An Open Letter to ACDA Membership-Name Change Signals Inclusivity

by Robyn Lana, National Chair for Children's and Community Youth 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.  Many in ACDA membership have not experienced the misperception of who is served by the Children’s Choir R & S area and why the committee felt the need to propose the change of name to "Children's and Community Youth Choirs." Internationally, the term “children” includes young children through young adult.  That has not been the case in the USA.  The committee proposed the title change in an attempt to be inclusive and clearly indicate who is served by this R & S area.  We are proud to include our youngest training choirs in community, church, and school programs.  It is our responsibility to build the foundation for the future of choral music in the United States.  We are also proud to serve community youth/children’s choirs that have developed from community, church, and school programs and are not part of regular school curriculum/course offerings.  To those of us active in the field, it has always been clear that "children's choir" involves older youth as well as elementary programs.  As Karen Bruno eloquently pointed out in her October 2009 Choral Journal article “Keep America’s Youth Singing,” much of the national misperception is due to the success of MENC and their service to school based curricula.  Church and community programs have often been misunderstood to fit into such a mold.  The Children’s and Community Youth Choir Repertoire and Standards Committee is proud to serve a variety of "community" programs outside of school which include sacred and secular organizations.  As stated in our proposal, the repertoire considered for reading sessions, in order to NOT overlap with those already offered through vibrant R & S committees (High School, Middle School, Community Choirs, etc . . .), will remain in the area of beginning-to-advanced treble repertoire. This committee has included an occasional changing male voice part as well, but treble repertoire will remain the focus.We hope to see change in the listening expectations of those who hear advanced community treble choirs and their perception that they are not “children” because of the older youth singers participating. We hope this change will help address the concerns of those who work with parent and various levels of administrative challenges in extra-curricular activities that are unlike school programs. We hope to see change in the perceptions of those who hear a community mixed choir who will not perform the same as the adult community choirs or school programs, but are offering a high standard of artistry to their community and should be recognized and served. As the newly named interest area grows into its own, we look forward to welcoming ACDA members, and new ACDA members, as we develop and work toward inclusivity.  We are here to serve you, and work with you, and we together look forward to the future of children and youth conductor/teachers in ACDA.ACDA Children's Choir Conductor's Retreat a HUGE SuccessOn January 16-17, 2010, the Cincinnati Children's Choirhosted the inaugural ACDA Children’s Choir Conductor’s Retreat at theUniversity of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  The two-day event involved 109conductor/teachers, 240 young singers, and attracted ACDA members from 29states coast to coast and Canada. Additionally, the retreat committee, comprised of Robyn Lana, JudithHerrington, Sharon Smith, Linda Berg, Jena Dickey, and Barbara Tagg withtremendous support and participation from the Children’s Choir Division Chairs,can boast of 20 new ACDA memberships that were a direct result of registeringfor the mini-conference.Clinicians included Paul Caldwell, Barbara Tagg, andCatherine Davies from Chorus America, Heather Potter from Choristers Guild, aswell as Henry Leck, Ruth Dwyer, Sandra Mathias, Kelly Ann Westgate, CatherineSailer, Tim Sharp, Angela Broeker, Judith Herrington, Christy Elsner, EmilyEllsworth, and Deborah Mello.  Theretreat explored everything from audition challenges and procedures tocommunity building, warm-ups to sight singing stategies, beginning choirs toadvanced choirs, and reading sessions from classic “War Horses” to new “Gems.”Participating choirs included two choirs from the CincinnatiChildren's Choir (advanced choir under the direction of Robyn Lana and youngesttraining choir under the direction of Sandra Bosher Thornton), ColumbusChildren’s Choir under Sandra Mathias, and the Indianapolis Children’s Choirunder Henry Leck and assisted by Josh Pedde.A highlight of the event was a performance of Orff’s Carmina Burana under the direction ofPaavo Jarvi with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the May Festival Chorus(under Robert Porco), and the Cincinnati Children's Choir.The retreat is a direct result of feedback collected in theChildren’s Choir Repertoire and Standards Roundtable, “What Can ACDA Do ForYou?” at the March 2009 National Conference in Oklahoma City.  The retreat will be a biennialmini-conference held Martin Luther King Day weekend every two years.  The next event is scheduled for January 14-15,2012 in Denver, CO.“The most beneficialconference I have experienced. . . “ Angie Johnson, Young Naperville Singers".... a mostfantastic conference.” Angie McGillivray, Mount Royal Arioso“It was wonderful to be with somany talented and committed children's choir conductors!” Lea Hoppe, ElementaryMusic Teacher, Alabama