Sharp Notes Tim Sharp's Blog

It is appropriate to take a moment to reflect on the state of our
American Choral Directors Association as I begin my fourth year as
ACDA’s third Executive Director. 

It remains an honor to serve the membership of ACDA in this capacity: I
enjoy the challenges, and the opportunity to bring value and
inspiration to ACDA’s membership. The opportunity to foster and promote
the very best in choral music is a worthy endeavor.

As the American Choral Directors Association enters a new year and a new decade, our agenda is energetic and shows great promise for the further transformation of the Association. As we advance the ACDA choral mission of excellence in education and performance, we will continue to help our membership advance their own skills and professional network, and we will do so by focusing on the following priorities:

1) strategic planning,

2) education and communication,

3) technological advancements,

4) innovative conferences, and

5) choral research.

The choral conductor by definition has stepped into a highly visible
position of leadership. A worthy leader is not satisfied with doing only
good work--it is our desire to move from good to great. In Jim Collins'
writing on moving good organizations to great organizations, he offers
key ideas for moving in this direction.

• Leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and
into a larger goal of building a great organization.

As one of my primary life and career mentors retired and moved to a
location closer to children and grandchildren, this giant in my career
made a point of sending some of the physical reminders of his work and
craft to his protégés. It was a personal and extraordinarily meaningful
gesture on his part. The personal items from his life of work arrived
without a note of explanation, or even a signature--none was needed. The
message was clear and self-apparent. My mentor knew I would know the
meaning of his gift and symbol, and he knew I had no practical need for
it.

During this century of rampant causefusion, as entire industries such as banking, energy, communication, transportation, entertainment, health care, and virtually every segment attempts to come to grips with the changes taking place in the world, choral directors could be lulled into some sort of false security about our area of work.  After all, Petrucci could return tomorrow, and, in effect, be able to still use the same choral music delivery technology he created in 1501. He and Guttenberg would be amazed at every technology other than their own.