With back to back educational, development, performance, and networking opportunities, the first of seven ACDA divisional conferences opens this week in Philadelphia with the Eastern Division Conference. Division President Lynn Drafall and her leadership team have assembled a stellar program, full of innovation as well as the foundational choral experiences that ACDA members return for, year after year.

The full schedule of events along with "Breaking News" information regarding the February 10-13 Conference is available at  http://www.acdaeast.org/  The website includes all conference information along with "Breaking News" related to hotels, schedule changes, and weather information related to scheduling.

by Robyn Lana, National Chair for Children's and Youth Community Choirs

The Children’s Choir Repertoire and Standards Committee for the American Choral Directors Association, including the Division Chairs and myself, are grateful to the ACDA membership for passing the change of name in our interest area title.  We understand that it is now our call to demonstrate the value of this change of name through action, and to answer questions that may arise that inevitably come with change.  

Online voting has led to the highest percentage of ACDA voting on record in the recently concluded election. In the election for ACDA President Elect Designate, Karen Fulmer was chosen by the ACDA membership for this leadership position. Karen's choral music education and performance career has been focused in the area of middle school and high school choral music teaching.

The American Choral Directors Association is now accepting applications for positions on the Choral Journal Editorial Board as well as for chairs on the National Repertoire & Standards Committee. Both areas are part of ACDA's six standing committee structure, and represent excellent national leadership opportunities for interested and qualified members.

A team of conductors, the ACDA National Children’s Choir Repertoire & Standards Committee, and representatives from Chorus America and Choristers Guild have come together to offer the community of children’s/youth conductors an opportunity to share, develop artistically, educationally and administratively.  The weekend offers a variety of sessions including several round tables to learn from each other.  Presenters include Angela Broeker, Ruth Dwyer, Sandra Mathias, Tim Sharp, Judith Herrington, Christy Elsner, and Chorus America representatives Barbara Tagg and Ann Meier Baker.  Conducting Master Classes focusing on beginning and advanced teaching techniques are being offered with opportunities to lead the Indianapolis Children’s Choir’s advanced ensemble and the Cincinnati Children’s Choir’s youngest, training ensemble.