Arizona

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COUNTDOWN TO  TUCSON

From Cheryl Anderson, President and Convention Chair:

Tucson will be gorgeous in March, and the convenience of Tucson itself will be easy and congenial. The local food, the zest for life, the exquisite St. Augustine’s Cathedral, and the sheer beauty of the location all provide the perfect backdrop for an impressive array of events.

Most of us have long known and revered the work of Chanticleer for decades.  They are a consummate men’s ensemble with a broad range of literature and style.  They are dazzling performers in every genre of music. 

If you don’t know Incheon City Chorale, you are in for the treat of a life-time. They performed in Oklahoma City the music of Korean composers with exquisite artistry.  Their showmanship includes dance, costumes, and formal concerts.  Their performance of Whitacre’s “When David Heard” was a conference highlight.

From Elizabeth Schauer , 2010 Western Division Site Chair

For those of you who have never been able to attend a regional or national convention, now is the time! I can still remember my first convention and how overjoyed I was with the opportunity to be surrounded by people who shared my passion for choral music as we attended inspiring concerts, learned from master conductors, sang new music, visited exhibits and fervently discussed, argued and celebrated all of the above. If you have attended a conference before, I urge you to bring a colleague who has never had that experience.

Participants can expect to be wowed by the Grammy Award-winning sound of Chanticleer, the only full-time classical vocal ensemble in the United States; as well as the internationally acclaimed Incheon City Chorale, Korea’s top chorus.

Concerts also will feature fifteen choral groups, selected by audition, from throughout our five-state region representing high school, community, middle school, college, jazz, children’s and boy’s choirs. Choristers from Arizona’s three regents’ institutions (Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona) will combine efforts in a special concert of Honegger’s King David with orchestra, conducted by William Hatcher.

Reading sessions of new music with thirteen different focus areas (women’s/men’s, college, worship and music, multi-cultural, children’s, etc.) will be offered. Interest sessions on topics including rehearsal techniques, score study, sight-reading, vocal tone, Eurythmics, interpretation, recruiting and literature will round out the program. 

Opportunities for our student choristers abound as well: three honor choirs are a vital component of the conference and include a children’s choir conducted by Cheryl DuPont, conductor of the New Orleans Children’s Choir; a high school mixed choir conducted by Jeffery Ames of Belmont University, and a college/university mixed choir conducted by Weston Noble, Conductor Emeritus of Luther College.

What does Tucson have to offer? At the beginning of March, the temperatures are in the 70s and 80s during the day with plenty of sunshine, ideal for exploring all that this wonderful city has to offer. The Tucson airport is small, easy to navigate and less than 10 miles from the convention hotel. The convention sites all are within walking distance of each other (no shuttles!). A city of around 500,000 people (in a larger county), Tucson is rife with cultural and entertainment offerings. Come early or stay late, bring your family and take advantage of the many live musical, dance and theatrical events, great golf, award-winning chefs and restaurants, art and national history museums, an active nightlife scene, outdoor activities, Reid Park Zoo, high end shopping as well as a quirky retro/hippie shopping area, and much more. There truly is something for everyone, not just cowboys and cacti (though we have that too)!

Check out the convention website for additional information you will need about attending the convention http://acda.org/western/Convention.html. I look forward to welcoming you in March – please let me know how I can help you in your plans to attend.