Cantate Spring 2016

Transcription

Cantate Spring 2016

2 • Cantate • Vol. 28, No. 2 • Spring 2016
California ACDA
5 | CH-CH-CHANGES
from the president’s pen · by lou de la rosa
7 | TBA
letter from the editor
· by eliza rubenstein
8 | MESSIAH IN THE MARGINS
project messiah brings handel to los angeles’ skid row
· by zanaida robles
12 | PUTTING THE COMMUNITY IN COMMUNITY CHORUSES
how one bay-area chorus makes outreach a priority · by kristina nakagawa
14 | RETHINKING THE CLOSER
the composer’s voice · by dale trumbore
16 | THE IRRESISTIBLE INTERVIEW
preparing choral education students for the job search
18 | 2016 SUMMER CONFERENCE AT ECCO
new! composition contest and poster session!
21 | SEEN AND HEARD
ca-acda members in pictures
22 | NEWS AND NOTES
· by chris peterson
honor choir MEMBERs from
El Diamante High School (John
Sorber, director) at WD-ACDA in
Pasadena (Photo by Brandi Rauen).
more photos on page 21!
happenings from around the state
25 | VISION FOR THE FUTURE
introducing the new charles c. hirt scholarship
26 | VISION FOR THE FUTURE
scholarship fund donors
29 | TOP FIVE: MULTICULTURAL MUSIC
by daniel afonso
30 | TOP FIVE: SHOW CHOIRS
by bill zinn
32 | TOP FIVE: COLLEGE-LEVEL MUSIC
by angel vázquez-ramos
33 | TOP FIVE: MUSIC IN WORSHIP
by christopher gravis
34 | CALIFORNIA ACDA DIRECTORY
Leading the Way
Cantate • Vol. 28, No. 2 • Spring 2016 • 3
CANTATE
Volume 28, Number 2
Official publication of the
California Chapter of the American
Choral Directors’ Association
Eliza Rubenstein, editor
[email protected]
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS
We welcome and encourage California ACDA
members to contribute articles, announcements,
music and book reviews, job vacancy listings,
photographs, and other items of interest to Cantate!
Please send queries and article ideas to
[email protected]. You are also
welcome to submit completed articles, but please
note that not all articles received will be published.
Deadlines for publication are as follows:
August 15 (Fall issue); November 1
(Winter issue); March 1 (Spring issue).
The editor reserves the right to edit all submissions.
WHEREAS,
the human spirit is elevated to a
broader understanding of itself
through study and performance in
the aesthetic arts, and
WHEREAS,
serious cutbacks in funding and
support have steadily eroded state
institutions and their programs
throughout our country,
BE IT RESOLVED
that all citizens of the United
States actively voice their affirmative
and collective support for necessary
funding at the local, state, and national
levels of education and government,
to ensure the survival of arts programs
for this and future generations.
California ACDA members are
encouraged to print this ACDA
resolution in all programs.
ADVERTISING IN CANTATE
Please visit our website (www.acdacal.org) or
e-mail us at [email protected] for
complete information on advertising in Cantate,
including rates, deadlines, and graphics specifications.
Advertisements are subject to editorial approval.
On the cover: Members of the Carlmont
High School choirs (Belmont, CA) rehearse under
the direction of Genevieve Tep. Photo by
Robyn Peters; used with her kind permission.
2016 EVENTS CALENDAR
Summer Conference at ECCO
July 24-27, Oakhurst
Fall Southern Regional Conference
Saturday, September 10
Fall Northern Regional Conference
Saturday, September 17
California ACDA
From The president’s pen:
CH-Ch-Changes
he California All-State Music Education
T
Conference (CASMEC) and Western
Division ACDA (WDACDA) conferences
Lou De La Rosa is the
president of
California
ACDA and the
Director of Choral
and
Vocal Studies
at
West Valley
College in Saratoga.
He has taught music in
the
San Jose area for
more than
including
30 years,
13 years at
Lincoln High School,
a visual and performing arts school.
He has
served his peers through
numerous professional
organizations.
Lou feels
lucky to be married to
Mary and is proud to be
the father of
Christine,
Katherine, and Emily.
He enjoys woodworking, loathes plumbing
repairs, and is a die-hard
fan of the
2014 World
Champion San
Francisco Giants.
Leading the Way
are now behind us. Not only were both
conferences tremendous successes, but we now
know they are not mutually destructive! The
fact that both succeeded with just two weeks
between them points to a previously untapped
need for both conferences. WDACDA
President-Elect Travis Rogers and I are
seeking ways to maintain unique aspects for
both conferences in order to ensure the success
and relevance of each. After discussions with
Travis and ACDA Executive Director Tim
Sharp, future division conferences will be kept
as far away from CASMEC as possible.
Many thanks to site host Jeffrey Benson for
helping me organize the first-ever California
ACDA State Conference, John Russell for
organizing the dispersal of jobs, Carolyn
Teraoka-Brady for serving as liaison at the
concert sessions, and Arlie Langager for
serving as interest session liaison. The entire
board stepped up both in San Jose and in
Pasadena to do what needed to be done to
create successful conferences—living up to our
motto, “Leading the Way.”
t the California ACDA General Session
A
at CASMEC, President-Elect Rob
Istad and I gave what amounted to a State of
the Chapter presentation. It was exciting to
have music educators come up afterward to
tell me that they would join ACDA for the
first time as a result of hearing our plans for
the future! Those plans involve a significant
change to the structure of the organization
which, if approved, will allow us to better
support the needs of all choral directors
throughout the Golden State.
About twenty years ago, California
ACDA was actually two entities: Northern
California ACDA, and Southern California
ACDA. After years of operating separately, it
was determined that uniting the two organizations into one statewide chapter would be in
the best interest of California choral directors.
And so it has been.
Today we are at a similar crossroads.
Twenty years ago, California ACDA ran
two All-State Honor Choirs, four Regional
Honor Choirs, the Summer Conference at
ECCO, and two Fall Reading Sessions.
This year we ran four All-State Honor
Choirs, four Regional Honor Choirs, the
Summer Conference at ECCO, two Fall
Regional Conferences, and a new State
Conference in San Jose. Next year we will add
two more Regional Honor Choirs, and we
will take over registration and all expenses for
the State Conference at CASMEC, which up
to now have been borne by CMEA.
In addition, we subsidize student memberships through the Sing Up Membership
Drive, which will increase our future membership but costs us $15 per student member, and
have embarked on the Vision for the Future
Scholarship program to assist professionals
participate in life-changing choral experiences.
Times have changed. Therefore, the
California ACDA Board of Directors
recommended at the January meeting that
the Executive Committee pursue the creation
of a nonprofit corporation which would be
known as the California Choral Directors
Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, tax-exempt
corporation. This directive was made following numerous discussions between the
California ACDA Executive Committee
(Rob Istad, Vice President Lori Marie Rios,
and me), Past National President Jo-Michael
Scheibe, Tim Sharp, ACDA Controller
Marvin Meyer, and others over the past year.
The California Choral Directors Association
would supplant the California ACDA chapter
and become an affiliate organization of
ACDA National rather than a chapter, just as
Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska,
and Montana already are. Of course, the voting members of California ACDA will have
the opportunity to approve this recommended
plan in an election to be held in the fall.
What are the benefits of becoming our own
non-profit corporation? First, we would be
fully in control of our destiny, including our
financial future; we would have the ability to
adjust dues if needed, which we cannot do as
a chapter. At present, the National Office has
the final say with regard to financial commitments; we require approval of the National
Office for all our endeavors, such as managing Vision for the
Future, setting up PayPal operations for credit card payments
for All-State and ECCO, and the forthcoming financial
commitments of hosting the annual conference in conjunction
with the All-State Honor Choirs and CASMEC.
Moreover, everything that we do in California is subject
to the laws of Oklahoma, since that’s where the ACDA
national office is located. This is no way to run a business,
which is what California ACDA has become. We presently
have an annual budget just over $250,000, but that will
likely be surpassed in the not-too-distant future. It is untenable for us as a chapter to meet the needs of our burgeoning
membership with the increased level of service we have
planned, confined by the laws of a state so completely different from ours and with only one-tenth the population of ours.
One of the advantages of becoming our own corporation
is the freedom to reconfigure our bylaws and Articles of
Incorporation in a way that reflects our needs. It is possible
that we may choose to structure our organization differently
from other states, which affiliate status would give us the
flexibility to do. We are currently investigating ways to cut
costs while maintaining the voices of our constituents. The
national office fully endorses this course of action, and every
state leader I’ve consulted in Iowa and Ohio has said that the
move to affiliation status was the best thing their chapter did.
The full board will meet with Tim Sharp prior to the
Summer Conference at ECCO to begin to determine what
the new ACDA national Constitution and Bylaws mean for
California. Tim plans to stay until Tuesday, which will give
ECCO attendees the opportunity to speak with him one on
one. I hope that you will take the opportunity to do so and
to talk with the members of the California ACDA Board
between now and the fall election. I think you will find a high
level of excitement for the possibilities that lie before us with
the creation of the California Choral Directors Association.
We plan to hold a fall election, and pending approval,
the newly established CCDA will charter on July 1, 2017,
with the start of Rob Istad’s presidency, making me the last
president of the California ACDA chapter.
ne of the changes we’ve already made is in the way that
O
our administrator operates. When the post of executive
secretary was created, California ACDA had board mem-
bers who served as treasurer and as separate conference and
reading-session registrars. Jan Lanterman was the first executive secretary and was contracted to carry out the directives of
the board. Jan immediately assumed the role of treasurer as
part of her duties and soon took on the duties of registrar for
the Summer Conference at ECCO and the reading sessions,
along with many other responsibilities.
Beginning July 1, we are creating the position of executive
administrator, with the directive and authority to keep the
organizational trains running on time, and we’re moving
toward a more streamlined online presence. We’re thrilled to
have contracted Dr. Kathleen Preston to fill this role; you can
read more about her below.
For the past 15 years, Jan has served California ACDA
as executive secretary with a devotion to meeting the needs of
every member. She has been the face of CA-ACDA to the
public, and the soft voice of wisdom and experience to the
board and the executive committee in particular—so it is with
abundant admiration and thanks that we bid her a fond adieu
at the end of June. We will formally thank her for her tireless
service to California ACDA at ECCO. We’ll record and
post this event to the California ACDA website so everyone
may witness and give honor to Jan; I’m sure each of you will
want to thank her for her many kindnesses over the years.
s you can see, the first nine months of my presidency
A
have been eventful, but I hope my efforts will provide a
less stressful experience for my successors. I cannot imagine
doing it without the support of the board, and in particular
the wise counsel of Vice President Lori Marie Rios and
President-Elect Rob Istad. We make a pretty good team. 
Dr. Kathleen Preston will become our new Executive Administrator on July 1. Beginning in April, she will
shadow Jan Lanterman in order to become familiar with the organization. Jan has graciously helped us create
a smooth transition, and we thank her for her professionalism and kindness.
Besides being the Administrative Director of the Long Beach Camerata Singers, Kathleen is an Associate Professor of Psychology at CSU-Fullerton, where she teaches
Advanced Computer Applications and multiple classes in Statistics, and an adjunct
faculty member at Claremont Graduate University, where she teaches Meta-analysis.
She has developed and maintained databases for two non-profit community choruses, chaired fundraising efforts for the CSUF School of Music, served on committees
at her church, published numerous articles in professional journals, and presented at
numerous symposia. Just as importantly, Kathleen is a dedicated choral singer, with a
ready smile and a dry sense of humor. We’re excited to welcome her!
California ACDA
letter from the editor:
UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS
W
Eliza Rubenstein is the
Director of Choral
and
Vocal Activities at
Orange Coast College,
and the
Artistic
Director of the
Orange County
Women’s Chorus
and the
Long Beach
Chorale & Chamber
Orchestra. She holds
degrees from
Oberlin
College and UC-Irvine,
and she is a former
animal-shelter supervisor and the co-author
of a book about dog
adoption.
Eliza lives
with a beagle mix named
Frances, a black lab
named
Jackie, and a
cat named
Wilbur, and
she’s passionate about
grammar,
Thai food,
photography, and the
St. Louis Cardinals.
Leading the Way
hen I was 21 and a penniless graduate
student, I spent my last five dollars and
put on my nicest clothes to hear my childhood
idol, Itzhak Perlman, play a recital at the
nearby performing arts center. As I climbed to
my student-rate seats in the upper reaches of
the theater, I passed an elegant couple making
their way down the staircase. The woman
eyed me for several uncomfortable seconds,
adjusted her necklace, then turned to her
husband.
“She must be going up to the third tier,”
she said loudly. “That’s where the poorlydressed people sit.”
over the years, that I could find
Iher’vethatawished,
woman and chat with her. I’d like to ask
few things: Does she still make a habit
of appraising her fellow concertgoers’ outfits,
Project Runway-style, as a means of determining whether they belong and where they ought
to sit? Does she do so while simultaneously—
and probably earnestly—lamenting the lack
of diversity in the classical-music audience? Is
she suitably horrified by the fact that I made
my conducting debut in that same hall, a few
years later, wearing a dress I got for $10.99
at Goodwill? And most of all, does she know
how grateful I’ve been to her for the past
twenty years?
That’s not a misprint. I think of her as a
significant influence on my career as an artist
and an educator, even though I don’t know
her name and our paths crossed only for a
moment. I’ve learned how to make music from
my teachers, my parents, my colleagues, and
my students. But the woman on the staircase
helped clarify why I wanted to do it: because I
wasn’t about to let her, or anyone else who felt
similarly, decide who did and didn’t deserve
access to the world of great music.
Excluding people from that world is easy;
a few judgmental words or a reproachful
glance at a performance can do the trick, as
can an exorbitant ticket price or an impenetrable set of program notes. The woman on
the stairs was only partaking in a centuries-old
tradition of using culture to delineate class,
and class to determine who’s worthy of
culture. It wasn’t my dress that really bothered
her, but the audacity of my infiltrating her
social milieu without displaying the outward
symbols of having earned a spot there.
Including people is trickier, especially if we
shelter ourselves behind the all-too-simplistic
saw that music is inclusive by nature—that it’s
a “universal language” we all speak fluently
and innately, irrespective of our background
or our situation. The universality of the
musical experience is a goal, not a given, and
in a society fractured by inequity and starved
for arts education, it’s one we need to strive
toward more diligently than ever.
Authentic inclusiveness means working
to ensure that every singer in our rehearsal
room feels equally valued and represented. It
means expanding our canon and our teaching
methods so that all kinds of singers and listeners can find themselves and their experiences
reflected in our art. It means actively and
creatively reaching out to under-served communities when we advertise our performances
or our auditions. And it means teaching the
next generation of conductors to do the same.
I’m still working at it—still confronting
my own blind spots, still seeking new ways
to connect, still trying to make everyone feel
that classical music belongs to them, no matter
where they sit or what they wear.
his issue of Cantate is dedicated to that
T
quest. You’ll read about an extraordinary
example of “radical inclusion” in Zanaida
Robles’s account of rehearsing and conducting Handel’s Messiah with the residents of
Los Angeles’s Skid Row. Kristina Nakagawa
shares stories of her chorus’s mission to serve
its community through outreach and scholarships. Christopher Peterson helps prepare
young choral educators to find a place in the
ever-changing environment in which they’ll be
teaching.
I hope you’ll find these articles and the
others in this issue as enjoyable and inspiring
as I do. So here’s to the spirit of inclusiveness,
and here’s to the woman on the staircase.
Down deep, I bet she probably has a place in
her heart for all of us. 
W
hen Vijay Gupta, the violinist
and founder of Los Angeles’
Street Symphony, asked me to conduct
a performance of Handel’s Messiah for
residents of Los Angeles’ Skid Row,
I said, without really thinking, “Of
course!” Vijay is a charismatic genius
Messiah
in the M a r g i n s
Conducting Handel
on
Skid Row
whose eloquence makes you believe in
magic and miracles, and there’s no way
you can say “no” to him, because you
know he’s usually right. But I also
knew in my heart that this was one of
those “just say yes” moments.
You say yes because it will help
people. You say yes because you
know it will help you to grow.
BY ZANAIDA ROBLES
California ACDA
A ugust 20, 2015
P lanning meeting
had heartily thanked us, the women then asked if they
could sing for us. They harmonized, swayed in rhythm, and
sang fervently, freely. In that moment, they gave us a most
precious gift: their own hearts through music. In sharing
their music with us, they showed us that we were all the
same and that we all had the same power to use music as a
vehicle for building relationships. I was humbled.
at LA C afé , L os A ngeles
I had to park at a meter about two blocks from our meeting spot. The street was smelly. A man in tattered clothes
spoke to me with slurred speech, imploring me for money.
The truth was that I had none, and this angered him. He
grabbed at my arm and I hurried away, frightened. I wondered if he assumed I was lying just because I could afford
O ctober 31, 2015
to drive a “nice” car (meaning an unreliable used Saab).
A letter from V ijay G upta
I worried that my car might get vandalized, but what
could I do? I had a meeting to attend. There were five of
Dear friends and family: I wanted to personally send along
us, representing Street Symphony, an LA-based group
the most recent Street Symphony newsletter and share with
dedicated to “engag[ing] distinguished musicians and
you a wonderful upcoming project: Street Symphony will
deeply underserved communities experiencing homelessness
present a performance of Handel’s Messiah on Skid Row.
and incarceration through live performance and dialogue”;
In the last four years, Street Symphony ensembles, comresidents of skid row; and
posed of distinguished jazz,
community music groups
gypsy, and classical singers
committed to proving that
and instrumentalists, have
classical music is not just for
presented over 180 free
the elite.
events for impoverished
We chatted about the
communities experiencing
logistics and the details
homelessness and incarof the project, and during
ceration in Los Angeles.
the meeting, the man who
This year, we’re bringing
had approached me earlier
Handel’s glorious music to
passed by our café table. He
Skid Row, hosting singing
spotted one of the meeting
workshops with the Urban
attendees and greeted her
Voices Project, ultimately
with a joyful “Hey! What’s
performing selections of
up?” Suddenly, I realized
Messiah as a sing-along
he and I now had something
at Skid Row’s Midnight
in common: a friend.
Mission on December 4.
above: ZAnaida rehearses for Project Messiah
This was how I began
As members of our close
building a relationship with
family, you are invited to
the Skid Row community—a relationship that led ultimatelend your voices to this project.
ly to one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. I
We want to bring the joy of great music to homeless veterleft energized and enlightened. And my car was fine.
ans, to people experiencing chronic pain, to homeless people,
to pregnant teen mothers. We wish to lift up the brave stories
and voices of people who, although living in an impoverished
O ctober 13, 2015
situation, are in no way impoverished in spirit.
W om en ’ s C ounty J ail , C ompton
A woman in our audience at Compton’s Lynwood Jail
I had never been inside a prison facility before, but I
once told us, “You did for us what the judge and bail bondsjoined the Street Symphony Chamber Singers—an enman couldn’t do: you got us out of here.”
semble of trained Los Angeles-area singers who perform
Music has taught us about justice. Music has taught us
for under-served communities—for a program of Duruflé,
that our liberation is bound up in the liberation of all people.
Palestrina, and Moses Hogan. This was my first Street
Symphony experience, and one I figured would aid me
N ov ember 5, 2015
in my personal preparation for the Messiah Project. We
M essiah P reparatory W orkshop at M idnight M i s s i o n
sang for the inmates—but the magic truly began when they
began to sing with us.
“Today my dream comes true!—to sing the Hallelujah
First, I taught them a canon I’d written called “Umoja,”
Chorus with my skid row family for the first time,” wrote
the first principle of Kwanzaa, meaning “unity.” We all
Don Garza, a Desert Storm Veteran and Messiah Project
sang it together, joining our voices to the voices of the
tenor just before our first Messiah Workshop at the Midincarcerated women. And when we had finished and they
night Mission. “I don’t care how much pain I am in, today
Leading the Way
I will sing the Hallelujah Chorus in Skid Row with Street
past many more sidewalk camps just to cross the street to
our rehearsal venue, the Church of the Nazarene, across the
Symphony. This is awesome! The universe is good!”
street from the Midnight Mission. We rehearsed with the
There were eight of us representing the Street Symphodoor open to alleviate the stuffiness. The smells, the noise,
ny Chamber Singers that day. We had no scores; instead,
and the dreariness all added to tension in the beginning,
I created a two-page handout with the lyrics to Hallelujah
but you could feel the air change when we made music.
Chorus and some background information about the music
The singers were a mix of some of the finest professionfor the attendees. After Vijay’s inspiring
als in town and community singers from
introduction, we sang Duruflé’s “Ubi
around the city, including Skid Row resiCaritas” for the crowd as a musical
dents. The Street Symphony orchestra
comprised some of the best players in town,
welcome. Then we sang the Hallelujah
people I had seen on stage dozens of times
Chorus for them, and I told the audience
at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Holit was their turn.
lywood Bowl. It was extraordinary to conLeeav Sofer from Urban Voices, a
duct this group in the heart of this aching
choir composed of Skid Row residents,
community.
played keyboard while I taught the Hallelujah Chorus by rote in an hour—a
D ecember 4, 2015
first in my time as a music educator. I
P erformance
insisted on good posture, good vocal
The day was a whirlwind. We had a
production, attention to dynamics, and
packed
house: In additional to the Skid
diction. And incredibly, it worked. As
Row residents who were the guests of honAyana Haviv, a professional vocalist
or, there were city officials, artists, media
and Street Symphony Chamber Singer,
personnel, friends and family. Honestly, I
Above: Street Symphony
wrote later:
was so focused on preparing for and exFounder Vijay Gupta with
I can’t express how powerful it was
ecuting the performance, I was emotionTenor and Desert Storm
to raise our voices together in that room. Veteran Don Garza
ally numb, but the Messiah Project was a
transformational experience. As Alex Ross
After months of work, I feel like we are a
of
The
New
Yorker
wrote later, “Hard to find the words to
real part of each other’s community now. Usually the Haldescribe the Street Symphony’s performance of Handel’s
lelujah Chorus feels tired and old to me, but today I experiMessiah at the Midnight Mission on Skid Row. ‘Wonderenced it as a celebration of being alive. After the workshop, a
ful’ doesn’t seem quite right, since there was darkness all
veteran of Desert Storm, who had lived on Skid Row for 11
around, but it was.”
years, came up to testify (yes, testify!) about how Handel’s
I have sung this work as a chorister and/or soloist so many
Messiah had been part of his healing process after he came
times I’ve lost count. But I am a better musician because I
back from combat and was diagnosed with major depression.
had to study and digest Handel’s Messiah on a deeper level
His voice broke as he told us how much it meant to him to
than ever before. I had to achieve the level of gestural clarity
have it performed at the Midnight Mission—“my house”—
and artistic intention necessary to lead such diverse performing forces with such a diverse array of experience and skill.
but it was beautiful and strong when he sang “Comfort ye...
And I believe we became a model for what humanity can
for your warfare has ended.”
achieve when we bring all that we are and all that we have.
The magnitude of human spirit that was present in that room
N ov em ber -D e cember 2015
was absolutely breathtaking.
R ehearsals
It felt like heaven. 
We had to park at the Midnight Mission, because parking in the heart of Skid Row is almost impossible. The
Zanaida Robles has prepared choirs for
parking was underground with no direct access to the street,
performances with such artists as Josh
and for safety reasons, we could not simply walk up the
Groban, Kristin Chenoweth, and Audra
driveway where we had entered. We had to take an elevator
McDonald. Dr. Robles directed the
to the Midnight Mission lobby and exit through the front
USC Thornton University Chorus for
courtyard, which was an ordeal because scores of people
two years and served for five years as
were camping out in sleeping bags on the ground. These
irector of Classical Choirs at the LA
D
were just the ones who had gained entry inside the walls of
County High School for the Arts.
the complex. Once we exited the courtyard, we had to walk
California ACDA
Making
1
music on the margins :
Don’t be afraid. You may feel
vulnerable, both physically and
mentally, so have courage.
2
Plan ahead and learn about
your audience and your venue
first-hand. Don’t make assumptions. I learned a great deal during the
planning and the meetings leading up
to Project Messiah, and they helped
facilitate the relationships and understanding that led to an unforgettably
powerful musical experience.
3
Keep in mind that you are a
guest in someone’s home, no
matter where you are. Your hosts
deserve your very best at all times.
4
Be a model of great posture.
This will improve overall group
participation and support good vocal
technique. When you’re vulnerable,
it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and
daunted, but the audience will model
what they are shown. I put on my
game face, held up my head, stuck
out my chest, and trusted that the
audience would follow my lead—
and they did.
5
10
Be genuinely knowledgeable
about, and in love with, the
music you share. I could not have
been as successful conducting
Messiah with such a diverse group of
extraordinary musicians for such a
diverse audience if I didn’t know and
love the work as well as I do.
6
Always be the best musician
you can be. Hold fast to high
musicianship standards: intonation,
rhythmic accuracy, diction, attention
to dynamics and articulation, clarity.
7
Stay focused. Depending on
the setting, there may be intense
distractions. Some people are sick
or injured and suffering physically.
Some people are mentally ill. Some
people are addicted. Some people
are lost. Some people have young,
noisy children. Some people are
highly educated. Some people are
cynical. Some people have been
brought so low that they’re apathetic
or angry. Yet we don’t turn people
away and we don’t turn our back.
Everyone deserves the chance to
give and receive the
amazing gift of music.
tips for success
8
Remember that you aren’t “doing
people a favor.” You are building
relationships. Those on the margins of
society are less interested in our music
than in our desire to connect with them.
The “fourth wall” is obliterated, and
you may be face-to-face with someone
who desperately needs to know they are
not alone. Our music is a very special
vehicle through which we connect with
others and send these often life-saving
messages of hope and healing.
9
Take time to process your
I was
surprised by how emotionally draining
my Street Symphony experience could
be. Not only did I have to process
how I made others feel, but I had to
process how they made me feel.
experience afterward.
10
Be humble and open to receiving
as much as you give. Street
Symphony musicians with whom I’ve
spoken say they are profoundly affected
by this work. They are made better
with each performance, and nourished
artistically. This work is a gift. 
Visit these websites to learn more about—and get involved in—
efforts to bring choral music to people experiencing homelessness
and others on the margins of society:
▪ Street Symphony (www.streetsymphony.org) is a Los Angeles-based
organization bringing high-quality music to underserved communities.
▪ Singers of the Street (www.singersofthestreet.org) is a San Franciscobased community choir for people affected by homelessness.
▪ Mainly Mozart (www.mainlymozart.org) offers free community “jam
sessions” to engage homeless residents at the San Diego Rescue Mission.
▪ The New Directions Veterans’ Choir (www.newdirectionsinc.org/
about_choir.html) is an award-winning Los Angeles-based a cappella
group comprising talented military veterans experincing homelessness.
Leading the Way
Putting the community
in community choruses
F
Kristina Nakagawa is
the
of
Artistic Director
Resounding Achord,
and has been performing and directing in
Silicon Valley
the
for the past
14 years.
She previously conducted at
Pinewood
School in Los Altos
and served as
Assistant
Conductor for The
Choral Project in San
José. Before settling
in the
San José area,
she conducted two
choirs at
UC-Irvine. She
holds a
Bachelor of
Music degree in Vocal
Performance from UCI,
and a
Master’s degree
in choral conducting
from
San José State
University.
ew things are more important to me or
college students. Take a look at your revenue
to my community choir than outreach.
per concert. Are you bringing in a significant
A successful outreach program doesn’t have
number of ticket sales from young people?
to be expensive, and it can foster a stronger
If not, consider offering discounts or free
sense of community among your membertickets, and then make sure that all the local
ship and your audience base.
teachers know when and where your concerts
Before I tell you about some of the
will be held.
successful outreach programs I have experiJohnathon Atwood, founding Executive
enced, I must provide this disclaimer: nothDirector of Resounding Achord, and I were
ing that I write here is the “right” way to do
involved in honor choirs when we were in
outreach. There are endless opportunities
school, and the experience for both of us was
and endless ways to serve a community, and
priceless. We wanted to be able to give the
I hope that you might be inspired either to
experience of honor choir to students in our
continue your current outreach efforts, or to
area who wouldn’t normally be able to afford
start anew with a program that is tailored to
it, and our board unanimously agreed. In the
your community and your choir.
fall of 2013, we offered eight scholarships
When the founding members and I
to students for their registration fees for the
started Resounding Achord in 2012, we
California ACDA Coastal Region Honor
decided to begin as a service organization
Choir. Students were required to fill out a
first, and a performing choir second. We
brief application, write a personal statement,
wanted to outreach specifically to schools,
and submit a recommendation from their
churches, and other foundational music
teacher. Afterward, we shared some of the
entities to help maintain, grow, and renew
students’ personal stories with members of
their programs. This framework provided
our immediate community, and because of
a wonderful opportunity when it came to
the donors’ response, we were able to expand
outreach because it changed our perception
the program in just two years to serve 44
very quickly from “What can we do?” to
honor-choir students in November 2015.
“How do we do it?”
Our donors have been so generous in their
We began by looking at what we could
contributions that we were also able to give
immediately implement for our
very first concert. Most of us
below: Kristina rehearses with members of
had sung or participated in orResounding Achord’s summer lab choir
ganizations that offered free or
discounted tickets for students.
We all felt strongly that children
and teens in our area needed to
know that music exists beyond
the classroom—that choral
singing doesn’t have to end
when you leave a high school
or college campus. IMPACT,
or Inspiring Musical Passion
Among Children & Teens, was
our answer. All children highschool age and younger attend
our concerts for free, and we
offer a student discount for all
California ACDA
ten scholarships for the 2016 California All-State Choirs.
One of the most important steps in creating an outreach
program is to identify the needs of your community. We did
a survey of local junior high, high school, and college choir
directors, asking one simple question: What do you need?
Most often, the needs have been monetary. By earmarking a percentage of each concert’s revenue for outreach,
we have been able to say, “We can help with that!” nearly
every time. We have contributed funds for new instruments,
uniforms, and tour costs to more than four different schools
in our area. Most of the gifts were small, but they made a
big impact on the lives of the students that they helped. Ask
the question in your community; I bet you’ll be able to say,
“We can help,” too.
Another option for outreach may be found through
collaboration. Simple collaborative projects can easily be
limited in cost, and offer fantastic exposure. In our case,
we created a summer Lab Choir. Most choirs are off for
the summer months for family vacations and the traditional
school year schedule.
Part of Resounding Achord’s vision for our future when
we began was to be a resource for student conductors to
practice their conducting techniques on an actual choir. So
we contacted San José State University to see if they might
have students who would be interested in doing some summer work to further their study. It turned out that same summer was the first year of the three-summer masters program
at the university. We met for six weeks and provided student
conductors—both undergraduates and graduate students—
with the opportunity to come and conduct an adult choir of
intermediate to advanced singers. We chose some standard
repertoire for the students, and contacted many of the
community and college choirs in our area, inviting as many
singers as possible to come and sing along. What resulted
was a rich six-week program that gave the students the opportunity for podium time, and gave us more exposure in
the community, thus helping with both recruitment of new
singers and audience expansion.
The most important thing to remember about outreach
programs is that they don’t have to cost you anything. And,
if you are blessed to have extra funds, a little can go a long
way for a choir in need. 
below: A standing ovation for the 2016 ALl-State Mixed Choir at CASMEC in San Jose
Leading the Way
the COmposer’s Perspective:
Rethinking the closer
A
Dale Trumbore has
received commissions,
performances, and
awards from organizations including
ACDA, ACME, Center
City Opera Theater,
Chanticleer, Inscape
Chamber Orchestra, the
Kronos Quartet, and
VocalEssence, and she
has been hailed by the
New York Times for her
“soaring melodies and
beguiling harmonies.”
Dale is orginally from
New Jersey and now
lives in
Los Angeles.
Hear her music at
www.daletrumbore.com.
t a concert by the Flower Mound High
School Jaguar Chorale about a year ago,
conductor Mark Rohwer chose to conclude the
program with Tim Takach’s piece “Goodbye,
Then.” The text—about parting with a
friend and not knowing when you’ll see them
again—had a tremendously moving effect
on the audience and the ensemble. The high
school seniors, singing their last concert with
the chorale, were visibly weepy.
Though it was the last piece, “Goodbye,
Then” was in no way a traditional “closer.” No
fast-paced race to the finish, this piece didn’t
end in a huge crescendo to the final chord or
propel the audience immediately to their feet.
Instead, as the final notes faded away, there was
a silence, and then a standing ovation. As a last
piece, it was incredibly effective.
Why, then, do so many of us stubbornly
cling to the idea that we must have a fast-paced
“closer” to conclude every program? I’m
certainly not opposed to fast-paced music; in
the choral compositions being written today, I’d
argue that there is a need for even more pieces
that are fast-paced and meaningful, pieces that
move us both rhythmically and emotionally.
But good programming sends the listener on
an emotional journey, and not all journeys start
with a bang, nor conclude with one.
Sometimes the most effective ending to
a concert is a piece that makes you sigh in
acknowledgement, in recognition, at peace.
On Ryan Guth’s choral podcast “Find Your
Forte,” he asks each conductor he interviews
what they’d choose to program on the final
concert of their life. I’ve listened to a lot of these
interviews, and I’m still waiting for anyone to
name a traditional “closer”; many name the
St. Matthew Passion or Mass in B Minor.
Contemplating the end of one’s own life, no
one programs a rousing, quick finish.
Generally speaking, unless a composer is
commissioned to write an “opener” or “closer”
for an upcoming ACDA conference, she won’t
think of a piece in these terms, either. Rather
than asking herself how to send the audience
out on a necessarily jubilant note every time,
she’ll wonder how the music should best
conclude based on the text. She’ll consider
the emotional map that each particular piece
presents and compose accordingly.
In a multi-movement work, too, the concluding movement will be fast only if it serves the
overall arch of that composition. I just finished
composing a 30-minute, eight-movement piece,
the longest choral work I’ve ever written. The
piece, a secular meditation on mortality, ends
as gently as possible, with chords that mimic
the intake and release of breathing. I want the
audience to ease into these chords; to sync
their breathing with the choir’s; and, finally, to
continue breathing into that meditative stillness
even after the piece has stopped.
If multi-movement, extended works don’t
always conclude with something fast-paced
and flashy, why should every choral program?
Conductors putting together a program and
composers writing a multi-movement piece ask
themselves many of the same questions; we both
think about the shape that a particular musical
journey will take. We should also be asking,
every time: How have our listeners changed at
the end of this concert? How have they changed
by the end of the final piece? How can we send
them out in a different or better emotional place
than they came to us?
In a concert centered around the theme of
“Home,” for example, what if listeners were
sent off not with whatever piece is the quickest
and most attention-grabbing, but with something tender and heartfelt, a piece that feels like
returning home?
Sometimes, yes, a “closer”—fast, loud,
rousing—is the best choice to conclude a concert. But I wish we’d allow for more flexibility
here. I wish that when we chose pieces for the
start and conclusion of a program, we’d pick
them not for convention’s sake, but because
those pieces were the very best choices for that
program’s unique emotional path.
In the final concert of the school year for
Flower Mound High School’s choirs, Mark
Rohwer did exactly this. He programmed
for the musicians as much as for the listeners,
embracing their emotions and uncertainty—
When will we meet again?—rather than shying
away from them. It was a refreshing choice and
a beautiful performance. It was just as impactful, if not more so, than any traditional choice
for a closing piece would have been. 
California ACDA
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7.5 x 5 Music ad 2015-16 / Choral photo - with dates
Leading the Way
THe irresistible interview
P
Christopher Peterson
is
at
Professor of Music
California State Uni-
versity,
Fullerton where
he directs the
CSUF
Concert Choir, the
Titan Men’s Chorus,
and teaches classes in
choral music education.
In spring 2011 he was
named the
2010-2011
Cal State Fullerton ASI
Outstanding Educator of the
earned a
Year. He
B.S. in music
education from the
University of Southern
Maine, an M.M.
in choral conducting
from the
University of
Maine, and a Ph.D. in
choral music education
and conducting from
Florida State University.
Chris sings bass with the
Masters of Harmony,
eight-time International
Men’s Chorus Champions of the
Barbershop
Harmony Society.
re-service choral music education students must attempt to acquire, understand, and master a vast number of skills
and behaviors during their university study
as undergraduate music majors. Besides
practicing their instrument and learning
repertoire, learning to conduct, studying for
music history and theory classes, performing in ensembles, and honing their eartraining and piano skills, music education
students must also learn how to teach these
skills effectively to others. Many credential
students are surprised to learn that there are
just as many, if not more, skills, concepts,
and behaviors to master when studying
teaching pedagogy as there are in the pursuit of becoming a professional musician.
Learning to be a master teacher, like
becoming a world-class professional musician, is a life-long pursuit that must be
practiced in the real world through years of
experience. Among the skills we teach our
up-and-coming teachers are to be punctual,
to conceive and deliver sequenced instruction, to embrace the concept of life-long
learning, to create effective task analyses
for instruction, to function as a “morning
person,” to interact well with diverse groups
of people, to organize all aspects of the
choral program, to manage students in a
positive learning environment, and to be a
true professional in the field.
Sometimes, though, we forget an essential step in their education—the step that
makes it possible to put everything together
in the real world: landing their first job.
Years ago, one of my choral education
students interviewed for a job with an administrator who was a friend of mine. After
it was over, and after he didn’t get hired,
the administrator confided in me that it was
“the single worst interview” she had conducted in fifteen years. I suddenly realized
that in addition to everything I was attempting to teach in choral methods, I needed
to focus also on preparing students better
for the first round of interviews that would
get them hired and allow them to start their
authentic progress toward mastery of their
craft. I recognized that the students were
being well trained in choral pedagogy, but
that they weren’t learning to visualize and
perform in a professional interview setting. I
added this list to my methods curriculum:
Top ten tips for first-time
job interviewers
1. Don’t apply for a job you don’t really want
to take, or that you are not qualified to accept. It’s unprofessional and wastes the time
and money of the school district.
2. Dress professionally. It’s never casual
Fridays when you are interviewing.
3. Arrive a little early. Wait quietly. Be polite
and smile at people.
4. Find out about the school, the mission
statement, and the history of the arts program
before you arrive. Have something nice to say
about the school and program.
5. Review your philosophy of music education (the one you wrote in methods class!) so
that it is in the forefront of your mind when
you are asked questions. It should positively
inform virtually every answer you give.
6. Answer each question briefly and concisely,
but don’t talk too much. Show that you understand the question and have an informed
answer, but don’t use the opportunity to pivot
and talk about another topic.
7. Picture yourself as a colleague, not a
student teacher. Be positive and professional,
but don’t make any excuses or tell stories
about times that you were not successful.
8. If the question could be considered controversial in some way, speak to both sides of the
issue to show that you are open-minded and
able to see more than one point of view.
9. Have fun and enjoy the time as much as
you can. Think “I’m going to get a wonderful job somewhere, and maybe it’s here.”
10. Be gracious and say “thank you” when
the interview ends. Let them know you
enjoyed meeting them, and shake hands with
everyone using a friendly, firm handshake.
California ACDA
A
nother thing I ask my students to do is to practice
answering questions in preparation for their interview.
Here are some of the big ones they’re likely to encounter in
some form or another.
9. Are you interested, willing, and able to be part of an allschool musical production? What skills could you bring to
the team, and what kinds of musicals do you think fit the
typical high school population?
1. How much, on average, do you teach by rote and how
much do you teach students to read music on their own? Describe your strategy for teaching musicianship in rehearsal,
and what you expect students to be able to do, as musicians,
after one to four years of choir.
10. How would you recruit for the choir program? What
would you do first, second, third, and on an ongoing basis?
2. What is your personal philosophy of music education? Do
you think everyone can and should study music? Why?
12. Discuss your training in working with diverse populations such as ESL students and students with physical and
mental challenges. How would you help them succeed?
3. What kinds of music would you include in your choral
repertoire in a single year? Comment on your approach to
concerts and programming.
4. Would you consider yourself to be more of a teachercentered instructor, or more of a student-centered instructor?
What do these terms mean to you?
5. Do you strive to create student leadership in the choirs? If
so, explain how you structure and build this leadership.
6. Describe your approach to auditioning students for your
choirs. What would a typical audition look like? Would you
have all choirs be auditioned, or just some choirs? Why?
7. Discuss your abilities both as a conductor and as a
pianist. How will you balance and hone those abilities to be
most effective for your students?
8. What does the title “professional music educator” mean
to you, and what qualities and behaviors do you personally
possess that would earn you that title?
Leading the Way
11. Discuss your ideas for fundraising for the choral program. How would you supervise and organize your music
booster group?
I
nterviewing for employment is an essential skill that must
be taught in the methods classroom. These simple tips
and sample questions will help students to prepare for the
interview process, and will allow them to be their best during that inevitably stressful first interview experience.
Recently I had a student interview for a position in
a large school district in Orange County. Although the
district was forced to go “in house” to fill the position,
the director of human resources for music called me and
said that it was “maybe the best interview I’ve done in ten
years of anybody her age. She really nailed it. She did a
great job.” He continued, “I hope she’s half as good as she
interviewed. She interviewed like somebody who’s been
teaching for twenty years.” Considering my story earlier in
this article, that phone call felt really, really good. When we
help young teachers learn how to interview, we give them
an essential skill they need to open doors, and to start their
professional life in the real world. 
2
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J u l y 24 -27
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C a lif o r n ia A
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ming • Vocal Jazz • Kodaly
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•
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Inv
•
Perfo
e
c
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t
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t
rmance Prac
n
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lem
E
n
Im pr
ni
hip Session • Morning Tai Chi
oving E xpressio
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s•W
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Voice
la
& Conducting C
Conference Highlights
• 7 Sessions by Dr. Jonathan Talberg
• NEW Poster Session (See this issue
or website for details)
Conference Headliner
Dr. Jonathan Talberg
• NEW George Heussenstamm
Composition Scholarship (See this
issue or website for details)
• Continuing education credit
available through Cal State Fresno
Sessions & Classes led by:
Dr. Jeﬀrey Benson, San Jose State
Layna Chianakas, San Jose State
Christopher Gravis, Director of Music,
St. Wilfred of York Episcopal Church
Maree Hennessy, Director of the Kodaly
Center at Holy Names University
• Scholarships available for full-time
undergraduate students: (See
Jeﬀe Huls, Santa Monica High School
• Presentation of the Swan Award
Alexis Koch, Adda Clevenger School
website for details)
• Tuesday-night party theme:
Homecoming (Costumes encouraged)
Dr. Rob Istad, Cal State Fullerton
Angel Vázquez-Ramos, Cal State
Bakersfield
In addition to the amazing professional development opportunities that you’ll experience,
ECCO’s relaxed environment, featuring shared meals and intimate settings, is ideal for networking
and for making new musical friends. Early registration ends on June 24, 2016; after this date,
the cost will increase by $100. In addition, accommodations are limited, and this conference
is sure to sell out again this year, so register early.
Director of Choral, Vocal, & Opera Studies
Bob Cole Conservatory of Music
California State University Long Beach
More information & registration are available at acdacal.org
ECCO=Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst
California ACDA
The George Heussenstamm
Choral COmposition COntest
By David V. Montoya
uring my years at California State University, Los
D
Angeles, I had an amazing theory teacher who also
became my private composition tutor. George Heussenstamm
taught me much in a very short amount of time, but then I
lost contact with him. Twenty years after our work together,
George found me on Facebook. We began our teacher/mentor
relationship anew and became fast friends. I realized how
much of an influence he had had on my music, my career, and
my life. It was a full-circle moment.
George, now retired, is a marvelous composer and teacher.
His texts on diatonic and chromatic harmony are published by
Hal Leonard. He is a master of the dying art of hand-written
scores, and his Norton Manual of Music Notation is still used
in universities all over the country.
George’s influence is now being extended to California
ACDA, as he will fund a scholarship contest for composers
attending the Summer Conference at ECCO. This contest
will be offered in his name and will continue for four years.
I spoke recently with George about his career, his music,
and his generosity:
DVM: How did you enter the teaching profession?
GH: Quite by accident. In the mid-1970s, working as a composer, I asked my teacher friends if they knew of any instructional units that needed covering in their schools. A week later,
I was called by Cal State–Dominguez Hills to teach harmony
and counterpoint. Never having taught before, I was left alone
with my first class. With no experience, it should have been
scary, but for me it was the most natural thing in the world. I
did that happily for twenty-four years.
DVM: What advice can you offer to young choral composers?
GH: Study and absorb—as thoroughly as you can—harmony,
counterpoint, and form. Be prepared and don’t just start
writing notes. Be educated, whether you do it yourself or in
a school setting. Study scores, and not just choral scores, for
a thorough understanding of music. Go the distance however
long it takes. If you are young, you have a lot of time to
accomplish this. I began at thirty-five years old, but I don’t
recommend starting that late. Also, read and get familiar with
the great poets.
DVM: What made you want to offer this scholarship?
GH: Fortunately, I’m financially able to do so, and I can’t
think of a better way to spend some of my money! Good luck,
budding composers! There is nothing nobler than trying to
write music!
About the contest
• Current California ACDA members who are able to
attend the Summer Conference at ECCO 2016 are
invited to submit scores.
• Please submit unpublished scores, a cappella or with
piano accompaniment, in any voicing, with a demo
Leading the Way
recording (MIDI is fine) to [email protected] by
May 1, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Only electronic
entries will be accepted.
• The winning composition will be chosen by committee
and will be announced on the CA-ACDA website on
June 15, 2016.
• The winning composition will be copied, distributed, and
read at ECCO 2016.
• The winning composer will receive a scholarship for
tuition, room and board at ECCO.
For an application, details and updated information, go to
www.acdacal.org/repertoire-standards/choral-composition/
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR
FIRST ECCO POSTER SESSION
By Daniel Afonso and Angel VÁzquez-Ramos
The California ACDA Poster Session Committee invites
ACDA members (including graduate and undergraduate
students) to share their best ideas and research work with the
choral community by presenting a poster session at the 2016
California ACDA Summer Conference at ECCO this July.
Submissions about any topic relevant to the choral community
will be considered, including, but not limited to, scholarly
work about the choral repertoire and its performance practices, vocal and/or conducting technique, diction for singers,
pedagogical methodologies and practices, and performance
and teaching assessment processes.
•
•
•
•
How to submit a proposal
Prepare a proposal of up to 500 words and an abstract
of approximately 50 words that provides a concise, yet
thorough, summary of the research project, and submit an
electronic copy pasted directly into the body of an e-mail
message to Angel Vázquez-Ramos and Daniel Afonso,
Jr., Poster Session coordinators, at the e-mail addresses
below. Please include at the top of the message’s text
the project title, author(s), institutional affiliations (of all
authors), e-mail address of principal author, and phone
number.
Poster Session participants create boards (usually 36” x
48”) with pictures, data, music scores, graphs, diagrams,
narrative text, and more, and informally discuss their
presentations with conference attendees at an assigned
time during the conference. Posters will remain available
to the conference attendees during the entire conference.
The deadline for submitting an application is May 16.
Applicants will be notified by May 30, after a blind peer
review process, if their submission has been accepted
for presentation at the conference. If a poster session is
selected for presentation, the presenter must register for
the conference in order to participate.
Please direct any questions about the poster session
presentations and submissions to Dr. Angel VázquezRamos ([email protected]) and/or Dr.
Daniel Afonso, Jr. ([email protected]).
California ACDA
SEEN & HEARD
Counterclockwise: The Fountain
Valley High School Troubadours and
director Kevin Tison celebrate after
their performance at CASMEC in
San Jose; guest conductor Dr. Judy
Bowers rehearses with the first-ever
junior-high All-State Honor Choir at
CASMEC; Genevieve Tep and Dana
Alexander keep things running smoothly
at the All-State Honor Choir concert in
San Jose; and Keith Hancock and
members of the Tesoro High School choir
have some fun after singing at the ACDA
Western Division Conference in Pasadena
(photo courtesy of Keith Hancock).
Leading the Way
News and notes
from around the state
NORTHERN REGION
Dr. Jenny Bent and Sonoma State
University hosted a Fall Choral Festival
on November 6 with Dr. Jeffrey Benson
as guest clinician. This was the first
festival to be held in the new Schroeder
Hall at the Green Music Center.
The Northern California Band and
Choral Directors’ Association Honor
Band and Honor Choir festival was held
the first week of February at Humboldt
State University. The choir was directed
by Dr. Jeffrey Benson from San José
State University.
The 2nd Annual Women’s Choir
Festival was held at Analy High School
in Sebastopol on February 19. Four area
high school women’s choirs were involved
in this festival with special guest, The
LoveNotes, 2014 International Sweet
Adeline Champions.
The Maria Carillo High School choir
and director Gail Bowers will travel
to New York City this spring to perform
in the NYC Jazz Festival at the Apollo
Theater alongside The Real Group.
The William Barclay Scholarship Concert was held on March 1 in Weill Hall,
at the Green Music Center of Sonoma
State University. Choirs from each
of the five Santa Rosa High Schools
performed at this concert and ended the
night with a mass choir of 240 singers
under the direction of Dan Earl, retired
director at Santa Rosa High School.
BAY AREA
Several Bay Area choirs performed at
Western Division ACDA in Pasadena.
Congratulations to Elena Sharkova
and the Cantabile Youth Singers,
Martin Benvenuto and the Peninsula
Women’s Chorus, and Joyce Keil and
the Ragazzi Boys Chorus!
Send news of hirings, retirements, awards,
commissions, premieres, collaborations, or
projects to your regional representative
or [email protected]!
San Francisco composer Kirke
Mechem was recognized in Pasadena
for his Lifetime Achievement in the
choral profession. Congratulations also
to Dr. Charlene Archibeque for her
presentation at the conference.
At the CA-ACDA Conference at
CASMEC in February, Dr. Jeffrey
Benson and Daniel Hughes shared
a concert at St. Joseph’s Cathedral with
the San José State University Choraliers
& Concert Choir and The Choral Project. In addition, Fisher Middle School
Women’s Chorus under the direction
of Lauren Diez, Serra High School
Men’s Choir under the direction of Jay
Jordan, and Dr. Susan McMane’s
Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco all gave outstanding performances.
The King’s Singers visited San Jose
State University in February and the
Choral Project hosted a sold-out concert
at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, where all three
groups shared the stage in a new setting
of Daniel Hughes’ Irish Blessing.
Monte Vista High School, under the
direction of Jodi Reed, won the Local
Vocal competition this February and appeared on the live taping of NPR’s From
the Top with host Christopher O’Riley at
San José State University.
CENTRAL COAST REGION
Beloved Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo professor Craig H. Russell will retire this
spring, and the music department will
honor him for his 34 years of inspired
teaching at the Early Music Ensemble’s
Spring Concert, directed by Thomas
Davies, on May 30. The concert will
feature music from the Americas edited
byRussell, including works by Antonio
de Salazar and Ignacio Jerusalem.
This May, the Westmont College Choir
and Chamber Singers (Steve Hodson,
director) will embark on a 12-day tour
through the Pacific Northwest. The choir
will travel through Oregon and Washington, and will visit Vancouver, British
Columbia.
CENTRAL REGION
John Carter, recently retired from Columbia College in Sonora, was one of 78
Chapman University alumni singers who
performed with Placido Domingo at the
gala opening of the 1,000-seat Musco
Center for the Arts on the Chapman
campus on March 19.
Christopher Borges’ Bakersfield
High School choirs recently gave a
stunning concert featuring three world
premieres (a commission from Richard
Burchard, an arrangement by Ron
Kean, and Chris’s own “E Pluribus
Unum”), plus the West Coast premiere
of a work by E.W. Stradtman III.
Thanks to a new Superintendent dedicated to the arts, the Firebaugh School
District is rebuilding a long-dormant
choral program at all grade levels, hiring
Ryan Dirlam and Michael Gutierrez in the last few years. Stay tuned for
more on this administrator’s creative idea
for funding these vital new positions.
Choral classroom mentoring at both
junior high and high school levels continues in the greater Modesto area with
regular volunteer work by retirees Candy
Chamberlain, Linda Lovaas, and
Polly Vasché.
SOUTHERN REGION
Southern California welcomes two new
Directors of Choral Activities to our local collegiate choral programs, beginning
in fall 2016: Christopher Gravis at
CSU Los Angeles, and Dr. James K.
Bass at UCLA!
California ACDA
Now is the time for you to look at summer programs to further
your and your students’ choral and vocal music education!
Check out the summer programs offered right here in Southern California; here are a few to get you started:
▪ Arrowbear Music Camp: June 26-July 5 (www.arrowbear.
com)
▪ Chapman University’s Choral Music Camp: June 20-24
(www.chapman.edu/copa/music)
▪ Cal State-LA Summer Choral Festival: July 18-23 (www.
calstatela.edu/choral)
▪ Festival Choir (High School) at the Idyllwild Summer Arts
Camp: July 31-August 14 (www.idyllwildarts.org)
▪ Pacific Chorale’s Choral Camp: August 1-5 (pacchoraleeducation.wordpress.com)
▪ Pacific Chorale’s Choral Festival (Adults): August 12-14
(pacchoraleeducation.wordpress.com)
FAR SOUTH REGION
Brad Nelson’s newly composed choral work “How Can I
Keep From Singing?” was sung by all conference attendees at
an All-Conference Sing for the opening concert of the ACDA
Western Division Convention in Pasadena.
The San Diego Pro Arte Voices, conducted by Dr. Patrick
Walders, premiered Martin Chambers’ An English Requiem
for SATB, soprano and alto soloists and piano at St. An-
Leading the Way
drew’s and St. Paul’s Cathedral on March 18 and 19. The
concert also featured Aaron Copland’s “In The Beginning”
and Heinrich Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien.
CantAmore Chorus and CantAmore Women’s Chorale,
under the direction of Hyun-Kwan Chung, presented their
Spring Music Festival on Sunday, April 17, at the Poway
Center for the Performing Arts. The festival featured many
young singers, instrumentalists, and chamber ensembles performing with the two choirs.
Sally Husch Dean and the San Diego North Coast Singers
will take 23 middle- and high-school singers to Cuba for a
tour in June. The trip will focus on learning about the history,
culture, and music of Cuba.
Under new leadership, the San Diego Children’s Choir is
evolving and expanding, both locally and internationally.
Members of SDCC middle and high school ensembles will
travel to beautiful Quebec, Canada, in July to visit and perform in stunning venues between Quebec City and Montréal.
Thanks to our Regional Representatives (Roger Emerson,
Jeffrey Benson, Polly Vasché, Carolyn Teraoka-Brady, Stacy
Kikkawa, and John Russell) for collecting and sharing news
from their areas! Send your news and notes to your regional
representative or [email protected]
choral&sacredmusic
at the university of southern california
thornton school of music
FACULTY
Jo-Michael Scheibe, chair
Nick Strimple
Cristian Grases
Morten Lauridsen
Ladd Thomas
Tram Sparks
Mary Mattei
Alvin Brightbill
Suzi Digby
William Dehning, professor emeritus
James Vail, professor emeritus
CHORAL LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP DEGREES OFFERED
Alfred Newman Recital Hall, USC campus
Choral Music BA, MM, DMA
Sacred Music MM, DMA
Saturday, October 17, 2015, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Guest clinician Maria Guinand, internationally renowned
conductor from Venezuela, leads this annual workshop
for Southern California high school singers. The daylong
clinic culminates in an afternoon concert of choral
works and features a performance by the USC Thornton
Chamber Singers.
Application deadline
December 1, 2015
for Fall 2016 Admission
Extensive financial aid available.
visit music.usc.edu/choral
California ACDA
Vision for the
Future
Dr. Charles C. Hirt Scholarship
by Robert Istad
O
ver the last month, I have had the privilege to connect
with many wonderful conductors at both the State
ACDA Conference at CASMEC and at our Western
Division ACDA Conference. Creative activity has reached
an all-time high in California, and people from around
the country have recognized our many achievements in
the arts. Choral music has established a major position in
California’s artistic renaissance. Our choirs are thriving and
excelling in educational, community, and professional areas
like never before.
If you’re like me, you dream about your future career
and consider your opportunities for continued musical training. Have you always dreamed of attending an advanced
workshop at Westminster Choir College, Norfolk, Aspen,
Eastman School of Music, the University of Michigan, or
Haystack? Have you fantasized about working to improve
your skills with an orchestra or with a professional-level
choral ensemble? For many of us, attending an intensive
event to help us improve our artistry on the podium is an
unaffordable wish. I am incredibly pleased to announce that
your ACDA board would like to help support your artistic
development in this way.
Your California ACDA Board of Directors has committed to provide professional members with incentive
and opportunity to increase their artistic aptitude via our
scholarship fund. I am happy to announce an open call for
applications for the inaugural Vision for the Future Charles
C. Hirt Scholarship Award for Professional Development.
This year’s scholarship award of up to $1,500 will be given
to support a professional member’s (non-student) attendance at one of America’s nationally recognized conducting
workshops. Although attendance at a specific workshop is
Leading the Way
not required, the Scholarship Committee will consider the
level of the program when determining the award recipient.
Scholarship details and
application information
Who is eligible?
Any professional (i.e. non-student) CA-ACDA member in
good standing may apply.
What activity is supported by scholarship funds?
Any workshop or program of study in advanced conducting
is eligible. The workshop or program should be nationally
recognized for musical and artistic excellence, and the attendee must participate as an active conducting participant
in the program (not an auditor, observer, or singer only).
How do I apply?
Please visit the online application on the CA-ACDA website. Besides your personal information and essay, you are
asked to submit a current resume and two letters of recommendation.
When is the application deadline?
May 20, 2016.
A
ll the funds for this award are provided by California
ACDA’s Vision for the Future Scholarship. If you
wish to contribute to the Vision for the Future Scholarship,
you can do so online! Please visit http://www.acdacal.
org/vision-for-the-future/ to make your gift! 
Vision for the
Future
Scholarship Fund Donors
We regret any errors or omissions, and we appreciate your e-mail to us at [email protected]
to advise us of corrections. Thank you for your support!
Founders’ Circle
(Gifts of $100 or more)
Daniel R. Afonso, Jr., in honor of Dr. Eph Ehly
Tammi Alderman
Andrew Ball, in honor of Joseph Huszti
Jeffrey Benson, in honor of André Thomas
Cindy Beitmen & Kate Sibley, in honor of
Edie Copley
Jack Bertrand, in honor of Dr. James Bass &
Dr. Kimberly Dunn-Adams
Ryan Board, in honor of Andrew Megill &
Joseph Flummerfelt
Don Brinegar, in memory of Charles Hirt &
Howard Swan
John Byun, in honor of Joseph Huszti
Julie L. Carter, in honor of William Dehning and
in memory of Douglas McEwen & Donald Bailey
Colleen Chester, in honor of Dr. Robert Istad,
Dr. Christopher Peterson, Travis Rogers,
and Jamie Butler
Edith Copley, in memory of Charles Hirt &
Paul Salamunovich
Mike and Julie Dana
Lou De La Rosa, in honor of Charlene
Archibeque and in memory of Kenneth Hannaford
Sally Husch Dean, in honor of Dr. David Chase
Andrew Del Monte, in memory of Curtis Sprenger
Jill Denny, in honor of Jack Lindsay
Janine Dexter, in honor of Dr. William Dehning,
Donald Brinegar, & Dr. William Belan
Kathryn Donovan Campbell, in memory of
Joaquina Calvo Johnson
Kelli Dower, in honor of Lynn Mauzer
Roger Emerson, in honor of Kirby Shaw
Julie Ford, in memory of Perla Warren
Yesenia Garcia, in honor of Joseph Modica,
Desiree LaVertu, & Lori Marie Rios
Jeffrey E. Gilbert, in honor of Barbara Harlow
Christopher G. Gravis, in honor of
John Alexander
Steven Gray, in memory of Paul Salamunovich
Nancy V. Gray, in honor of John Alexander &
Lynn Whitten
Stephanie Grogg, in honor of Sam Barkman Matthew D. Netto, in honor of Dr. Chris Peterson
& Dr. Robert Istad
Cricket Handler ,in honor of Dr. Thomas
Somerville
Fides May Orpilla-LeRoy, in honor of
The Orpilla Family
Daniel Hughes, in memory of
Daniel Lee Hooper
David M. Ortiz, in honor of Christopher
Borges, Dr. Robert Provencio, Dr. Rene Ferrell,
Jeffe Huls, in memory of Lynn Bielefelt
& Don Brinegar
Peg Hutson, in honor of Dean Semple
Daniel Paulson, in honor of Don Brinegar &
Robert Istad, in honor of William Dehning &
William Belan
John Alexander
Susanna Peeples, in memory of Germán Aguilar
John Jacobson, in honor of My Music Express Kids
Bret Peppo, in honor of Audrey Kamprath
Brendan Jennings
Jennifer Perier-Champeaux
Kristy Juliano, in honor of Donald Brinegar
Christopher & Tina Peterson, in honor of Rodney
Ron Kean, in honor of Rodney Eichenberger
Eichenberger
Carolyn Kelley, in memory of Frank Pooler
Mary and Wally Purdy, in honor of John
Beth Klemm, in honor of Gordon Wilder
Alexander & Richard Knox
John Koza, in honor of Dr. Charlene Archibeque
Paul Raheb, in honor of Larry Warden,
Robert & Barbara Hasty, & William Hall
Arlie Langager, in honor of Adele Armstrong
Shawn Reifschneider in honor of
Jan Lanterman, in honor of Ralph Wadsworth
Dr. David Stein
Dr. Iris Levine in honor of Alan Harler
Lori
Marie
Rios,
in honor of Don Brinegar and
Anthony Lien, in honor of Joseph Huszti
Bruce Mayhall
Cherrie Llewellyn & Charles Suntra, in
Antone Rodich, in honor of Dennis Smith,
honor of Dr. Ginger Colla, Richard Colla, &
Rob Istad, & Chris Peterson
Dr. Daniel Afonso
Travis
Rogers,
in memory of Curtis Sprenger
Duane & Linda Lovaas, in memory of
Eliza Rubenstein, in honor of Joseph &
Robert Wing & Alvis M. Autrey
Melinda Huszti
MaryClare Martin, in memory of Lena,
John Russell
Art, Sister Anastasia
Sabrina Schick, in honor of Gary Gilroy
Marcelo M. Martinez, in honor of Rob Istad,
Chris Peterson, & John St. Marie
David Scholz
Richard Messenger, in honor of Weston Noble & Joseph Schubert, in honor of Dr. David Norman
in memory of Howard Swan
David Skaff & Will Xiques, in honor of Vance
Joanne Mizutani-Neuffer, in honor of Polly Vasché,
George, Don Brinegar, & Bill Belan
Sandra Bengochea, Anastasia Legatos, & Jennifer Kathryn Smith, in memory of Richard Hansen
Perier-Champeaux
John Sorber, in honor of Clark Skogsberg
Mary Monaghan, in honor of Polly Vasché
Jonathan Souza, in honor of Dr. Charlene
David V. Montoya & Family
Archibeque, Dr. Harley Mulenberg,
Rayvon T. J. Moore, in honor of Donald Brinegar
& Dr. James Stanard
& Robert Istad and in memory of Joel Pressman
Peggy Spool, in honor of Signe Boyer
Musicnotes.com
Shawna Stewart, in honor of Paul B. Smith &
Kristina Nakagawa, in honor of Lois Carah,
William Dehning
Joe Huszti, & Charlene Archibeque
Nick Strimple, in memory of Charles C. Hirt
Kim Nason, in honor of Rob Istad &
Jonathan Talberg, in honor of William Hall & in
Chris Peterson
memory of Roger Wagner
California ACDA
Genevieve Tep, in honor of David Stein
Carolyn Teraoka-Brady
André Thomas, in memory of Harold Decker
Jim Tompkins-MacLain, in honor of
Dr. Albert McNeil
Burt and Polly Vasché, in memory of our
musical and encouraging parents
Angel M. Vázquez-Ramos
William A. Zinn
Gifts of up to $100
Dana Alexander, in honor of
Charlene Archibeque
Anonymous Community College Educators
Anonymous, in honor of James Coday
Anonymous
Carol Aspling
Alissa Aune
Becky Baker, in memory of Forrest Madewell
Jessica Bang
Kira Bombace, in honor of R. Daniel Earl &
Edith A. Copley
Christopher Borges
Gail Bowers, in honor of Gary Walth
Ian Brekke
Kelly Caswell
Yu (Cynthia) Chen, in honor of Dr. Robert Istad
Miguel Chicas, Jr., in memory of Germán Aguilar
Jessica Cosley, in honor of Dr. Chris Peterson &
Dr. Rob Istad
Dan Doctor
Eric Dyer, in memory of Lynne Dyer
Michael & Jamie Fenton
Juan-Jose Garcia, in honor of Dr. Christopher
Peterson, Mr. Jeremy Wiggins, & Dr. Robert Istad
Alan Garcia, in honor of Tim Lutz
Jennifer Garrett
Shamiram Ghashehpour
Nina Gilbert, in honor of Bruce Browne
Eric Graham, in honor of Jon Talberg,
Rob Istad, & Chris Peterson
Scot & Mary Hanna-Weir, in honor of
Edward Maclary & Beverly Taylor
Beatriz Herrera, in honor of Julie Dana
Mark Hulse
Amanda Isaac, in honor of Dr. Royce & Susan
Tevis & in memory of Forrest Madewell
Michele Izor
Joyce Keil, in memory of Howard Swan
Stacey Kikkawa
Heather Kinkennon, in honor of William Hatcher
and in memory of John T. Ross
Bekka Knauer, in honor of Stephen Johns
Alex Koppel, in honor of Cheryl Anderson
Mark T. Lanford, in honor of Frank Pooler
Bruce Lengacher, in honor of Byron McGilvray
Christopher & Jilana Luthi
Eric Medeiros, in honor of Eddie “Bo” Buhisan
Jonathan Miller, in memory of Ephraim Miller
Charles Miller
Jeff Morton
Fernando Muñoz, in honor of Christopher Borges
Christine Patrikian, in honor of Tammi Alderman
Molly Peters, in honor of Lori Marie Rios
Valerie Poon
Ranelle Prescott, in honor of Jennifer
Perier-Champeaux
Valerie Quiring, in honor of Dr. Roy Klassen
Michael Reilly, in honor of Donald Brinegar &
William Belan
Kate Roseman, in honor of Jeffrey H. Rickard
Meg Rossoni, in honor of Amy Way & Iris
Lamanna
Cynthia Salomonson, in honor of
Dr. Gary Unruh
Emilio Sandoval, in honor of Melva Morrison
Jeff Seaward, in honor of Art Huff
Gavin Spencer
Alison D. Stickley, in honor of Bruce Rogers
Mary Stocker, in honor of Paul Setziol
Iva Svitek, in honor of Don Brinegar
John Tebay, in honor of Loren Wiebe
Jesse Tebay, in honor of Dr. Katharin Rundus
Kevin Tison
Carlin Truong, in honor of Jeffrey Benson
Kristen Walton, in honor of Margie Brodeur
Jeremy Wiggins, in honor of Robert Istad &
Christopher Peterson
Justin Witt
Josh Young
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Leading the Way
California ACDA
Top Five for your Choir:
Multicultural music
M
Daniel R. Afonso,
Jr. is the Director of
Vocal and Choral
Studies at CaliforState University,
nia
Stanislaus. He received
a
B.M.E. degree from
Universidade do
the
Rio de Janeiro (UNIRio), a M.M. degree in
Choral Conducting
from the
University of
Missouri-Kansas City,
and a
D.M.A. degree in
Choral Conducting
and
the
Pedagogy from
University of Iowa.
Dr. Afonso is also a
composer, arranger,
and editor of choral
music who has been
recognized for his research and performance
of
Brazilian choral
music and continues
to present workshops
and lectures about
Latin American choral
repertoire.
Leading the Way
uch of the Brazilian choral repertoire
currently in print and available to North
American conductors consists of arrangements
of folk and popular music. And because
many of us have the perception that all Latin
American music is rhythmic, dance-like, and
“fun,” it’s easy to assume that folk music and
popular music completely represent choral music
from Brazil. We’d never think in those terms
if we were searching for European or North
American choral music, so in order to challenge
this perception and encourage conductors to
explore this repertoire in a different way, here’s
my list of top five original pieces that beautifully
represent the Brazilian choral tradition.
José Maurício Nunes Garcia (1767-1830)
Judas Mercator Pessimus
Choral Public Domain Library (cpdl.org)
SSATB a cappella
Greatly influenced by the music of Haydn
and Mozart, Nunes Garcia’s works perfectly
represent Brazilian Classicism. Judas Mercator
Pessimus is a wonderful piece to teach your
students the characteristics of the Classical
repertoire: predominantly homophonic textures,
short and clearly defined melodic phrases and
cadences, variety and contrast of timbres, etc.
Nunes Garcia was a black Catholic priest
active during the time when King Dom John VI
transferred the Portuguese royal court to Brazil
because of Napoleon’s invasion of Portugal.
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
Bendita Sabedoria
Éditions Max Eschig, ME 6996
SSATBB a cappella
Any list of Brazilian choral music must include
at least one piece by Brazil’s best-known
composer. Bendita Sabedoria is a six-movement
sacred work based on the Book of Proverbs.
The complete work is about 12 minutes
long, but the movements can be performed
separately or as a set, and each one emphasizes
different musical elements (texture, harmonic
progressions, rhythm, etc.). Although the title
is in Portuguese, the text is in Latin. The fifth
movement (“Beatus homo”) is one of VillaLobos’ masterpieces.
Henrique de Curitiba (1934-2008)
Pingos d’Água
Colla Voce, 21-20111
SATB a cappella
This lovely piece was inspired by falling
rain—the title means “drops of water.” In this
brief (approximately 2 minutes) but challenging
piece, the composer says “the ‘dropping effect’
pervades the entire work, creating a continuous
movement that is also a delicate background
over which the melody is stated imitatively in
the various voices.” The Portuguese text is a
Brazilian proverb: “Soft water beats on a hard
rock until it makes a hole.” This is an interesting work that’s always enjoyed by singers and
audiences alike.
Aylton Escobar (b. 1943)
Sabiá, Coração de Uma Viola
Carus Verlag, 3.204/20
SATB (divisi) a cappella
Although it’s also sold separately, this work is
part of an anthology of Latin American choral
music prepared by Maria Guinand entitled
Makumbebé. This secular piece is in ABA
form; the first and last sections are fast and very
rhythmic, including some challenging clapping.
The middle section is lyrical and melodic, in the
style of a marcha rancho, a type of Brazilian folk
music that dates back to the 19th century. The
beautiful love poem has a melancholic character.
Ernst Widmer (1927-1990)
Salmo 150
Colla Voce, 30.96620
SSATBB, a cappella
Swiss-Brazilian composer Ernst Widmer was
a great advocate for contemporary music in
Brazil. His Salmo 150 is considered a choral
masterpiece in Brazil; it’s full of rich sonorities,
polyrhythmic patterns, text painting, and a
well-developed polyphonic texture. It’s about
6 minutes long and is perfectly suited to very
advanced high school and collegiate choirs. 
SHOW Choirs
W
Since 1980, Bill Zinn
has dedicated his
professional life to the
Sacramento area’s musical community.
He has
performed as a member
and
Assistant Chorus
Master of the Sacramento
Opera Chorus,
and he sings with the
Sacramento Master
Singers. Bill has taught
in the
fied
Davis Joint UniSchool District
since
2003, and in
2002 he was awarded
Music Teacher of the
Year by the Capitol
Section of CMEA.
e have an amazing variety of show choirs
in California, from north to south. There
are pockets of thriving programs from Redding
to Los Angeles. Some of these ensembles are
massive undertakings aimed at national and
international competitions requiring extensive
staff and parent involvement and vast fundraising efforts to support the budgets necessary
for success at that level. Those of you who
perform and compete in the stratosphere are
models of excellence for all of us.
But meaningful show-choir experience
doesn’t have to be competition-driven or
tremendously elaborate to be successful and
satisfying. There are as many interpretations
of what a show choir can do as there are choir
programs. My hope for you if you’re thinking of
including a show choir element in your choral
program is that you’ll take the step of just doing
it! Your students will enjoy it, and you will find
that theatrical choral productions offer much to
teach about vocal production, stage presence,
energy, ensemble, and commitment.
Show choir performance is a great opportunity to connect your vocal and instrumental
music and dance programs. You can take
advantage of the instrumental accompaniment
scores you will find with many of these numbers.
But don’t be ashamed to use the performance
and rehearsal recordings that are available if you
don’t have those resources!
When constructing a show choir set, you
can assemble a collection of songs you like or
purchase an arranged medley of songs around
a theme. Here are some of my favorite medleys
from my work with the Davis High School Jazz
Choir. These are just the tip of the iceberg, of
course. Have a blast doing your own exploring!
Arr. Mark Brymer
Steppin’ Out (Medley)
Hal Leonard
SATB or SAB
Arr. Andy Beck
Little Shop of Horrors: A Choral Medley
Alfred Music
SATB or SAB
Arr. Mac Huff
Disney Dazzle
Hal Leonard
SATB, SAB, or two-part
Arr. Mac Huff
In the Heights (Choral Medley)
Hal Leonard
Arr. Mac Huff
Opening Night!: A New Generation
of Broadway
Hal Leonard
Applications for performers and interestsession presenters for CASMEC 2017 open soon!
Watch your e-mail and the CA-ACDA
website for complete details!
California ACDA
Dr. William Belan
Leading the Way
Prof. Donald Brinegar
College-level music
C
Angel M. VázquezRamos, a native of
Carolina, Puerto Rico,
is
Assistant Professor
and
Director of Cho-
ral and
at
Vocal Studies
California State
University, Bakersfield.
He teaches undergraduate courses in music
education and choral conducting, and
conducts the
University
Singers and Chamber
Singers. Before his appointment to
he served as
of
CSUB,
Director
Choral Music
Education at Chapman
University from 2010
to
2015. Dr. VázquezRamos also taught
secondary choral music
for seven years in
las
Pinel-
County Schools in
the
Tampa Bay Area.
horal programs at the college and university
level vary greatly in experience and skill
level. For that reason, I have selected five works
that are accessible and still offer some challenge
to the more advanced ensembles. Above all,
these five selections are beautiful and enjoyable.
Dale Sakamoto (b. 1989)
Ubi caritas
Walton Music WLG152
SATB divisi, unaccompanied
I programmed this piece for my most recent
concert. The choir really enjoyed it because of
its chant-like quality, and because the composer
did a marvelous job capturing the character of
the text. It is lyrical and allows the director to
“play” with dynamic contrast, tempo, and word
stress to bring out a great level of expression
from the choir. Could be used as an opener.
Zachary J. Moore (b. 1992)
There Is Sweet Music Here
Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 1277
SATB divisi, piano
This piece is great! The piano part is wellwritten and accessible. Dissonances, intelligent
and well placed cadences, and a great sense of
commitment to text setting from the composer
make this piece special. There are also some
divisi and unaccompanied sections, as well as
meter changes. You and your choir will truly
enjoy singing and building an exciting crescendo
to the end. The choir and audience will love it!
Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)
Quién fuera como el Jazmín
Neil Kjos Music Company Ed. 8912
SATB with piano
tenor line could be performed as solo or by the
entire section. This piece is part of the Indianas,
a suite of six pieces by Guastavino.
French-Canadian Folk Song,
arr. Randy Haldeman
Verduron
Walton Music WSZ102
SATB, accompanied
Verduron is exciting and works especially well
as a closer. The many meter changes, clapping,
and driving tempo gives this piece a fun and
energetic feel that serves well the text. Your
pianist will particularly enjoy the piano section
from measures 40-48. The choral parts build in
texture and dynamic level to the end.
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
Walton Music WW1548
SATB divisi with piano, guitar,
and string quartet
This piece was commissioned by the American
University Consortium in 2015. It is a fresh
and contemporary approach to setting this
famous wistful text by William Butler Yeats. It
creates a captivating soundscape for the choir
and audience. The strings and guitar part are
essential to the almost entrancing qualities of
this piece. Melodic line and harmonies are
elegant and engaging. All in all, this is a piece
that will give the audience something different to
hear even as it offers them something that is easy
to relate to. 
If you are looking for something lyrical, very
expressive, and in Spanish for your spring
program, this is it! Musically and textually, it is
very romantic. Great poetry is set to appealing
musical lines and harmonic treatment. The
California ACDA
music in Worship
I
Christopher Gravis has
been the
Director of
Music at St. Wilfrid of
York Episcopal Church
(Huntington Beach)
for the past five years,
and has developed a ro-
find that the best resources for liturgical choral
repertoire are the exhaustive music schedules
published by many of the most prominent
church music programs in the country (such
as St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, Trinity Wall
Street, Grace Cathedral), and also some of
those abroad (the collegiate chapels of Trinity,
King’s, and St. John’s Colleges, Cambridge, for
example). And if you want real-life inspiration
with your repertoire planning, simply tune in to
any of these church/chapel daily choral services
online!
Here are five selections that my church choir
and I love to sing:
bust choral program in
the
Anglican cathedral
tradition.
Christopher
recently made his conducting debut with the
San Diego Symphony,
and led a week-long
residency at
St. Paul’s
Cathedral, London,
with the
Choir of St.
Wilfrid of York. In the
fall of
2016 he will
become the full-time
Director of Choral
Activities at California
State University–Los
Angeles, and he also
directs the
Orange
County Choral Society
and the
Orange Coast
College Symphony.
Leading the Way
John Tavener (1944-2013)
The Lamb
Chester Music
SATB
William Blake’s profoundly moving poem, set to
seven haunting notes in all manner of compositional inversion. We sing this by candlelight
at our annual Advent Procession of Lessons &
Carols, and you can hear the collective breath
leave the room.
Robert Parsons (1535-1572)
Ave Maria
Oxford University Press
SAATB
very gratifying suspensions, and an appealing
harmonic language. There’s never a dry eye
left in church with this anthem!
Paul Halley (b. 1952)
Jesu, the very thought of thee
Pelagos Music
SATB and Organ
Lush and lyrical, this work is a beautiful
watercolor of harmonies setting the lovely St.
Botolph hymn tune. A rich a cappella verse lays
the foundation for a barn-burning final verse
and descant. The dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral,
London, was particularly keen when we sang it
there in residence in 2014.
Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Like as the Hart
Oxford University Press
SATB and organ
This setting of Psalm 42 is definitely a “desert
island” piece for me (if only desert islands
had English pipe organs!). Howells’ brooding
modalism and long melodic lines are the musical
depiction of a great cathedral. This piece is like
an old friend with whom I rekindle a deepening
relationship with every passing year. Lydian
mode becomes the musical expression of my
spirituality! 
An oldie and a goodie – perfect for teaching
a natural sense of tactus inherent in most
Renaissance music. And honestly, has a more
beautiful Amen ever been composed? Fair
warning: the alto parts are low, so I usually
cajole a few baritones into singing countertenor.
Philip Stopford (b. 1977)
Do Not Be Afraid
Morningstar Music Publishers
SATB with Soprano solo
A simply gorgeous new anthem - perfect for
teaching ensemble expression, vowel unification, and tuning. It is easy to learn, has some
California ACDA BOARD Directory
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(917) 686-0110
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Roger Emerson
(530) 598-1043
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Southern
Stacey Kikkawa
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REPERTOIRE & STANDARDS
College & University Choirs
Angel Vázquez-Ramos
(714) 305-1087
[email protected]
Community Choirs
Kristina Nakagawa
(408) 205-6050
artistic@
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Ethnic & Multicultural
Perspectives
Daniel Afonso
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Junior High & Middle
School Choirs
Molly Peters
(213) 880-7597
[email protected]
Male Choirs
Gavin Spencer
(530) 241-4161
[email protected]
Music in Worship
Christopher Gravis
christopher_gravis@
mac.com
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Christopher Borges
(661) 204-2689
[email protected]
Children’s &
Community Youth Choirs
Peggy Spool
408-979-9997
peggy@
vivaceyouthchorus.org
Show Choirs
William Zinn
(916) 601-4175
[email protected]
Two-Year College Choirs
Arlie Langager
(858) 774-0412
[email protected]
Vocal Jazz
Ian Brekke
(562) 985-4781
[email protected]
Women’s Choirs
Tammi Alderman
[email protected]
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Chris Peterson
(657) 278-3537
[email protected]
Choral Composition
David Montoya
(626) 419-8031
[email protected]
EVENT CHAIRS
Summer Conference
at ECCO
Jeffe Huls
[email protected]
CMEA Representative
Willow Manspeaker
[email protected]
All-State Honor Choirs
Genevieve Tep
(510) 928-9108
[email protected]
Regional Honor Choirs
Central
Aaron Snell
honorchoir.central.ca@
gmail.com
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Alice Hughes
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Leading the Way
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Photos: Ragazzi Boys Chorus with the Tandi Sibeko School Choir in the Duduza township near Johannesburg, South Africa; Berkeley First Presbyterian
Church Chancel Choir performs in Sveta Sofija Cathedral in Ohrid, Macedonia; Members of the Young Men’s Ensemble of the Los Angeles Children’s
Chorus with members of the Cantorias Coralillo and Solfa of the Schola Canotrum Coralina in Havana, Cuba

Cantate Spring 2016

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