American Choral Directors Association

The mission of ACDA is to inspire excellence and nurture lifelong involvement in choral music for everyone through education, performance, composition and advocacy.

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Interest Session



Expanding the Repertoire: A Fresh Look at Programming and Literature for Male Chorus

This session will focus on programming and repertoire ideas for male chorus that may typically be overlooked. The following questions will be explored: What repertoire makes a male chorus concert interesting? How does a conductor find the balance between literature that is challenging yet accessible? What pieces help to build an audience (and keep them […]

Reno NV.



Conducting Choral Colors

Become the teacher/conductor who reflects vocal subtleties of language and style in your gesture. As your group grows into the performance, bringing the music up off the page. your gesture invites even greater vocal expression and coloring. Do you think of yourself as an artist in rehearsal or only when you walk on stage to […]

Reno NV.
Vance Y. George



Breathing New Life into Music of the Renaissance

Renaissance choral scores, often with few or no helpful performance suggestions, can lead to shapeless, uninspired delivery of this beautiful and expressive music, leaving audiences and choirs non-plussed, and conductors discouraged in their efforts to educate, inform and entertain. In this hands-on session, Schauer will lead participants to examine and re-think performance of sacred and […]

Reno NV.
Elizabeth Schauer



What’s New in Technology for the Choral Director

An overview of cool new technology gadgets and easy to do accompaniment solutions for all choral directors. Keep up to date in amazing recording devices, sound solutions, accompaniment solutions, wireless microphones, visual assessment tools, sight singing, ear training, AP theory software, keyboard theory, and more. See, hear, and compare practical technology innovations for the twenty-first […]

Dallas, TX
Peggy Morales



Voice Building “P90X”-style: Extreme Warm-ups, Aural Skills, and Movements that Build Vocalism and Musicianship in Rehearsals

Do you use the same warm-ups at the beginning of each rehearsal? Do your singers simply “go through the motions” of warm-ups? Warm-ups can become a routine, mundane part of daily rehearsals. However, the first few minutes of each rehearsal are the most valuable in building vocalism and musicianship among your singers. Learn and experience […]

Dallas, TX
Carolyn S. Cruse