Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association
Professional Choral Directors serving the needs of Choral Music in Massachusetts

Choral Festivals, Clinics, and Workshops designed for Choral Musicians
by Professional Choral Directors

Saturday, September 18, 2004 -- 9 a.m. to Noon

Looking for new repertoire for your children’s choir?  Come join us at St. Peter’s Church, Weston, MA for “Field-tested Favorites for Children’s Choir”.  Several of our members will bring multiple copies of their favorite pieces for us to read through, and you’ll go home with a list of tried-and-true repertoire. Appropriate for elementary & middle school teachers, church musicians and conductors of children’s choirs. Coffee & bagels provided. Session fee - $10. For more information contact K.C. Conlan at 413-253-7346 or kcconlan@comcast.net.

Saturday, October 2 (changed from 10/9), 2004,  9:00 - 3:00

SPIRITUALS and GOSPEL SONGS: Diverse Informed Programming! held at the Congregational Church of Needham.  Join Donald Dumpson, Director of the Westminster Jubilee Singers, for an inspiring MassACDA workshop on African-American Sacred Music. If you heard Donald and the Jubilee Singers at last February's Boston convention, you'll know what a treat you're in for.
Learn about

enjoy a choral reading session.  A separate mailing will follow with detailed information about registration and luncheon. Call Jim Hejduk, MassACDA R&S Chair for Music & Worship at 781-935-9013 or e-mail him at jHejduk@belmont-hill.org if you have any immediate questions.

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Bring the Whole World Into Your Choral Repertoire  – 

Read, sing and experience music of the Western and non-Western (Latin American, African and Asian) choral traditions featuring Michael Brewer, the musical director of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.  Boston University School of Music.  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.   Registration: $25 before Oct. 20; $30 on site.  Registration information and forms are here.

Presented by Multicultural and Ethnic R & S.

Contact:  André De Quadros at adq@bu.edu or 617-353-6888.

Saturday, October 30, 2004

High School Honor Choir Festival

Second Annual MassACDA High School Honor Choir Festival at UMass Amherst.

Male Honor Choir Conductor:  James Hejduk, Belmont Hill Choral Director

Female Honor Choir Conductor (read more about James Hejduk):  Jonathan Hirsch, conductor at Smith College.

The Registration form and the Audition Recommendation form may be downloaded here and here.  Mail completed forms, postmarked no later than Monday, September 27th, 2004, to Joseph Stillitano at the address shown on the forms.  Please feel free to contact Joseph Stillitano at stillitj@mec.edu or 508-836-7720 x 5192 for additional information.

Friday and Saturday, November 12-13, 2004

HARVARD FESTIVAL OF WOMEN’S CHORUSES

Sponsored by the Radcliffe Choral Society

For anyone who conducts or sings in a women’s chorus this spectacular two-day festival hosted by Prof. Jameson Marvin and the Radcliffe Choral Society is not to be missed!  Three separate concerts will include ten outstanding collegiate and secondary school women’s choirs and feature the 4-voice Boston-based professional women’s ensemble Tapestry (Laurie Monahan, director) in Patricia Van Ness’ “The Nine Orders of Angels.”  Interspersed between performances are an enticing array of interest sessions for both singers and directors, including a conducting master class (led by Jameson Marvin), composers forum, and reading session (led by Scott Tucker &  Catharine Melhorn) of works new and old from many of the leading publishers of women’s choral music.  Concerts in Harvard’s Sanders Theatre (Cambridge) are as follows:

Be sure to save these dates! For more information, please contact Sarah K. Whitten, Harvard music dept administrative assistant: whitten@fas.harvard.edu.

Saturday, January 8, 2005

Rescheduled to Saturday, January 15, 2005 due to inclement weather.

There's still time to sign up!

Vocal Health Workshop - "Vocal Health for the Adult Singer"

"Finding the Vocal Fountain of Youth: How to take care of your voice through the years," with Lin Schuller of the McClosky Institute, and Maria Weiss, Alexander Technique. 9:30 am-3:00 pm (time change). Registration $30. Held at Trinity Church, Northborough.  Last season's very successful workshop on Vocal Health for the adult singer returns this season.   For more information, click here.
Contact:  Dr. Michelle Graveline at mgraveli@eve.assumption.edu or 508-898-0917.

Saturday, February 12, 2005

12th Annual Collegiate Festival

Theme: “Collaboration Rather than Competition.”  Held at Regis College.

All collegiate choirs from Massachusetts and beyond are invited to participate in the Twelfth Annual ACDA Collegiate Choral Festival, at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts on Sat., February 12, 2005.  (This is the weekend after the ACDA Convention weekend in L.A.).  The event, which will include singing together, learning from one another, socializing, and performing, is an all-day affair beginning around noontime, and will once again be organized under the theme of Collaboration Rather than Competition.  Activities will include

Contact:  Sheila Prichard at sheila.prichard@regiscollege.edu.

Sessions ACDA will be sponsoring:

Thursday, March 17, 2005,  5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Tech Fest: Towards the Virtual Choral Experience

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Choral Director's Association and Music Division of the Humanities and Arts Department of WPI, Patrick Quinn, Chair.

Featuring Clinics in:

a Lecture on: Presenting Technology to Performing Musicians, and performance of Virtual Orchestra (with live percussion and piano) featuring WPI Festival Chorus

 Held at Great Hall in Alden Hall, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609

Fee:  Members: $20.00, Non-members: $30.00

Contact:  John Delorey at jfd@wpi.edu or 508-831-5051.

Sunday, April 3, 2005

ACDA Children’s Choir Festival

St. Mark's School - Southborough, MA
Announcing a wonderful opportunity for children's choirs across the Commonwealth! For the past several years, the MA ACDA chapter has sponsored a Children's Choir Festival in the western part of the state to great success. This year, we thought we might move things east a little, towards the center of things, in the hopes that some of our "east coast" neighbors will participate!
Join K.C. Conlan, State R&S Chair for Children's Choirs, and Matthew Garrett, Conductor of the Handel & Haydn Society Children's Choirs in Boston, for this year's festival in Southborough, MA! This one-day event will include rehearsal sharing and performances from each participating choir as well as preparation of a combined work for the evening concert. To keep things simple, we meet for just one afternoon and evening on Sunday, April 3rd with breaks for activities and dinner. That's it, no stress, no formal adjudication, just a unique opportunity to meet and hear other children's choirs from around the state!
Space is limited, so check your calendars and make plans now to join us! Contact K.C. 413-253-7346  or (KCConlan@comcast.net) or Matthew (mlgarrett@beld.net) for registration details or for more information.
 

Friday, May 27, 2005

ACDA Junior High / Middle School Festival

Held at East Middle School - Braintree, MA

An outstanding choral festival with Choral Professionals familiar with the adolescent and changing voice. 

A flyer is here, and the registration form is here.  Both are in PDF format.  Please submit this form and a program page along with payment or purchase order payable to Mass. ACDA no later than May 1.

Contact:  Chet Laskosky at cl3rd@yahoo.com.

July 17 - 20, 2005

MassACDA Summer Conference

Gordon College - Wenham, MA

This summer's program features clinicians Vance George, Donald Dumpson, and Deborah Mello. Here's the schedule:

Sunday, July 17

4:00 – 6:00 PM Welcome and registration in Phillips Music Center

5:00 – 6:00 Dinner

6:15 – 8:30 READING SESSION with Vance George

8:30 RECEPTION: Meet the clinicians. Refreshments

served.

Monday, July 18

7:00 – 8:30 AM Breakfast

8:00 – 8:45 Late registration

8:45 – 12:00 PM Deborah Mello—Employing Movement and Solfège in the Children’s Choir Rehearsal

                        Donald Dumpson—Educating Youth with Today’s Urban Music: Celebrating the Substance!

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:15 – 4:45 Deborah Mello—Looking for a Good Match: How to Choose Repertoire for Your Choir

                 Donald Dumpson—Church Music in a Changing Time

5:00 – 6:15 Dinner

6:30 – 8:30 READING SESSION with Vance George

8:30 – 9:00 PERFORMANCE: S.O.P. (professional male a capella group)

9:00 RECEPTION: Meet the performers.

Tuesday, July 19

7:00 – 8:30 AM Breakfast

8:45 – 12:00 PM Donald Dumpson—Gospel Music Made Accessible: Techniques for Everyone!

                       Deborah Mello—Developing the Child Voice

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:15 – 4:45 Donald Dumpson—Gospel Accompaniment Techniques

                 Deborah Mello—Vocal Health for the Choral Conductor

5:00 – 6:15 Dinner

6:30 – 8:45 READING SESSION with Vance George

8:45 RECEPTION

Wednesday, July 20

7:00 – 8:30 AM Breakfast

8:45 – 12:00 PM All clinicians—Conducting Symposium

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

Sept. 24, 2005, Saturday, 9am–2pm  (registration & coffee at 8:15 am)

Choral Symposium --

Demonstration Choir: Boston City Singers

Williams School, Newton, MA

Clinician: Henry Leck, Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana. Founder and Artistic Director, Indianapolis Children's Choir.

Mr. Leck is widely known as a specialist in choral techniques, the child's voice, and the boy's changing voice. He recently authored the choral section of Silver Burdett music textbooks for grades 4, 5 and 6. He has produced two teaching videos entitled "Vocal Techniques for the Young Singer" and "The Boy's Changing Voice: Take the High Road" and is a lead editor for a new choral textbook series being published by Macmillan/McGraw Hill. He is also the editor of two nationally known choral series published by Hal Leonard Corporation and Colla Voce, Inc./Plymouth.

Packet of children’s choral music included in workshop. 

Registration MUST be in by August 29th in order to be guaranteed a choral packet.

More information and registration form are here.

October 29, 2005, Saturday

Mass ACDA High School Honor Choir Festival

UMass Amherst, MA.

Men’s Honor Choir - William Pappazisis, Belmont Public Schools, Conductor

Women’s Honor Choir - Lisa Graham, Wellesley College, Conductor

A full day Men's Choir and Women's Choir experience culminating in an evening performance as part of the UMASS Amherst Choral Spectrum Concert

High School Students in attendance will gain an opportunity to:

Choral Directors in attendance will be able to:

Student Conductors and their teachers in attendance will have the chance to:

To apply, fill out the Registration and Audition Recommendation forms and send to Kevin McDonald at the address listed at the top of the forms.  For more information contact Kevin McDonald, mcdonaldkevin23@yahoo.com, Cell: 413-219-2598, or Work: 781-446-6290 Ext: 5226

November 18-20, 2005, Friday - Sunday

Jazz Choir Directors’ Retreat 2005.

This year, jazz choir directors (current, future and undecided) will have a unique opportunity to solidify our network, build skills and share ideas during a weekend of workshops and music.  The retreat, scheduled for November 18-20, will include workshops on ensemble building, rehearsal techniques and improvisation.  Musical experiences will include a reading session and an evening of “jazz and cocktails.”  The closing session will be an open rehearsal of the All-State Jazz Choir at Boston Arts Academy.  Also, we hope to provide professional development points for teachers and observation credit for college students. 

To request a retreat brochure, please email your name, school, mailing address, email and phone to ajones@bostonartsacademy.org.  Our goal is 50 people in attendance, so please spread the word!

February 15-18, 2006
ACDA Eastern Division Conference in New York City

ACDA Eastern Division Convention in NYC ~  Massachusetts Reception/Dinner will be held on Thursday, February 16^th from 6:30-8:00 pm, just for us Bay Staters!  Join us for libations and appetizers ~ stay for dinner, too!

            Location:   China Regency Restaurant, 850 Seventh Avenue and W. 55^th St.

Appetizers will be served compliments of Massachusetts ACDA.

Please RSVP by Sunday, February 12^th to Bill Pappazisis at wpappazisis@belmont.k12.ma.us or call 617-993-5990.  When you respond please indicate if you will be staying for dinner.

See http://acdaeast.org/ for additional details on the conference.

February 17, 2006

Nominations for the  MassACDA 2006 Outstanding Conductor Award are due to John Delorey. 

The nominating form can be found here.

March 16, 2006, Thursday

MMEA Conference in Boston -- ACDA All-State Jazz Choir Performance

ACDA's first All-State Jazz Choir will perform during the MMEA conference in Boston. Please plan to join us at 9:00 p.m. in the Imperial Ballroom (Park Plaza Hotel). Audition information for the 2006-07 All-State jazz program will be available at the concert. For more information, contact Allyssa Jones at ajones@bostonartsacademy.org or 617-331-1216.

March 25, 2006, Saturday

Men’s Choir Reading Session

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA.

John Delorey, State R&S Chair for Men’s Choirs, will be hosting a reading session for men’s choral repertoire. For more information, contact John at jfd@wpi.edu.

April 2, 2006, Sunday, 1 – 7 PM

ACDA Children’s Choir Festival

St. Mark’s School, Southborough, MA

Announcing a wonderful opportunity for children’s choirs across the Commonwealth!  For the past several years, the MA ACDA chapter has sponsored a Children’s Choir Festival with great success and very positive reviews.  Tom Berryman, Choral Director at the St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA has offered once again to host this event in a central location in the hopes that we will have participants from all over the Commonwealth!

Join K.C. Conlan, State R&S Chair for Children’s Choirs, and Matthew Garrett, Conductor of the Handel & Haydn Society Children’s Choirs in Boston, for this one-day festival.  Activities will include rehearsal sharing and performances from each participating choir as well as preparation of a combined work for the evening concert.  To keep things simple, we meet for just one afternoon and evening on Sunday, April 2nd with breaks for activities and dinner.  That’s it, no stress, no formal adjudication, just a unique opportunity to meet and hear other children’s choirs from around the state!

Due to time constraints, space is limited.  So check your calendars and make plans now to join us for the 2006 MA ACDA Children’s Choir Festival!  Contact K.C. (KCConlan@comcast.net) or Matthew (mlgarrett@beld.net) for registration details or for more information.

July 16–19, 2006

2006 MassACDA Summer Conference

Gordon College - Wenham, Massachusetts

Clinicians and their sessions:

Anthony Leach

Robert Russell

Additional sessions presented by Luellen Best, Allyssa Jones, Bob Schunemann, Sandra Doneski, Mike Driscoll, and Dr. Ken Phillips.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Vocal Jazz Choir Director’s Luncheon

Get together with other vocal jazz teachers from across the state to trade ideas, share repertoire, and make connections. Enjoy a roundtable luncheon & open rehearsal of the All-State Jazz Choir (PDP’s!) $10 per person. Non-members welcome. Email Allyssa Jones, R&S Chair for Vocal Jazz at ajones@bostonartsacademy.org to reserve a seat.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Mass ACDA High School Honor Choir Festival

UMass Amherst — Amherst, MA

High School students will have an opportunity to work on gender-specific vocal issues, repertoire, and perform with other driven musicians from across the state, while having the opportunity to hear other ensembles perform. Choral Directors will be able to observe noted guest conductors work with gender-specific vocal ensembles, and meet with other choral directors from across the state to exchange teaching ideas, and attend workshops. For more information, contact Festival Chairperson Kevin McDonald, Wellesley High School, 50 Rice Street, Wellesley, MA 02481, or call Kevin at 781-446-6290 Ext: 5226. Or email Kevin at mcdonaldkevin23@yahoo.com.

A World of Song - A Choral Director's Summit

Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 9:30 AM

First Church & Parish, Unitarian Church - 670 High St, Dedham

Festival Chairperson:  Samuel Martinborough, ACDA R&S Chairperson for Ethnic & Multicultural Music

This summit is designed to create an arena where something incredible can occur. As R&S Chairperson for Ethnic & Multicultural music I feel that one of my responsibilities is to the minority Directors, offering support to both members and non-members. I also feel strongly that in order to create a truly vibrant organization we need to have a membership that truly reflects the diversity found within our communities and an opportunity to foster cross-cultural musical experiences. It is my hope that these dialogues will be the first step in creating richer musical programs that more fully represent the full spectrum of choral music.

One of the challenges of creating a more racially diverse organization is knowing and understanding the needs of those it serves and those it hopes to attract. My experiences show that this understanding is best accomplished when those involved have:-

To this end Massachusetts ACDA in conjunction with Mssng Lnks invites you to join Boston choir directors Dennis Slaughter and Melvin Murphy, and performing artist Sharon Molden as they take you on a journey through the first choral director's summit. Throughout the day, directors will have an opportunity to:-

For a registration form, click here.  For more information, contact Sam at: Samuel Martinborough, Mssng Lnks, P. O.  Box 230913, Boston, MA 02123, phone: 781.799.5768; or email him at exordiumma@aol.com

Saturday, February 10, 2007

14th MassACDA Collegiate Choral Festival - Theme:  Collaboration Rather than Competition

Regis College, Weston MA

All collegiate choirs from Massachusetts and beyond are invited to participate in the Fourteenth Annual ACDA Collegiate Choral Festival, at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 20, 2007.  The event, which will include singing together, learning from one another, socializing, and performing, is an all-day affair beginning around noontime, and will once again be organized under the theme of Collaboration Rather than Competition.  Activities will include

Although the combined pieces (2nd & 4th movements of the Brahms Requiem, to be sung in German) has already been selected for 2007, it is still not too late for choirs to sign up to participate.  Registration cost:  $3 per student

For further information, contact festival chair:  

Sheila Prichard, Regis College

Phone:  781-768-8326

Email: sheila.prichard@regiscollege.edu

For additional details, click here.

Saturday, February 17, 2007, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM   Postponed: stay tuned for new date, time

ACDA Worship and Community Chorus Workshop

First Congregational Church, Shrewsbury, MA.

9:00 am - Margaret Tartaglia, CMVT –The Choral/Choir Director's Approach to Healthier Voice Use and Enhancement of Good Choral Sound

at the Collegiate Choral Festival High School Jazz Festival

Saturday, March 24, 2007 at 3pm

Choral TechFest

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Features a reading session of men’s repertoire, followed by an hour of presentations by students at WPI who are working on Digital Choral Library, Digital Choral Scores, and Virtual Orchestra. Registration starts in November. Contact John Delorey at jfd@wpi.edu for more information.

Sunday, March 25th, 2007, 1pm – 7pm

Children’s Choir Festival

St. Mark’s School, Southborough, MA

Announcing a wonderful opportunity for children’s choirs! The MA ACDA Children’s Choir festival will bring you & your singers together with other children’s choirs from across the Commonwealth. Tom Berryman, Choral Director at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA, has once again graciously offered to host this event in a central location anticipating that we will have participants from all over the Commonwealth. Join Richard A.A. Larraga, State R&S Chair for Children’s Choirs, for this one-day festival. Activities will include rehearsal sharing, choral director networking & performances from each participating choir as well as preparation of a combined work for the evening concert. To keep things simple, we will meet for just one afternoon & evening with breaks for activities & dinner. That’s it, no stress, no formal adjudication, just a unique opportunity to meet and hear other children’s choirs from around the state! For information & registration forms, contact Richard at R2AL@richardlarraga.com.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Vocal Jazz Choir Director’s Night Out

Get together with other vocal jazz teachers from across the state to hear Bobby McFerrin & Voicestra at Symphony Hall. The evening includes dinner before the show! Email ajones@bostonartsacademy.org or click here for more information and the registration form. Registration deadline is February 15, 2007.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Middle School Choral Festival

Ipswich Performing Arts Center, Ipswich, MA.

All Massachusetts middle school choirs are invited to participate in an outstanding choral festival with choral professionals familiar with the adolescent and changing voice.  Each group will be scheduled for an hour that includes: warm up, performance and clinic.  Everyone is encouraged and welcome to enjoy other choirs’ performances throughout the day.  The festival will be held at the Ipswich Performing Arts Center, Ipswich.  Registration deadline is May 1, 2007.

More information about the festival can be found here; the registration form can be found here.

Contact:  Claire Cayot at ccayot@ipswichschools.org.

July 15-18, 2007 (Sunday - Wednesday)

MassACDA Summer Conference

Gordon College, Wenham, MA

Saturday, September 29, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM  Postponed until further notice

Vocal Jazz Workshop #1 -- for Choral Directors & Pre-Service Teachers

Boston Arts Academy

Tuition:  $50 choral directors / $25 pre-service teachers (includes workshop lunches).  To register, complete and return the form here. Questions? Email Allyssa Jones at ajones@bostonartsacademy.org.

Saturday, October 13, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM  Postponed until further notice

Vocal Jazz Workshop #2 -- for Choral Directors & Pre-Service Teachers

Boston Arts Academy

Tuition:  $50 choral directors / $25 pre-service teachers (includes workshop lunches).  To register, complete and return the form here. Questions? Email Allyssa Jones at ajones@bostonartsacademy.org.

Sunday, October 28, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM  Postponed until further notice

Vocal Jazz Final Workshop and Jam Session -- for Choral Directors & Pre-Service Teachers

Location:  TBA

Tuition:  $50 choral directors / $25 pre-service teachers (includes workshop lunches).  To register, complete and return the form here. Questions? Email Allyssa Jones at ajones@bostonartsacademy.org.

Saturday, October 20, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

BAKE Choral Symposium

Williams School, 141 Grove Street , Auburndale (Newton)

Saturday, October 27th

Mass ACDA High School Honor Choir Festival

UMass Amherst, MA

High School Singers will attend a full day Honor Choir experience culminating in an evening performance as a part of the UMASS Choral Spectrum Concert.  High School Directors will observe rehearsals with our noted conductors Catharine Melhorn and Jamison Marvin, network with other high school directors, and attend workshops. 

Registration Forms are here, and are due by Friday, September 21st!!!  The tentative schedule of events is here.  For more information please contact Joshua Miller at massacdahonorchoir@gmail.com, or 508-351-7010 x2192, or Joshua Miller, c/o Algonquin High School, 79 Bartlett Street, Northborough, MA 01532.

Wednesday, October 31

Deadline for Taped Auditions for All-State Jazz Choir

Live auditions will be held Saturday, November 10.

See here for details.

Saturday, January 12, 2008, 9-3pm

VOCAL WORKSHOP AND REPERTOIRE SESSIONS

A DAY OF WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOL AND CHURCH CONDUCTORS AND SINGERS

First Congregational Church, Shrewsbury, MA

Workshop fee $50 includes lunch.  Registration Deadline is January 7, 2008.

For complete details, directions, and registration form, click here.  For more info contact: Malcolm Halliday – rmhalliday@charter.net. 
 

Regis College, Weston MA

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Children’s Choir Festival

St. Mark’s School, Southborough MA

Due to time constraints, space is limited. So check your calendars and make plans now to join us for the 2008 MA ACDA Children’s Choir Festival! Registration cost: $115 per Chorus. For registration details or for more information contact Richard at R2AL@richardlarraga.com.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

All-State Jazz Choir Performance

at MMEA Conference, Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA

All-State Conference: Thursday, March 27th

• 9:00am sound check

• 10:00am Preview Performance (during the conference opening session)

• Open rehearsal for educators

• 5:00pm Feature Performance (Exhibit Hall Grand Opening)

Possible additional performances to be announced.

For additional audition information, registration forms, and a literature packet, click here.

East Middle School - Braintree, MA

Last revised 05/10/08 .