REFLECTIONS
AND
VISIONS
Peggy Dettwiler
ACDA Eastern Region President
2018-2020
Almost 300 members from the Eastern Region attended the ACDA National Convention two weeks ago! We celebrate the appearances of three invited choirs on their performances. The North Penn High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Matthew Klenk gave a seamless performance including readings on the theme, “O, That We Were There!” And Joe Miller led the extraordinary Westminster College Choir in a unique program entitled “Half Acre.” Boston’s
Lorelei Ensemble
, known for their bold and inventive programs under the direction of Beth Willer, also gave a remarkable performance. In addition, we should acknowledge the appearance of The Choir School of Delaware in a wonderful interest session: “When Dreams Take Flight.”
Congratulations to
Hana Cal
,
MM’17, from Eastman, who won first prize in the collegiate conducting competition! And kudos to three Eastern Region states, who were honored for their 2018 membership drives.
Vermont
under the leadership of
Stefanie Weigand
achieved 15.9% growth and 2nd in the nation!
Christine Howlett
led
New York
to 4th place with 14.6% growth; and 7th place went to
Maine
for a 10.1% increase under the presidency of
Nicolas Dosman.
Pretty impressive that three of the top seven states in the country came from the Eastern Region to make their mark in keeping and recruiting new members for ACDA!
Now we look ahead to the 2020 Eastern Region Conference taking place in less than one year!
Applications
are flowing in for
choral performance
and
interest session
presentations. Don’t miss out!
(
Applications close April 15.)
And please know that we welcome submissions from rural & urban communities and small & large programs diverse in ethnicity and socio-economic demographics. Note the many bullets you can check to describe your program and the opportunity to express your mission about music as a force for good!
You can find the application links on the
ACDA East website
(
www.acdaeast.org) and on our Facebook page (don’t forget to “like”it!)
Last but not least! Watch for the announcement opening the Honor Choir applications! Here are the ensembles that will be formed:
Elementary Honor Choir
- a treble choir of singers who will be in grades 4, 5, or 6 in March 2020.
Henry Leck, conductor
Junior High Honor Choir -
an SATB choir of singers who will be in grades 7, 8, or 9 in March 2020.
Lynnel Joy Jenkins, conductor
High School Honor Choir
-
an SSAATTBB choir of singers who will be in grades 10, 11, or 12 in March 2020.
Edith A. Copley, conductor
Musical Theatre Repertoire Honor Choir
- an SSAATTBB choir of singers who will be in grades 10, 11, 12 or college in March 2020.
Rob Fisher, conductor
Reflecting on our past in Kansas City and looking forward to the future in Rochester next March!
Peggy Dettwiler, President
pdettwiler@acdaeast.org
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ACDA East board members presented their goals for the 2020 conference during the Eastern Region reception in Kansas City!
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In Memorium
Joseph Flummerfelt
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What follows is an edited version, for reasons of space, of his official obituary, published on the Rider University website and used here by permission. Those wishing to read the entire posting should follow the link at the end of this article.
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O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen and down the mountainside.
The summer's gone and all the roses dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
Joseph Flummerfelt, emeritus professor of choral conducting, conductor laureate and former artistic director at Westminster Choir College, died on March 1, 2019 in Indianapolis. He was 82. Musical America’s 2004 Conductor of the Year, Dr. Flummerfelt was founder and musical director of the New York Choral Artists; for 33 years he was conductor of the Westminster Choir. In 2016 he retired from 44 years of choral preparation for the New York Philharmonic.
He began his academic career as director of choral activities at his alma mater, DePauw University, from 1964 to 1968. He served in the same capacity at Florida State University from 1968 until 1971, when he began his tenure at Westminster. A master teacher, Flummerfelt’s many former students occupy a number of major choral positions throughout the United States.
After retiring from Westminster, he held many visiting professorships and conducted performances at a number of universities, including Eastman School of Music, University of Texas, New England Conservatory, University of Illinois, Kansas City Conservatory of Music and DePauw University.
For more than four decades Dr. Flummerfelt collaborated in the preparation of hundreds of choral/orchestral performances and recordings with such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Alan Gilbert, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Wolfgang Sawallisch and Robert Shaw. In addition to the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra, Flummerfelt’s choirs performed with numerous other American orchestras, as well as European orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
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Among the many recordings he made with the Westminster Choir, their 1981 release
Folk Songs
remains a standard for American recordings of that genre.
Folk Songs
included a number of arrangements by the conductor, including "Danny Boy," a signature work of Flummerfelt and the Westminster Choir, sung on their many tours throughout the United States, Korea, France, and Italy.
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For 37 years he served as director of choral activities for the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. in Charleston, S.C., and for 23 years he was the maestro del coro for the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy.
I
n addition to his Grammy awards and nominations, Dr. Flummerfelt’s honors included Le Prix du President de la Republique from L’Academie du Disque Francais. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Purdue University, Vincennes University, Ursinus College, and DePauw University.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to any of the following: “Joseph R. Flummerfelt Graduate Choral Music Fund” c/o University of Illinois School of Music Advancement, 1114 West Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801; or the “Joseph Flummerfelt Endowed Music Scholarship” c/o DePauw University, Robert G Bottoms Alumni and Development Center, 201 E. Seminary Street, Greencastle, IN 46135; or the “Joseph R. Flummerfelt Endowed Choral Scholarship” c/o Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Office of the Dean, 101 Walnut Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540.
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Thinking of advertising in ChoraLink?
We aren't free but we're
very
reasonable.
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Upcoming Events in the Eastern Region
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CONNECTICUT
-
All-State "Boot Camps" 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
March 24, 2019 - E.O. Smith HIgh School, Storrs, CT
March 24, 2019 - Northern Region - TBA
March 31, 2019 - St. Luke's School, New Canaan, CT
March 31, 2019 - Hamden Hall Country Day School, Hamden, CT
Participation is strongly recommended for all All-State singers. Directors are not required to attend with students - parents may bring them. Students may attend any session, regardless of their region.
DELAWARE
-
Delaware Choral Festival,
April 5, 2019 - Wilmington Friends School, Wilmington, DE
Registration deadline:
March 14, 2019
Music in Worship -
postponed to 2020.
Summer Choral Conference at the Beach
, June 20-21, 2019 - St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Lewes, DE
Early Reg. ends April 30
.
Contact:
Margaret Anne Butterfield
Voices United Conference,
August 1-3, 2019 - George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
MAINE
-
ACDA Spring Adjudicated Festival,
April 10, 2019 - Hampden Academy, Hampden, ME Chair:
Heather Guilfoyle
Judges:
Maria Belva, Dennis Cox,
Nate Menifield
Sight Reading Judge:
Eric Perry
Sight-reading
-
Choirs will sight-read music that corresponds to the voicing that was performed on stage. SATB performance = SATB sight reading. However, if more than 50% of the members are first-year choristers they may elect to sight-read one voicing less than what was performed on stage SSA performance = SA sight reading etc.
Directors must select at least
one piece
from the following established music lists:
Florida Vocal Association List
Maryland Music Educators Association
The other two pieces should be festival-quality literature. Pop/Musical Theater pieces are not advised.
Maine ACDA Elementary and Middle School All-State,
April 27, 2019 -
Gorham High School, Gorham, ME
Elementary Conductor
: Dr. Henry Leck
Middle School Conductor:
Dr. Jessica Napoles
Registration deadline has been extended due to the weather complications. Please contact the appropriate chair to submit your nominations.
Voices United Conference,
August 1-3, 2019. - George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Big Sing East,
March 23, 2019 - Christ Epicopal Church, Needham, MA
Summer Conference,
July 14-17, 2019 - Smith College, Northampton, MA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
-
NHACDA sessions at NHMEA Spring Conference,
April 12, 2019
NEW JERSEY
-
Collegiate Chapter Leadership Summit
, April 6, 2019 - Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Registration begins February 25, 2019.
Elementary and Junior High School Honor choirs
, May 4, 2019 -
High School Choral Festival South,
May 21, 2019 - Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
NEW YORK
-
22nd Annual NY ACDA Treble Choir Festival,
March 30, 2019 - Clarence Presbyterian Church, 9675 Main St., Clarence, NY
http://abcbelcanto.org/acda
Junior High Honor Choir,
August 10-11, 2019 - The Hilton Albany, Albany, NY.
Elementary Children's Honor Choir,
August 12-13, 2019 - The Hilton Albany, Albany, NY.
VERMONT
-
Great Day of Singing,
March 16, 2019 - South Church, St. Johnsbury, VT
Children's Honor Choir Festival,
May 3-4, 2019 -
First Baptist Church, Burlington, VT
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