It’s something I haven’t done yet – bring an ensemble to perform at a conference.
To me, the conductors who bring their choirs to a music conference such as ACDA-Michigan are heroes.
They spend their time, energy, and money preparing and traveling to the conference. They present a program that may or may not be quite ready, without being able to give any context. (Our October conference is inconceivably early in the year for many choirs.)
They volunteer to have their choir perform in front of the most discriminating audience possible – fellow musicians.
They’ve been to many conferences before, so they know the conversations afterward won’t all be positive (aka Convention Snark). They do it anyway, because the conversations are important to how we all get better.
Hearing what our peers are doing is vital to the advancement of our art, and I just can’t honor strongly enough the heroism of conductors and ensembles who are willing to put themselves out there in service of our art.
These are the wonderful choirs and conductors who shared their artistry with us at the ACDA-Michigan Fall Conference. It was my pleasure to hear them all.
Cor Cantiamo – Eric Johnson (headlining choir)
Ann Arbor Skyline High School Treble Choir – Lindsay CieChanski
Carillon Women’s Chorale – Karen Nevins
conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers – Jared Anderson
Eastern Michigan University Choir – Brandon Johnson
Holland Chorale – Meredith Bowen
Jackson Northwest High School Vocal Dimension – Matt Snell
Lake Orion High School – Bryce Thompson
Northwestern Michigan College Canticum Novum – Jeffrey Cobb
Owosso High School Madrigal Singers – Jessica Nieuwkoop
Western Michigan University Chorale – Kimberly Dunn Adams
Join me in celebrating their artistry, their heroism, and their gift to the profession. And join me in committing to do the same when we can.