance of experiences from the art form, ultimately creating a richer environment for all. If the organization is intentional and stra-tegic about their broader gesture, the resulting response could be a profound commitment to the art form, and, more importantly, could include possibilities for transformative growth for the individuals of that community through the choral arts.

As “community” choral organizations, we have a responsibility to the citizens whom we serve. With the constant decrease in state funding for arts in the schools, it has become our collec-tive responsibility—community organizations, churches, colleges, universities and even high schools—to fill the gap. In response to cuts in the music offered in elementary schools, there is a high school band director in the Sacramento area who has implemented a program where his high school students volunteer to teach band instruments in those elementary schools in order to continue to feed the high school band program. Bravo! This is an example of strategic gesture.

Beyond the usual season concert offerings, community choral organizations often sponsor scholarships, create summer camp programs, or organize special educational programs sur-rounding major concerts, giving the public unique, close-up experiences with composers and artists. Some groups include concerts in the season that are especially designed for children, or they have arranged access to concerts and arts events at no cost for at-risk youth, people with disabilities, families with financial constraints, and the marginalized citizens in the community. In the midst of planning for the financial stability and success of our organizations, we must also remember that the arts are for everyone—not just those with expendable income. Rather than spending emotional energy lamenting the irresponsible governments surrounding us, we can invest our vim and vigor, ensuring that the people around us—all of them—have access to the art we help to create.

When people see an arts organization giving and investing in their children, their schools, their community—with no expectation of return—those people become deeply sup-portive and connected with not only the organization, but the art. Community choral organizations—or any arts organization for that matter —do not “deserve to be supported simply as an established tradition, as a kind of ongoing habit, long after any good reasons to do so have ceased to be relevant or have long been forgotten” (Weil). Rather, they must have relevance to present-day life in that community that affects the quality of life there—here and now.

What are some of the needs in your area? How can you lead your organization from being about something to being for somebody? What is the broader, intentional, strategic gesture that your organization extends or can extend to your community?

References:

Tolstoy, Leo. What Is Art? New York: Bobbs-Merrill, Liberal Arts, 1960. Print.

Weil, Stephen E. Keynote address to the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, Rochester, NY, November 13, 1997.


CHORAL MUSIC AT SONOMA STATEThe SSU Choral Program under the direction of Dr. Jenny Bent maintains a very busy schedule of rehearsals, performances, tours, and retreats. Singers share the experience of performing beloved and notable choral works, while acquiring signifi cant technique and scholarship that will help prepare them for professional careers in music. The choral performing ensembles include the SSU Symphonic Chorus and the SSU Chamber Singers.

MUSIC AT SONOMA STATE Bachelor of Music • Performance • Music Education • Jazz StudiesMore than 20 performing ensemblesWeekly repertoire classAnnual Choral, Jazz & Band FestivalsMaster classes

VOICE FACULTY• David Burnakus, baritone• Jane Hammett, soprano• Lynne Morrow, mezzo soprano• Ruth Ann Swenson, soprano

AUDITION DATES• November 8, 2014• January 17, 2015• March 28, 2015

For information contactDr. Brian WilsonMusic Department [email protected]

www.sonoma.edu/music/www.facebook.com/SonomaStateMusic

Sonoma State University1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928707-664-2324

Dr. Jenny BentDirector of Choral [email protected] SSU Music Department is housed in the Donald and Maureen Green Music Center with

performance venues in the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall, Schroeder Recital Hall, and Evert B. Person Theatre.

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Merryl nelSon

Mrs. Nelson is the ACDA representative to the CMEA Council. She is currently an adjunct professor and choral director at Cuyamaca Community College in El Cajon, California.

The 2015 CMEA/ACDA/SCVA Choral Leadership Academy was held February 20-21 during CASMEC in

Fresno. Established in 2012, this year marks the fourth Choral Leadership Academy and a stunning success it was! The 51 enthusiastic choral students – 25 high school students and 26 college and university students – were led by the eternally youthful and energetic Rodney Eichenberger, Professor Emeritus, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. Professor Eichenberger expertly led the students in sing-ing new literature, honing musicianship skills, and learning effective and eloquent conducting techniques. Supporting Professor Eichenberger at the piano during the various reading sessions was Mr. Kevin Memley, esteemed composer, pianist, and music technology teacher at Clovis East High School in Clovis.

The CLA Faculty included Dr. Jeffrey Benson (San Jose State University, San Jose), Dr. Angel Vázquez-Ramos (Chapman University, Orange), Professor Lori Marie Rios (College of the Canyons, Valencia), Professor Lou De La Rosa (West Valley College, San Jose) and Professor Merryl Nelson (Cuyamaca College, El Cajon). The CLA faculty provided mixing and bonding activities, warm-ups, and indi-vidual encouragement throughout the two days that inspired a unique camaraderie among the students. One of the many goals of the CLA is that these students will continue to grow in their relationships and communications with each other as they move into the choral pro-fession, providing a ready-made network of support.

Once again, the madrigal experience was a great success—with each students assigned to one of five groups in which they would help each other learn a madrigal to perform on Saturday afternoon. What a thrill to travel the halls throughout the two days and witness the combined musicianship of these young people and the excellent culmination of their work in their final performance. In addition, CLA members attended the ACDA sponsored cho-ral interest sessions throughout the two days.

Once again, ACDA brought to the CASMEC Choral Strand outstanding and informative sessions for choral teachers from every kind of teaching assignment. This rich two-day feast of music educational delight began with A Pro Arte – A Nested Hierarchy, presented my Lori Marie Rios, Associate Professor of Music at College of the Canyons in Valencia. As we learned, A Pro Arte is an acronym for Attention (Audiation), Posture, Respiration, Onset, Articulation, Technique, and Expressiveness. Professor Rios took the attendees through a progressive warm-up based upon these prin-ciples and then discussed them.

A special highlight was a master class pre-sented by Dr. Jonathan Talberg and the CSU Long Beach Chamber Singers as they prepared the Mozart Mass in C Minor for performance. Dr. Talberg addressed issues such as tone, dynamics, ensemble and expression, all mod-eled eloquently by his choir. Amanda Isaac, vocal music teacher at Norris Middle School in Bakersfield, brought her 60-voice mixed choir and presented a session entitled Evolution of a Junior High Choir – Achieving maximum musical and aesthetic growth throughout the year. Included were warm-ups, sight singing exercises, theory sheets, warm-up songs, and performance liter-ature. Brian Dehn, choral director at Junipero Serra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, shared ideas on bringing quality performance into small programs with limited resources in his session Quality Without Quantity. In his session Is Your Choral GPS Working? Dr. Gary Seighman, Director of Choral Activities at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, presented tried and true strategies for long term rehearsal planning. Being aware of the total rehearsal time available and proportion-ing that time according to length and difficulty level of the literature selected are key points in this strategy.

Choral SUCCeSS at CaSMeC!



On Saturday, the CLA Faculty presented a panel on Being a Great Teacher and Musician, with Jeffrey Benson moderating. The session began with pair-sharing: Think of a teacher who greatly impacted your life as a student. What characteristics did that teacher possess? Thoughts were shared with the large group and then Dr. Benson asked the panel to share briefly on topics such as teaching philosophy, musicianship building, inspiring others and staying inspired. Later that day, Jeffrey Benson, Director of Choral Activities at San Jose State University, presented an informative session on Programming with Passion in which he discussed how to choose exciting repertoire for your choir. In addition to his expert program-ming ideas, Dr. Benson also shared some excellent repertoire choices that the group read through.

The final session of the choral strand was a reading session presented by the CLA faculty entitled Accessible Music For All Kinds of Choirs. Each faculty member presented five pieces in a pre-selected voicing: SA/SSA, TB/TTBB, SAB/3-Part Mixed, and SATB. Special thanks to Kevin Memley who played for Jeffrey Benson’s session as well as the CLA faculty’s reading session.

An appropriate ending to this rich feast of choral education was a concert presented by CSU Long Beach Chamber Singers, conducted by Dr. Jonathan Talberg in Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church. The concert was entitled Love, War, and Redemption: A Concert in Remembrance of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This moving concert was the crowning glory of the choral strand and filled the church to capacity with 350 music educators in attendance.

Special thanks to Professor Rodney Eichenberger, Dr. Jeffrey Benson, Dr. Angel Vázquez-Ramos, California ACDA President Lori Marie Rios, California ACDA President Elect Lou De La Rosa, Dr. Jonathan Talberg, and Mr. Kevin Memley for helping to make this year’s Choral Leadership Academy such a resounding success! Also special thanks to Bill Wilkinson, CASMEC Logistics Coordinator for CMEA, and Trish Adams, CMEA Administrative Coordinator, for their hard work on behalf of the CLA and the choral interest sessions. Acting as Coordinator for the CLA and the Choral Strand at CASMEC was your ACDA Choral Representative to the CMEA Council, Merryl Nelson.

- continued from page 25 (Nelson)

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2015 SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION DATESMonday, February 16 • Saturday, February 21 and 28

FOR MORE INFORMATIONup.edu/[email protected]


This article is adapted from “The XX-Files: Great Repertoire by Women Composers,” presented by Eliza Rubenstein and Dr. Magen Solomon at the ACDA National Conference in Salt Lake City in February 2015.

In her classic feminist text A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf famously imagines the story of Judith Shakespeare, fictional

sister of William, who is gifted with literary talent equal to her brother’s but discouraged by her family and her society from exercising her creativity. As William’s career skyrockets, Judith descends into poverty and hopelessness.

It’s a sobering tale, but perhaps more sober-ing is that Woolf wouldn’t even have had to fictionalize her story if she’d been writing about music instead of literature. The history of music already has a Judith Shakespeare, her story less dramatic in its details but more com-pelling for its truth—a woman with prodigious talent but little support, encouraged to remain a hobbyist even as her younger brother was groomed to be a legend.

Her name was Fanny Mendelssohn. Her life and her music remind us that creative talent seldom flourishes in a vacuum, and that it’s our job to create an environment in which girls and women with musical aspirations find encour-agement equal to their ability and desire.

For choral directors, that means ensuring that works by women are a part of our collective consciousness—not just during Women’s History Month, and not just on our women’s-chorus programs, but as a consistent and integral part of the canon of choral music to which we introduce our students, singers, and audience members. That’s not always easy, in part because (largely for the reasons noted above) women have not historically produced the same quantity and quality of choral music as men, and in part because many of today’s top women composers have chosen not to publish through traditional outlets.

Finding great literatUre By woMen CoMpoSerS–and why it MatterS

Magen Solomon and I have, over the years, met many conductors who wanted to program more outstanding repertoire by women com-posers but felt frustrated in their efforts to find it; at times, we’ve felt that way ourselves! To help remove some of the barriers to locating terrific music written by women, we’ve created a new online resource: a searchable, sortable database of more than 330 works by more than 180 composers from the Medieval Era to the present day. We hope you’ll use it, bookmark, and share it!:

womencomposers.ocwomenschorus.org

You’ll find works for all voicings, with and without accompaniment, and of a wide range of durations and difficulty levels, all with publisher listings and/or links to composers’ websites. This site isn’t intended to represent a complete catalog of any composer’s choral works (use the website links to explore the full catalogs of the women on the list!), or to function as an endorsement of any particular composer or work.

We encourage you to help us keep this data-base current by sending us your suggestions for additions and edits. You’ll find e-mail links at the site if you’d like to alert us to a composer we’ve missed.

The next Judith Shakespeare or Fanny Hensel may be sitting in your sixth-period choir, or she may not; what matters is that we not squelch—deliberately or obliviously—her path to cre-ativity by allowing her, and the others around her, to grow up assuming that composing music is the province of men alone. Thanks for your part in the effort, and have fun on the new website!

Ms. Rubenstein is the Women’s Choirs Rep-ertoire & Standards Chair for California ACDA, is Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Orange Coast College, Artistic Director of the Long Beach Chorale and Chamber Orchestra, and is Artistic Director of the Orange County Women’s Chorus.

eliza rUBenStein


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Praise My Soul, the King of HeavenJohn GossArr. Duane FunderburkSATB, with optional congregationJubal House JH-1134brass and percussion parts: JH-1135

Written for the 2014 Festival of Worship at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, this exciting hymn arrangement incorporates congregation with optional brass and percussion. The final verse includes a wonderful soprano descant. With text based on Psalm 103, this piece is appropriate for Christ the King Sunday, or general worship.

Sleep, Little Baby, SleepRobert S. CohenSATB and piano (Also available in SSA)Hal Leonard 884088553104www.robertcohen.com

This is a beautiful setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti which is sure to be a highlight of your holiday concert. The piece includes expressive melodies with warm and rich harmonies, and the piano accompaniment beautifully compli-ments the vocal lines. A performance by the USC Chamber Singers can easily be found on YouTube.

Cross CryJoseph MartinSATB and piano with male soloHinshaw Music: HMC – 471

Based on a familiar spiritual, this is an emo-tional and exciting piece appropriate for Lent or Good Friday. Utilizing the entire range of the dynamic spectrum, an intense piano accompaniment, a moving a cappella section, and baritone solo, Joseph Martin has given us a piece which has become a staple in the church repertoire.

top FiVeFor yoUr Choir

Lift Ev’ry Voice and SingMusic by J. Rosamond JohnsonArranged by Zanaida Robles SATB and piano with soprano soloHal Leonard HL 00139863

The text of this piece was written in 1899 by J. Rosamond Johnson and has become a well-known poem celebrating African-American culture in America. The intensity of the poem is well reflected in Dr. Robles’ arrangement, with the use of soprano solo, energetic rhythms, intricate harmonies, and an exciting climactic ending. This would be a wonderful addition to a Martin Luther King Jr. Day concert, or any performance celebrating black history month. Although it is fairly difficult, your singers and audience will surely enjoy this piece. For more music written by Zanaida Robles, please visit www.zanaidarobles.com.

Psalm 23Rene ClausenSATB and pianoMark Foster: MF 2165

This well-known setting of Psalm 23 has become a favorite of my church choir. The melodies are flowing and very singable, and Clausen’s use of harmonic modulation is seamless and adds to the expressiveness of the text. Incorporating a bit of divisi and some difficult rhythms, this piece will be challenging, but extremely rewarding to sing.

JoSeph ModiCa


TahitiArr. Jarolde Harris IIAlfred 16336TTBB, Piano

Tahiti is incredibly fun for men and it is eas-ily put together. Don’t let the TTBB scare you away. This Tahitian Folk Song has a lot of unison, two part and straight forward four part harmony that is completely accessible for beginning high school men’s groups. The hand claps and grunting are sure to have your men loving choir!

African LullabyArr. Joan SzymkoSanta Barbara Music Publishing – SBMP 809SSA, Piano, Hand Drum

The simple, stunning beauty of “African Lullaby” makes it a real showpiece for ladies of all ages. Advanced middle or high school stu-dents will learn so much from this 6/8 mixture of two African folk melodies. Szymko skill-fully blends “Angels Watching Over Me” and “Abiyoyo” together with a wonderful interplay of duple and triple time. This is not as hard as it seems and it is well worth your time.

Velo qué bonito Arr. Alejandro ZuletaBoosey & Hawkes (Hal Leonard), 48022644SSA, A Cappella with Tambora

This traditional Columbian Folk Song has been a favorite of my Intermediate Soprano/Alto Choir. The language is easily attainable in this upbeat piece and there are opportunities for soloists in the contrasting slow sections. The rhythmic patterns are challenging but not so difficult as to scare away your singers. “Velo qué bonito” would work as a change-of-pace piece or even a fun closer.

top FiVeFor yoUr Choir

TshotsholozaAdapted by Jeffrey L. AmesWalton Music, HL08501764 – WLG139SATB divisi Chorus, Tenor Solo, Congas & Djembe

Jeffrey Benson opened his performance with our local 150 member high school honor choir with this piece and now it is a favorite of my 27 member Chamber Singers. Use this as a show-case for your amazing tenor and as a perfect opener for your advanced high school group of any size. This “unofficial” anthem of South Africa was included in the movie “Invictus” and lends itself perfectly to simple choreogra-phy or as a processional.

Uqongqot’hwane (The Click Song)Arr. Hendrick HofmeyrEarthsongs S-279SATB, A Cappella

This is the intriguing, different piece that you have been looking for! Learning how to “click” while singing takes some time, but it is so sat-isfying to hear the clicking from all over the choir on different beats in this exciting, upbeat, syncopated song. Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa and there is a pro-nunciation CD available. A small advanced high school or college group will enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of learning “Uqonqot’hwane.”

John SorBer

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PERSEPCTIVES


Arlie Langager, Nancy Cochran, Katie Hickey Walders, Danielle Steele, Patrick Walders

Buddy James, Ethan Sperry, Tony Lien

Olga Perez Flora, Desiree Lavertu, Christopher Borges

Lori Marie Rios, Jonathan Talberg

Lou De La Rosa, Leann Conley-Holcom

Kirke Mechem, Eliza Rubenstein

CaliFornia aCdain Salt lake City


PresidentLori Marie [email protected]

President-ElectLou De La [email protected]

Vice PresidentJonathan [email protected]

Executive SecretaryCalifornia ACDA OfficeJan Lanterman2348 Clay StreetNapa CA [email protected]

REGIONALREPRESENTATIVES

Bay AreaJeffrey [email protected]

CentralChristopher Borges [email protected]

Central CoastCarolyn Teraoka- Brady805- 689- 1780cteraoka- [email protected]

Far SouthJohn Russell917- 686- 0110 [email protected]

NorthernRoger Emerson530- 598- [email protected]

SouthernChristopher [email protected]

EXECUTIVE BOARDBoychoirsTBD

College & University ChoirsRobert [email protected]

Community ChoirsJanine [email protected]

Ethnic & Multicultural PerspectivesJohn [email protected]

Junior High/Middle School ChoirsMolly [email protected]

Male ChoirsGavin [email protected]

Music in WorshipJoe [email protected]

Senior High School ChoirsTravis [email protected]

Children’s and Community Youth ChoirsPeggy Spool [email protected]

Show ChoirsKen [email protected]

Two-Year College ChoirsArlie Langager858- 774- [email protected]

Vocal JazzChristine [email protected]

Women’s ChoirsEliza Rubenstein714-432-0202 [email protected]

Youth & Student ActivitiesAngel Vá[email protected]

REPERTOIRE & STANDARDS

Summer ConferenceGenevieve Tep, [email protected]

Regional ConferencesContact Regional Representative

All-State Honor ChoirsTammi [email protected]

Regional Honor ChoirsCentral

Aaron [email protected]

CoaStal

Alice [email protected]

SoUthern (SCVa)Karen [email protected]

EVENT CHAIRS

Newsletter Editor CantateDavid ScholzCSU, Chico Music Dept.400 W. 1st St.Chico, CA [email protected]

Website CoordinatorAnthony M. [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONS

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California Chapter, American Choral Directors AssociationDavid Scholz, editorCSU, Chico Department of Music400 W. 1st St.Chico, CA 95929-0805

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