Winter 2017: Volume 36, Issue 2

ContentsFrom Your President . . . . . . . . . . . 1Loren C. Veigel

Ten Secrets to Surviving andThriving with the Large Choir . . 4Libby Hainrihar

Pop Music, MainstreamA Cappella, and Finding aBalance in Your Program . . . . . . . 7Emily Garlock

Brain Breaks—RefreshingYour Rehearsal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Beth Vaughn

OCDA Mentorship Program . . 10Brad Pierson

OCDA Board RestructuringCommittee Recommendations . . 11Richard Schnipke

Thank YOU for Being a Friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Doug O’Neal

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Leadership Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

AdvertisersCMS Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

JW Pepper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

OCDA Children’s Honor Choir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

OCDA Summer Conference . . . 14

OCDA Summer Conference Registration Form . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Otterbein University . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Soundwaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Stanton’s Sheet Music . . . . . . . . . . 9

Xavier University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

From Your President

Time Is Flying . . . and OCDA Is Flying, Too!IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE that my term asPresident of OCDA will draw to a close in several months! It is an honor and privilege toserve this organization which I love. e joy ofgetting to know more colleagues, to interactwith choral musicians from all over Ohio (andthe country!), and to “feel the pulse” of our OCDA has been the greatestpart of the job. Please remember all that I wrote to you in the fall about col-legiality. ere is simply no replacement for the personal, face-to-face con-tact our Summer Conference provides. Mark your calendars for June19–21, 2017, and join us at Otterbein University to meet, teach, and en-courage each other in person, and to recharge your professional batteries.It’s simply the best!

I would like to share exciting OCDA news with you.Summer Conference, Otterbein University, June 19–21, 2017, will fea-

ture headliner clinicians Tim Sharp and Stacey Gibbs! We all know TimSharp as ACDA’s National Executive Director, but he is also a stellar choralmusician. Tim will bring exciting insight into the status and future ofACDA, and he will also share music with us. Stacey Gibbs is becoming oneof America’s greatest choral stars, especially in the field of spiritual andgospel music. If you attended OCDA summer conference last year, you’llremember Stacey’s surprise visit, and how he electrified the room as he di-rected Larry Griffin’s wonderful community choir, Capriccio, in one of hisown arrangements. is summer, you’ll hear directly from Stacey in severalclinic sessions. And, he has promised to bring along a new, unpublishedarrangement specially dedicated to OCDA. All registrants will have the op-portunity to take home a fabulous new Stacey Gibbs arrangement and useit with your choir!

e Summer Conference also will feature several Ohio clinicians, in-cluding Dr. Ann Usher and Amy Blosser. ose of you who have experi-enced their work know their expertise and enthusiastic presentation skills.We will hear Ohio choirs perform. And, of course, there will be exhibitors,reading sessions, and the chance to enjoy camaraderie with your colleaguesat the All-Conference Party. Not to be missed!

OCDA President LorenC.Veigel

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I’m sure you are aware of thechanges in ACDA, streamlining theinterest areas from R&S chairs toR&R chairs (Repertoire and Re-sources). I have asked RichSchnipke, OCDA President Elect,to study Ohio’s Board structureand alignment plans, completingthe process in time for his upcom-ing term. Rich’s committee has suc-cessfully begun its work, and takenthis opportunity to look at ourBoard structure. I will be excited toreport their findings and sugges-tions to you. See this issue for aninitial report.

Under the capable leadership ofMembership Chair Doug O’Neal,Ohio has been very successful inthe last several “Sing Up” cam-

paigns. e ACDA national officeprovides strong support for thisprogram, and the result has beengreater awareness and increasedmembership. National ACDAmembership is at an all-time high,and Ohio stands as a very strongstate affiliate. Doug provides aMembership Report directly toOCDA in this issue; please remem-ber that a strong contingent of stu-dent members will remain in ourorganization only if we provideguidance and encouragement, andthat active membership needs to beour backbone.

OCDA continues to work withOMEA. At the OMEA ProfessionalDevelopment Conference in Cleve-land, our presence was strong, with

clinicians providing excellent guid-ance to choral teachers as well asour very popular reading sessions.

Congratulations to OCDAmembers who were selected topresent or perform at the nationalconference in Minneapolis. BrodyMcDonald will perform with“Eleventh Hour,” the vocal jazz en-semble from Kettering-FairmountHigh School, and clinics will bepresented by Amy JohnstonBlosser, Rich Schnipke, MarlaButke, Christopher Gillmore, andKristina MacMullen.

I recently satisfied my curiosityby visiting the websites of all fiftystate ACDA organizations, takingnotes on their Board structure,Board activity, conference offer-

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ings, newsletters, and other stateactivities. I shared those notes withyour OCDA Board members. Itwas an informative and excitingendeavor, and I am proud to tellyou that Ohio’s strength as a stateorganization is clear, even whencompared to the largest and mostactive ACDA state chapters. Wecan take great pride in OCDA.Take advantage of all that member-ship offers—read our excellentOCDA News, the Central Division’sRESOUND, and, of course, theChoral Journal. Attend summer

conference! Attend OCDA readingsessions at OMEA conference.Watch here and on the webpage forOCDA-sponsored activities atmany levels, from elementary tocollege to community choirs. Assistyour students in auditioning forOCDA’s honor choirs at summerconference. Do your best to partic-ipate in divisional and nationalconventions, which are a veritablesmorgasbord of performances,music, clinics, and collegiality! Atnational convention in Min-neapolis, I’ll be planning an Ohio

Night get-together—watch thewebsite for details. It will be heldat Brit’s Pub, a great restaurantwhich in good weather offers lawnbowling on its roof!

OCDA continues to be atremendous resource for your pro-fessional life. anks to our excel-lent Board, our organization is fly-ing high and producing wonderfulresults. Best wishes, as your yearcontinues, and as you change livesfor the better every day!

See you in Minneapolis. See youin Westerville. d

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AS SCHOOL CHOIR DIRECTORS, weoften have the privilege of workingwith hundreds of students a day.We ignore the recommendedteacher-to-student ratio in the bestinterest of our subject matter. As aresult, we become some of themost experienced classroom man-agers around! We are on a dailyjourney to keep students on taskand focused, while motivating andinspiring a passion for singing atthe same time—a challenge that isnot for the faint of heart. e fol-lowing are my top ten recommen-dations for managing instructionwith a large choir.

Respect begets respect.e key to running a successful re-hearsal with the large choir is totreat all students with respect. We

cannot expect to motivate our stu-dents without obtaining their re-spect and trust. When we teachour students with sincere kindnessand decency, we can expect to seethat same treatment in return. Ourstudents are smart, talented, andmost importantly want to sing.When they feel valued and re-spected by their teacher, they willreciprocate that respect. A success-ful choir is full of people who arebuying what their director is selling.

Make ’em laugh.We want our students to feel com-fortable in our classroom environ-ment. e use of humor and laugh-ter in rehearsal helps foster a levelof comfort in which students aren’tafraid to take risks, whethersinging out in a sight-singing les-

son or audition-ing for a solo.We are all happier and more in-vested in rehearsal when we aren’ttaking ourselves too seriously.

Clear, consistent expectationsClear, consistent classroom expec-tations are crucial to the successfullarge rehearsal environment. Whenone adult is in a room with 70+teenagers who own cell phones, forexample, there is no halfway be-tween permitting phones on the ris-ers or not. A specific expectation re-garding cell phones being put awayfrom the start of the school year isnot always enough. Consistent con-sequences regarding cell phones areabsolutely necessary. Whether theconsequence is to confiscate thephone, assign a detention, or lower

Ten Secrets to Surviving and rivingwith the Large ChoirLibby Hainrihar, Junior High/Middle School R&S Chair

a grade, it should only take a fewconsistent enforcements of thatconsequence for phones to remainout of the rehearsal.

Know when to hold ’em, knowwhen to fold ’em.While consistency in expectationsand consequences is crucial to asuccessful large choir rehearsal ex-perience, it is even more importantto pick our battles. We see thingsdifferently from the podium thanour choir members’ view from therisers. In the heat of a productiverehearsal, when 95% are focusedand working hard, it is not produc-tive to interrupt that flow by ver-bally calling attention to a minorbehavior concern. is will resultin a lowered morale of the group asa whole. Instead, choose an alter-

native strategy such as ignoring thebehavior, changing proximity, mak-ing eye contact, or even just paus-ing to wait for a self-correction.

Common goals: Creating better humansthrough humanitarianismOne of my favorite ways to bring agroup together is to provide a phil-anthropic experience for choirmembers. Prepare a performancewith proceeds going to a localcharity. “Charge” an admission ofcanned food items, gently usedclothing and blankets, or othernonperishables that can be donated. Take students to performat an assisted-living or nursinghome. ese experiences build ourstudents’ social conscience. At thesame time, the work they are put-

ting into rehearsals takes on adeeper meaning, creating unitywithin the large group.

Engage student leadership.Students can be appointed as sec-tion leaders, class officers, atten-dance takers, etc., in order to aidrehearsal flow. In my choirs, sec-tion leaders take attendance fortheir section and report it to a re-sponsible student appointed totake attendance each day. is isdone fairly seamlessly during warmups. When rehearsing sightsinging, the section leader runs hersection’s first read-through. Shestands in a circle with her section,provides the starting solfege sylla-ble, then counts the section off. Shegives reminders about repeatedphrases, tricky rhythms or inter-

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Give all students ownership.Students are most invested in achoral program in which they feelvalued. Encourage student feed-back and input through class sur-veys, self-evaluations, or sugges-tion boxes. e beginning of theyear, semester, and end of the yearare excellent times to check in withstudents regarding their individualgoals, as well as goals for the choir.Take suggestions from students re-garding concert themes or pieces

to be programmed. With a littleguidance, students can develop anappropriate set of class rules. Stu-dents can lead icebreakers or formsmall groups to perform at schoolevents. When we take a chance byhanding over some of these tasksto our students, more often thannot they will amaze us with theircreativity and motivation.

Teach music literacy!e more comfortable and inde-pendent students are with a sight-singing system, the more functionalit becomes in instruction. Keepingthe attention of all of our students isimpossible in the large group settingif we don’t give each section some-thing to do while we are focusingour instruction on another section.When working with one section vo-

cally, others should be writing insolfege syllables or numbers, or theyshould be adding in their part.

Keep them guessing.Along with keeping students ontask by giving them music literacytasks such as those mentionedabove, we can keep the attention ofthe masses by frequently switchinggears throughout our rehearsaltime. When planning rehearsals,careful consideration must begiven to the pacing of instructionin order to keep our students’focus. With experience, we learn toobserve the cues of our choirs inregard to pacing. For example, wehave to recognize when anotherrun-through is helpful, as well aswhen it best serves the group to tryagain tomorrow.

WINTER 2017 table of contents 6

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Select appropriate-qualityrepertoire in a variety of styles.Our students are smart and have apassion for singing. It is our job toprovide the choral repertoire thatwill expand their vocal technique

and music literacy skills while ex-posing them to music of differentstyles, cultures, musical eras, andlanguages. We are privileged to giftour students with an appreciationof the aesthetic experience of per-

formance. is is what drives ourpassion, and in turn what moti-vates passion in our students. Howlucky are we? d

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AH, CHORAL POP MUSIC. e mostbeloved and hated form of choralrepertoire. Who among us can’tcontain their excitement when thenew “Glee” arrangement comesout? (No, really—I’m sure everyoneloves to hear choirs sing “PYT”with perfect vowels and dictionand no guitar solos or cool light-ing…. Ahem. I digress.) How do wefind the balance between harness-ing the excitement of our studentswho love to sing to the radio, andmaintaining a semblance of sanityafter hearing “Don’t Stop Believ-ing” for the 193rd time? After tenyears of trying to find a balance, Ihaven’t figured it all out but I thinkI may have a few tips.

Stop avoiding pop music.We all do it. As soon as schoolstarts in the fall we are inundatedwith requests for the latest angstybreak-up ballad from a boy band.We hesitate, say “we can talk aboutit in the spring,” and then quicklychange the subject. But what if wedidn’t? What if, instead of avoidingthe music our students want to

sing, we incorporate it into the big-ger picture? Sure, we all want ourstudents to be begging for thenewest Ola Gjeilo piece, or heavenforbid, Mozart . . . but we have towalk before we can run. And justmaybe, the *gulp* latest ArianaGrande track isn’t as bad as wethought it was going to be. (I sawthat eye roll.)

Find excellent arrangements.Do not. I repeat: DO NOT settle forarrangements that are mediocre.ey will make you go insane andyour students will feel your irrita-tion, thereby ruining the entireprocess of trying to work withthem. We are so very lucky for theshift that is taking place currentlyin our pop culture. A cappellamusic is cool again. Not “I’m-a-choir-director-and-I-think-8-part-harmony-is-incredible” cool, butmainstream, “I-actually-spent-real-life-money-on-this-album” cool.Groups like Pentatonix and movieslike Pitch Perfect have moved acappella pop music from thecringe-worthy corners of our li-

braries to theforefront of ourprograms. With this change comesa slew of not only decent, butdownright excellent vocal arrange-ments of pop tunes. If you don’tknow how to find them, ask! Any-thing by Deke Sharon is a darngood place to start!

Make meaningful connections.Although pop music will not givethe same aesthetic to our programsas classical music will, there aremany things to be learned from thisgenre. Use these styles as teachingtools. Break down the differences inwhat is required for pop that is notrequired for classical, and viceversa. e stylistic change that usu-ally disenchants my students isrhythm. Written pop-musicrhythms are the bane of their exis-tence. I insist that we do them aswritten, and they insist on doingthem “how they really are.” Practicepatience and have a good sense ofhumor, and I promise that your stu-dents will be thrilled that they got achance to sing a song they love.

Pop Music, Mainstream A Cappella, and Finding a Balance in Your ProgramEmily Garlock, Show Choir R&S Chair

Allow pop to be pop.Please, for the love of all that isgood in the world, do not make ourkids sing “Shut Up and Dance” withthe choral sound of the RobertShaw Singers. ey will hate youand it will sound ridiculous. Wewould never have our students singa shape-note piece with Europeanvowels and diction, and we should

not perform pop music with a clas-sical mentality. We work hard toensure that our foreign-languagepieces are performed to best servethe culture and time period repre-sented. Please do the same for popmusic. It can still be in tune withgreat blending and tone withoutbeing pompous and stuffy.

If you ever feel as though you areswimming in a sea of I-IV-V chordsand need a little extra boost, shootme an email (garlocke@bbhcsd.org).I’ll be more than happy to help youfind some new choral arrange-ments that will align with your pro-gram standards, and will help tokeep the hormonal wolves at bay.Have fun! d

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BEFORE MY CURRENT POSITION atBowling Green City Schools teach-ing 7–12th grade vocal music, Itaught K–12 general music andchoir at Arcadia Local School, anextremely small school districtnear Findlay, Ohio. General musicwas a majority of my job, and be-cause of that experience I was wellaware of the fact that with elemen-tary students, you needed to varythe activities often to keep theirfocus. Students loved activitieswith movement and often beggedto play a “game.” Of course theydidn’t realize that in that “game”were opportunities to assess, teachsolfege and rhythm, or simply pro-vide a chance for them to move andexpend some energy. Many elemen-tary teachers were also starting touse activities that involved move-ment in their classrooms with “BrainGym” or brain breaks. When Ichanged jobs and my focus was nowon middle school and high schoolstudents, I saw that they neededthese brain breaks just as much asthe elementary students did!

A brain break is a short periodof time when routine is broken upand an activity is done. Brainbreaks can help focus, calm, acti-vate, or energize the brain. Mostoften brain breaks require somesort of movement that helps tostimulate the brain to get bothhemispheres working together. Itprovides a reset to our brain to pre-pare for new information and re-gain focus.

You may be thinking, “I don’thave time to fit these into my re-hearsal! I don’t have time to planthese activities! How do I utilizethese in a choir rehearsal?”

Brain breaks require no priorplanning and most often require nomaterials. ey are short activities,usually one to two minutes inlength. Often these activities cansave you time as they can helpfocus your group. I’ve used some towake up my students or to calmdown a rowdy middle school choir.Some brain breaks involve music;some don’t.

I’ve assembled my own bag of

tricks that I’vebegged, bor-rowed, andstolen from other teachers, from 4-H and Farm Bureau camps and ac-tivities, and from my own yogapractice. Here are a few that I havefound to be successful:

My Bonnie Lies Over the OceanAfter teaching the students thissimple folk song, I have them sit onthe edge of their chairs. We start tosing the song together. Whenever aword that begins with the letter “b”is sung, they have to change posi-tions (sitting to standing or viceversa). It gets very interesting whenyou get to the portion of the song“so bring back my Bonnie to me.” Iuse this to energize a class. Youcan’t do this activity without smil-ing or laughing! And, they arelearning a simple folk song.

Equal Ratio Breathing Have stu-dents close their eyes and count forthem while they breathe. Inhale for4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhalefor 4 counts, and then hold for 4

Brain Breaks—Refreshing Your RehearsalBh Vaughn, Northwt Region Chair

counts. Repeat. is can quiet aroom in 10 seconds and has a verycalming effect on students.

Shake-It Out Shake your righthand out (like the Hokey Pokey)for a quick 8 counts, move to theleft hand for 8 counts, right leg for8 counts and then left leg for 8counts. Do the same succession for4 counts each, then 2 counts each,then 1 count each. Usually theroom erupts in laughter and every-one is a little more alert!

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and ToesSimilar to Shake-It Out but startwith 8 counts tapping your head,then 8 counts tapping your shoul-ders, 8 counts tapping your kneesand then 8 counts tapping yourtoes. Repeat the same pattern for 4

counts, then 2, then 1 each. Youcould also add in singing: high dofor the head, sol for the shoulders,mi for the knees, and do for thetoes. Another variation is to re-verse it. Start with the toes and tapeach body part 1 time, then to 2times, then 4, then 8.

Sit Down If I state simple factsthat could apply to any student andif it relates to them, they sit down.For example: If you are the oldestchild in your family, sit down. Ifyour home address has the number2 in it, sit down. If you were born inJanuary, April or June, sit down. Ikeep stating facts until there is onestudent standing. I ask them aquestion such as “what is your fa-vorite ice cream,” or “what is yourfavorite color.” is can be a good

icebreaker as well as a good com-munity builder. Students can seewhat they have in common withothers and you learn more aboutone student at the end.

Poison I learned this from somefellow music teachers and it is a fa-vorite of my students. I clap a 4-beat rhythm pattern and the stu-dents echo me. I then declare thatrhythm “poison” and instruct thestudents never to clap it again. Iproceed to clap various 4-beat pat-terns (with the students echoingeach one), interspersing the poisonrhythm. If the students echo thepoison rhythm, they sit down andare out. Last one standing “wins.” Astudent or the class can then dic-tate the poison rhythm on theboard.

WINTER 2017 table of contents 9

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Mirror conducting Students mirror me as I conductvarious patterns.

I’ve even used simple activities such as jumping jacks,stretching, or closing their eyes, focusing on theirbreathing and trying to listen to the lights buzz.

If you search “brain breaks,” you will find a plethoraof articles about the topic. I’ve included a few websitesbelow that offer more information or ideas about brainbreaks.

http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/teacher-toolbox-activity-breaks

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/brain-breaks-focused-attention-practices-lori-desautels

http://www.pgsd.org/cms/lib07/PA01916597/Centricity/Domain/43/Brain%20Breaks.pdf

I hope you have the chance to incorporate a few ofthese brain breaks into your rehearsals and find whatworks for you and your students. Don’t forget—theseactivities work for all ages, including seniors in highschool, and your church or community choir! d

WINTER 2017 table of contents 10

HAVING TAKEN THE JOB at the University of Toledoin 2015, I am still feeling like a bit of a “newbie” inthe state of Ohio. One of the first things I learnedabout this state, however, was how kind and gen-erous our OCDA members are with their timeand their talents. I immediately felt welcomed tothe state and I have already been fortunateenough to make some great friends in the area.is experience has served to remind me of ex-actly how valuable friends, supportive colleagues,and mentors are in our lives as teachers.

It is with this mindset that I eagerly acceptedthe chair for the OCDA Mentorship Programthis year. I remember well what it was like duringmy first years in the classroom: I was 22 yearsold, teaching students only a few years youngerthan I. I was in a school in a tough neighborhoodin North Las Vegas taking over a program thathad been largely neglected before my arrival.While I didn’t fully understand this at the time, Iwas completely and utterly unprepared and un-qualified to be in that classroom. Now as I men-tor pre-service teachers, I am keenly aware thatit is impossible for us college professors to equipstudents with everything they will need to sur-

vive, let alone flourish, in their first years in theclassroom.

I will go further and say that one of the bestlessons I have ever learned as an educator, and re-ally as a person, is that the more I learn, the moreI realize I don’t know. ere are countless dayswhen I call friends and colleagues, still in searchof mentors to help guide me through the multi-tude of decisions that face me. Who among usdoesn’t need someone to be there to support andhelp us along the way?

e OCDA Mentorship Program exists to sup-port not only conductors and teachers in the earlystages of their careers, but also all choral profes-sionals who are looking for a boost, some newideas, or moral support. e program pairs theseindividuals with mentors who can offer expertise,wisdom, and experience. We are currently compil-ing lists of OCDA members seeking to serve asmentors or seeking to be mentored. You can regis-ter for this program on the OCDA website here:http://ohiocda.org/interests/mentorshipapp.

For any questions or additional informationplease contact me at your convenience:Bradley.Pierson2@utoledo.edu. d

OCDA Mentorship Program: Call for Participants!

I. OCDA membership will vote at the Summer Busi-ness Meeting on a motion to align all language ofOCDA Constitution and Bylaws from “R&S” (“Reper-toire and Standards”) to “R&R” (“Repertoire and Re-sources”) positions, as prescribed by National ACDA.

II. e committee recommends organizing OCDA’snewly titled Repertoire and Resources area using thenew national structure of four R&R Coordinatorsoverseeing committees of R&R chairs as a basic model:

• Youth R&R Coordinator will oversee Children &Community Youth, Junior High/Middle School, andSenior High School R&R Chairs

• Collegiate R&R Coordinator will oversee Col-lege/University and Student Activities R&R Chairs

• Lifelong R&R Coordinator will oversee Commu-nity Choirs and Music in Worship Chairs

• Repertoire-Specific R&R Coordinator will overseeContemporary Commercial (formerly Show Choir),Ethnic Music, Men’s Choir (formerly Male), VocalJazz, and Women’s Choir R&R Chairs

e committee recommends the following additionsto assist in providing repertoire for our reading ses-sions at the OMEA and OCDA conferences:

• In the Youth Area, Children & Community Youthshould be divided into two chairs: Community Chil-dren & Youth and Elementary School Children.

• In the Repertoire-Specific Area, Contemporary Com-

mercial should be divided intotwo chairs: Show Choir and Con-temporary A Cappella. EthnicMusic should also be divided into two chairs: EthnicMusic for Developing Singers and Ethnic Music forIntermediate to Advanced Singers.

III. Since the restructuring effort at both the state andnational level is motivated in part by the need tostreamline what has become a very large OCDAboard, the committee makes the following recommen-dations pertaining to board meeting attendance:

• e four R&R Coordinators will attend regular boardmeetings to represent their area. R&R Coordinatorswill correspond with their Chairs regularly to be surethey are up to date on activities and needs of the area.

• e R&R Chairs will not attend regular board meet-ings, but will communicate with their Coordinatorsregularly and meet with the Coordinators and Presi-dent-Elect (incoming and outgoing during electionyears) annually at the summer conference.

• Reminder: according to the OCDA Constitution andBy-Laws, all elected board members (President, Presi-dent-Elect, Vice/Past President, Secretary, and all Re-gion Chairs) have voting privileges and are expectedto attend all meetings of the board. Other appointedmembers of the board with regular board business(Treasurer, Information Technology Coordinator,OCDA News Editor, Membership Chair, etc.) are alsoexpected to attend all board meetings. d

OCDA Board Restructuring Committee RecommendationsRichard Schnipke, Prident Ele, Commiee Chair

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WE SURE ARE GLAD you are a mem-ber of the Ohio Choral DirectorsAssociation and American ChoralDirectors Association. It is yourmembership (and friendship) thatkeeps our organization education-ally, socially, and financially alive tosupport choral musicians and stu-dents across the state and nation.

It has been an honor to servethe Ohio Choral Directors Associa-tion as your Membership Chairover the past five-and-a-half years.During that time we have increasedour rosters to a high of 692 mem-bers (2014) with 328 of those beingactive members. Currently we have

674 members in the organizationwith 282 being active. (An activemember is anyone who is not a stu-dent, life, or paying life member.)

During my tenure, we have seena large increase in membershipamong students. Much of this isdue to the ACDA “Sing Up” Mem-bership Campaign and the work ofgreat college advisors. During thecampaign enrollment period eachyear, new student members areable to receive a membership inACDA/OCDA for only $5 asOCDA and ACDA funds under-write the majority of their fee. Dur-ing the 2016 Sing Up Campaign,

Ohio had thesecond-largestnumber of stu-dent members added of all chap-ters. Student memberships nowmake up close to half of our organ-ization!

We have also seen an increasein new members each year thanksto complimentary memberships of-fered to those colleagues who havenot been part of ACDA. As theseventh largest ACDA state chap-ter, it becomes difficult to find indi-viduals who haven’t been part ofthe organization. However, Ohiohas had great success in distribut-

ank YOU for Being a FriendDoug O’Neal, OCDA Membership Chair

ing all of our complimentary mem-berships over the past four years ofSing Up Campaigns. In otherwords, we still have choral friendsin Ohio who haven’t experiencedour organization!

While the data supplied fromACDA show a snapshot of mem-bership, stories from active andnew members show other facets. Itis our friendships with colleaguesthat bring them into our organiza-tion and help them grow as choralprofessionals. Our active members

are the best advertisement of whata great organization we have.Please continue to talk aboutOCDA, emphasizing our confer-ences and the professional relation-ships that are available through ac-tive membership.

I have noticed active-membertrends in our membership. Wehave a great group of core activemembers who remain and supportthe organization year after year. Wealso have colleagues who are notable to remain consistent. While

some people fall off our rosters,they return to us when they are fi-nancially able or wish to attend aconference.

ank you for your involvementand support that allows our some-times-missing friends to have aprofessional organization to whichthey can return when able. It isyour continued membership thatkeeps our organization alive andavailable for our friends, col-leagues, and students! d

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Upcoming Events

March 2017ACDA National ConferenceMarch 8–11, 2017, Minneapolis, MNacda.org/conferences.asp

June 2017OCDA Summer ConferenceJune 19–21, Columbus, OHohiocda.org

Tim Cloeter, Editor • cloetet@bgsu.edu • 419-372-8288 office • 262-527-8151 cell

OCDA News, the official publication of the OhioChoral Directors Association, is published threetimes annually and is distributed without charge tomembers of the Association as well as to selectedmembers and officers of the American Choral Direc-tors Association. Distribution is by PDF file that is e-mailed and posted at ohiocda.org. OCDA reservesthe right to determine inclusion of materials submit-ted and to edit all materials proposed for distribution.

Copy and Ad Submission Deadlines: September 15for the Fall Issue, January 15 for the Winter Issue, andApril 15 for the Spring Issue.

Advertising Rates: a full-page ad is $135 per issue, ahalf-page ad is $80 per issue, and a quarter-page ad is$45 per issue. A 15% discount is offered on the pur-chase of three consecutive ads; other discounts areavailable. Please contact the editor for exact ad sizesand other specifications.

2017 Summer Conference June 19-21, 2017

Otterbein University Westerville, OH

Stacey V. Gibbs is a prolific and highly sought-after composer-arranger. Best known for arrangements of spirituals, he is highly acclaimed for his ability to infuse new energy into familiar works without sacrificing their authenticity or power. Maestro Gibbs' spirituals have been performed by the United States Air Force Sergeants, The St. Olaf Choir, the Stellenbosch Choir of Africa, and many other college, university, high school and professional ensembles both domestically and internationally. His music has been programmed at all state festivals, National Association of Music Educators (MENC) Festivals, the World Choir Games and regional and national American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Conventions.

Tim Sharp is Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association. Dr. Sharp pursues an aggressive agenda of progressive initiatives to keep ACDA energized and relevant in the 21st membership to excellence in choral music performance, education, composition, and advocacy. Tim is also in his fifth season as Artistic Director of the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus, Tulsa, where critics characterize his

Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts, Precision Conducting, Up Front! Becoming the Complete Choral Conductor, Achieving Choral Blend and Balance, Memphis Music Before the Blues, Nashville Music Before Country, Jubilate! Amen!,Collaborative Creativity, and a variety of articles, essays, and CD liner notes. His most recent publication is the historical-critical edition Johannes Herbst: Hymns to be Sung at the Pianoforte.

Enjoy three days of inspiring sessions designed especially for professional or rising choral conductors

utstanding choirs from Ohio

Registration materials online:

www.ohiocda.org

Graduate Credit Available Reduced Student Registration Rate Check out our New Member incentives and referral discount!

Need ideas to help fund your conference experience?

Visit https://acda.org/files/choral_journals/HowtoObtainFunding.pdf

Questions? Contact: Christopher Dent, Conference Chair ocdaconference@gmail.com 614.208.6778

High School Teachers High School Honor

Monday, June 19 ONE-DAY EVENT!

Dr. Gayle Walker and Dr. Peter Jarjisian, conductors

More Info: OCDAhonorchoir@gmail.com

Ann Usher is a Professor of Music at The University of Akron and Director of the School of Music, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate choral music education classes. Before her appointment as Director, she also supervised student teachers, and directed the University Singers. In 2012-13 she also served as Interim Director of the School of Dance, Theater, and Arts Administration. Prior to joining the Akron faculty, she taught public school choral music for eleven years, specializing in the middle school level.

Conference Headliners

2017 OCDA SUMMER CONFERENCE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Registration fees include parking, the Tuesday business luncheon, the Tuesday evening social event, and reading session music (guaranteed only for workshop participants registering by June 9, 2017). Fill out the registration form and return as indicated below. The registration must be postmarked by June 9, 2017, in order for the pre-registration fees to apply. After June 9, a higher fee structure is in place (see below). Reading session packets cannot be guaranteed for those who do not pre-register by the June 9 deadline. A refund will be made if a written cancellation is received by June 9, 2017. After that date a deduction of $80.00 will be made. The option to earn graduate credit through Otterbein University is available for pre-registrants only. If you would like to receive graduate credit information, please indicate this in the appropriate space on the registration form below. A current copy of your teaching license must be either mailed in with your registration form or brought with you to the conference. Mail payment and Registration Form to: Christopher Dent, OCDA Summer Conference Coordinator, 4503 Edgarton Drive, Grove City, OH 43123. E-mail or call Christopher with questions: ocdaconference@gmail.com, 614-208-6778. Make checks payable to the Ohio Choral Directors Association.

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REGISTRATION FORM

Name ______________________________________________________________County________________________________ ACDA Membership # _________________Email address __________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street City State Zip Home or cell phone __________________________________ Business phone ________________________________________ First-Time Conference Attendee? Yes No Pre-Registration (postmarked by June 9, 2017) Late Registration (postmarked after June 9, 2017) ______ $154 ACDA member ______ $184 ACDA member ______ $228 non-member (includes membership*) ______ $258 non-member (includes membership*) ______ $74 retired member ______ $104 retired member ______ $119 retired non-member (includes membership) ______ $149 retired non-member (includes membership) ______ $89 non-member spouse (does not include membership) ______ $119 non-member spouse (does not include membership) ______ $44 student member/1st year teacher ______ $84 student member/1st year teacher ______ $89 student non-member (includes membership) ______ $119 student non-member (includes membership) * New member price reflects $21 discount, which equals the amount of OCDA dues for one year! Other Items of Interest

______ $9.00 I am interested in purchasing a box lunch for the Lunch Roundtable Discussions. Please circle your meal option: Ham Turkey Roast Beef Veggie (Interest areas include: College/University, High School/Jazz/Show, MS/Jr. High, Elementary/ /Boys, Church/Community)

______ I am interested in receiving graduate credit information.

ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCE HALL LODGING Rooms are air-conditioned. Linens are optional (see below) and include sheets, a pillowcase, and towels. No pillows are provided. On campus lodging rates will be available beginning in March, 2017. $___________ TOTAL CONFERENCE PAYMENT (Make checks payable to OCDA)

How did you hear about our conference opportunity?

____ Website ____ OMEA Conference ____ Referred by current OCDA member ____________________________ (member name) (Referring member receives a $10 rebate on registration to the conference.)

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Leadership Roster

PridentLoren Veigel2851 Sherwood Ave NWMassillon, OH 44646lveig@sssnet.comH: 330-837-8371C: 330-685-2558Voices of Canton, Inc.Witte Travel

V.P. (Past Prident)Dara Gillis5205 Cascade DrPowell, OH 43065dbgillis1@yahoo.comO: 740-833-1010 x4355C: 614-327-1073Delaware Hayes High School

Prident EleRichard Schnipke413 Strafer St.Cincinnati, OH 45226schnipker@xavier.eduO: 513-745-2832C: 614-325-9661Xavier University

SraryBrandon Moss1759 Canvasback LaneColumbus, OH 43215brandonlmoss@gmail.comC: 614-499-8089O: 614-801-6554Central Crossing High School

TreasurerKent W. Vandock8192 County Road DDelta, OH 43515kwvandock@gmail.comH: 419-822-5716O: 419-445-5579C: 419-270-5396Archbold Local Schools

NW Region ChairBeth Vaughn1015 Crystal Meadows Ct.Findlay, OH 45840

bethvaughn@me.comO: 419-354-0100 x1154C: 419-303-4582Bowling Green High School

SW Region ChairKellyAnn Nelson650 Walnut St.Cincinnati, OH 45202kellyann.nelson@cincinnatiboychoir.orgC: 616-405-5742Cincinnati BoychoirYoung Professionals Choral Collective

SC Region Chair Zebulon Highben156 Amazon PlaceColumbus, OH 43214zhighben@muskingum.eduO: 740-826-8103H: 614-641-7706Muskingum University

NE Region ChairTyler Skidmore1045 N. Jefferson St. Unit CMedina, OH 44256skidmort@medinabees.orgtyler_skidmore@yahoo.comC: 330-590-0075Medina High School

EC Region ChairWei Cheng5651 Shadowbrook Dr.Columbus, OH 43235chengw@denison.eduO: 740-587-8506C: 513-265-0217Denison University

Information Thnology CoordinatorEric West417 Jefferson AvenueDefiance, OH 43512ewest@defcity.orgO: 419-784-2777C: 419-439-1763Defiance High School

Conference Commiee ChairChristopher R. Dent4503 Edgarton DriveGrove City, OH 43123dent.50@osu.eduC: 614-208-6778Indianola Presbyterian Church

Elementary Ftival ChairJulie Strebler583 Malvern Rd.Akron, OH 44303jstrebler@coventryschools.orgC: 330-554-4605O: 330-644-3004Coventry High School

Children’s Honor Choir ChairJennifer Call22550 Westchester Rd.Shaker Heights, OH 44122jcall@ochoristers.orgH: 216-417-5196O: 440-774-4079C: 440-454-2813Oberlin Choristers

High School Honor Choir ChairAnn Johnson9297 Cliff Springs TrailColumbus, OH 43240singerann82@gmail.comO: 614-417-5100 x2529C: 614-218-2965Whitehall Yearling High School

Exhibits ChairKeith Tankersley3832 Carberry Dr.Dublin, OH 43016keithatankersley@gmail.comC: 740-417-0112O: 740-833-1010 x4355Delaware City Schools

Newsler EditorTim Cloeter1082 Fairview Ave., Apt. N3Bowling Green, OH 43402cloetet@bgsu.edu

O: 419-372-8288C: 262-527-8151Bowling Green State University

HistorianAmy Gelsone1334 Winghaven RoadMaumee, OH 43537ajgelsone@yahoo.comC: 419-276-0744Anthony Wayne High School

Membership ChairDoug O’Neal277 S. 17th St.Columbus, OHrdohio@gmail.comH: 614-271-3684O: 740-657-4276Olentangy Liberty High School

Student Chapter RepDaniel Curtis Cox314 E. John St.Maumee, OH 43537dancox@bgsu.eduC: 419-708-5354Bowling Green State University

Mentorship ChairBrad Pierson4 Tremain Dr.Toledo, OH 43620Bradley.Pierson2@utoledo.edubradleyscottpierson@gmail.comC: 702-561-1653O: 419-530-4558University of Toledo

RiredVacant

Repertoire & Standards ChairsC HILDR E N’S C HOIR & C OMMUNIT Y YOU TH

Jeremy David249 Bowden LaneSpringdale, OH 45246jeremydavid@foresthills.eduC: 609-284-8826Maddux Elementary School

YOU TH/ST UDE N T

Jeremy D. Jones112 Lantern Ridge RoadOxford, OH 45056jonesj5@miamioh.eduO: 513-529-6009C: 615-584-1792H: 513-280-5001Miami University

J UNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE S C HO OL

Libby Hainrihar1105 Rambling Brook WayDelaware, OH 43015libby_hainrihar@yahoo.comO: 937-578-6200 x6355C: 740-972-6522Marysville High School

HIGH S C HO OL

Kristen Snyder2061 Jones RdGranville, OH 43023snyderkc@gmail.comC: 614-806-5747O: 740-587-8105 x5020Granville High School

C OLLEGE/UNI V E R SIT Y

Marie Bucoy-Calavan222 Melbourne Ave.Akron, OH 44313mbucoycalavan@uakron.edumariebucoy@gmail.comC: 909-268-8673O: 330-972-5211University of Akron

SHOWC HOIR

Emily Garlock6027 Triple Crown Drive Medina, OH 44256especialjazz@gmail.comgarlocke@bbhcsd.orgC: 418-512-3750O: 440-740-4879Brecksville-Broadview Heights HighSchool

VO C AL JAz z

Chris Ilg2767 Matthew LaneMedina, OH 44256chrispilg@gmail.comC: 330-241-2005Highland High School

WOME N’S C HORUS

Kristina MacMullen315 Weigel Hall1866 College Rd.Columbus, OH 43202macmullen.1@osu.eduC: 517-902-7524O: 614-292-9926e Ohio State University

ME N’S C HORUS

Jason Falkofsky10410 Plymouth Ave. Garfield Hts., OH 44125 jfalkofsky@att.netjfalkosfky@ignatius.eduC: 216-548-4898O: 216-651-2199Saint Ignatius High School

ETHNIC & MULTIC ULT UR AL

Lynda Hasseler1 College and MainColumbus, OH 43209-2394lhassele@capital.eduO: 614-236-6243Capital University

C OMMUNIT Y C HOIR S

Tim and Tracy Carpenter945 Caribou Run LaneMitford, Ohio 45150Carpenter_tim@milfordschools.orgCarpenter_t@milfordschools.orgtntcarp@clermontfestivalchorale.orgC: 513-886-1606 (Tracy)C: 513-885-1606 (Tim)Milford High School and Middle SchoolClermont Festival ChoraleMilford First United Methodist Church

MUSIC/WOR SHIP

Daniel Parsley817 5th St. NW, Apt. 9Canton, OH 44703dparsley@faithumchurch.orgdan.fumc@gmail.comC: 513-477-9936O: 330-499-6040 x28Faith United Methodist Church

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