May 13, 2020

The Mägi Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Heather McLaughlin-Garbes, performs PIeta , by Ester Mägi. This video was submitted to the ACDA Virtual Concert Hall for Professional Choirs .

INSPIRATION

There are many conversations out there about the challenges we are facing. It makes sense to mourn what is happening. I want to encourage us to remember that the arts are always under great scrutiny. You’ve heard the comments: "What shall we cut? Well they don't test musical skill on the SAT, so that can go."

Let's find solutions. We don’t want to compromise safety; we need to raise up the parts of our art that we still can. It's hard enough to remind people of the importance of music in normal times, even though I don't know anyone who doesn't listen to music every day .

So please, let's work together to protect this art, and community music-making. Distill it down: What is singing together about? Making music reflects that which makes us human. No one can change that whether we're together or apart. We're still human, and we need connection.

Let's find solutions to keep the choral boat afloat until we can be together again and celebrate what we love. Otherwise, I'm afraid it will be too easy to trivialize something that for many people is a necessary part of what makes us feel alive.

Dr. Amanda Quist, Director of Choral Activities, Frost School of Music, University of Miami & ACDA National R&R Coordinator for Collegiate Choirs

ADVOCACY

Thursday! May 14, 1:00 p.m. Central. ACDA Advocacy and Collaboration Committee Community Conversation

We invite you to a moderated discussion/conversation organized and hosted by ACDA's Advocacy and Collaboration Standing Committee, aimed directly at how to advocate.

In the conversation - not a presentation - we will seek to (1) provide support, brainstorm solutions, and find ways to positively advocate and create a path forward as a community! and (2) seek ways to learn how to speak on behalf of the choir as schools, community organizations, and churches, to articulate value and sustainability.

Details on the Zoom meeting (link, meeting ID, and password) are available on the Facebook event page.

ONLINE OPTIONS

Thursday! May 14 , 6:30 p.m. Central. ACDA: Connecting with the World - Cuba

The first discussion in a weekly event with choral leaders from around the world kicks off this week. Tim Sharp and T. J. Harper host this new series, an activity of the ACDA International Activities Standing Committee, this week talking with Maestra Digna Guerra, Director of the Cuban National Choir (Coro Nacional de Cuba). You must register, and space is limited. Register now!

Starting Friday! May 15. The 2020 ACDA Symposium on Research in Choral Singing's Virtual Exhibit Room

A collection of videos and documents from the 2020 ACDA Symposium on Research in Choral Singing will become available for viewing by ACDA members from May 15 to July 15, 2020. COVID-19 altered plans for an in-person meeting, and selected presenters were instead invited to upload their materials to share with the ACDA membership. Symposium abstracts are published in the latest volume of the  International Journal of Research in Choral Singing at: https://acda.org/2020/04/ijrcs-volume-8/

STRATEGIES FOR MOVING FORWARD

From member Derrick Fox (Director of Choral Activities at the University of Nebraska - Omaha):

The Professional Choral Collective was created to provide a place for our choral community to share ideas around how we can move forward in planning for the immediate future of choral music. Through the collection of Future Teaching Practices, we are able to share ideas and have the opportunity connect virtually to brainstorm. Future Teaching Practices (FTP) are meant to help the choral community shift instruction/rehearsing/performing to meet the musical needs of their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nothing can replace in person choral singing but through collaboration and positivity, we can keep our community intact until we can sing together again. Future Teaching Practices can be shared at the following link: https://forms.gle/6spXEHUDbmkC8XfJ7. You can email files that might be helpful to understand your submission to Dr. Derrick Fox at dafox@unomaha.edu

Are you strategizing a way forward? Do you have an idea to share? We want to highlight and share member ideas! Just reply to this email.

CLASSROOM IDEAS

From member Renée Wilson-Wicker (Director of Choral Activities, Mountain View High School, Lawrenceville, GA):

CHORAL RESOURCES FOR THESE TIMES

ACDA is hosting a webpage that is updated daily containing resources that are particularly useful for choral professionals: Resources for Choral Professionals During the Pandemic . New additions:

Do you know of a resource that should be added? Please reply to this email.

SUBMIT YOUR CHOIR TO AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE

Were your spring concerts cancelled? We are adding choirs to ACDA's Virtual Concert Halls daily. Have you submitted your choir yet? To do so, follow the instructions on this form and submit it with a YouTube link. While you're there, enjoy the wonderful playlists!

This email is a weekly Wednesday communication we are sending - for a time - to support and lift up our members during this challenging period.

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