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.
One of the most important, yet underdeveloped, teaching tools is our ability to clearly represent what we mean musically through gesture. Often in rehearsals, we send conflicting messages to the ensemble. We tell the choir one thing but show something else entirely. Creating consistency between what the ensemble is told and what they are shown […]
Fort Wayne IN.This session, will examine decisions we can make to enhance our own rehearsal and conducting technique in an effort to inspire the level of artistry that our students, the music, the listener, and we as conductors all deserve. Topics covered will include: respecting the gesture, respecting musicianship, respecting the repertoire, respecting composer intent, respecting our […]
Dallas, TXThe session is based in leadership principals outlined in current best sellers including The Art of Possibility, Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior, Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence, The Courage to Teach, Good to Great, Talent is never Enough and Blink. There will be numerous opportunities for audience participation […]
Dallas, TXThis session will explore rehearsal techniques for the choral conductor, drawing from William Dehning’s “12 Commandments” as the primary basis of the session; (excerpted from Dehning’s Chorus Confidential: Decoding the Secret of the Choral Art (2003: Pavane). The session will also explore less familiar techniques such as “thesis-antithesis-synthesis”; “macro-micro-macro”; and “stimulus variation.” All of the […]
Winston-Salem, NCThis session will be a panel discussion of college and university teachers of conducting that will address the preparation of student conductors, with particular attention to the special challenges facing female choral conductors, and how best to mentor and prepare them for successful careers. Panelists include: Hilary Apfelstadt, director of choral activities, faculty of music, […]
Winston-Salem, NC
