CCDA Cantate (Spring 2024)

karen miskell

The three fates? No, but we’re pretty sure thatEdieCopley,PollyVaschÉ,andRobyn Hilger are every bit as powerful! Find lots More photos beginning on Page 22.

CANTATE

Volume 36, Number 3

Official publication of the California Choral Directors Association, an Affiliate of the American Choral Directors Association

Eliza Rubenstein, editor cantate editor@gmail com

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

We welcome and encourage CCDA 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 cantate.editor@gmail.com. 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.

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On the cover: The Castro Valley High School Madrigals (Laryssa Sadoway, director) sing in the rotunda of the state capitol building in Sacramento.

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 Choral Directors Association empowers choral musicians to create transformative experiences for California’s diverse communities.

CCDAisa501(c)3 non-profit,tax-exempt corporation and an affiliate of the American Choral Directors Association.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CCDa Summer ConferenCe at eCCo July 21-24, oakhurSt

CCDa Southern regional fall kiCk-off September 7, trinity preSbyterian, Santa ana

CCDa CoaStal regional fall kiCk-off September 7, Cal poly San luiS obiSpo

CCDa northern regional fall kiCk-off Date tbD, SaCramento City College

Arlie lAngAger

studied oboe and arts administration before completing graduate work in voice performance and pedagogy, and received her master of music degree in conducting from the university of calgary. for the next decade, she taught courses in elementary classroom and secondary choral education and directed award-winning vocal jazz ensembles as well as the university chorus and chamber choir. she completed her doctoral degree in choral conducting at the university of texas in austin and joined the faculty of miracosta college in 2008. arlie and her best dog, nakiska, live in carlsbad

From The president’s pen: pizza with the presidents

Earlierthis year I joined the other presidents of the five CASMEC organizations for “Pizza with the Presidents,” a chance for the collegiate attendees to meet the leadership of their professional organizations and each other. The students asked thoughtful questions, and I remember feeling very optimistic about these future colleagues.

One student asked the presidents on the panel about what we wished we knew earlier in our careers and what advice we would give. My colleagues were quick to offer great responses. I took a moment to think back to my first conducting efforts and tried to recall my perspective from that time. It was easy to remember my exhilaration of hearing singers follow my novice gesture for the first time, the enthusiasm of young musicians and the deep satisfaction I had from teaching them, and the meaningful connection that my church choir singers felt when they sang together.

For my turn to respond to the student, I wanted to convey that although a conductor is a teacher (not only in a school environment, of course), it’s not the same as teaching any other subject. We also have a unique identity as artists.

A conductor makes artistic choices and other independent humans to express those choices. We make the decisions, and we ask others to follow. I wanted to say to never take that for granted with any ensemble.

When I taught choral methods classes, our unit on characteristics of an excellent conductor started with students assuming the most important attribute for a conductor to have must be superior musical knowledge and proficiency. However, when asked about their own experiences singing for an excellent conductor, students would often say charisma and passion were most important. They would acknowledge that conductors have a great deal of influence on their singers. Students would share fond memories of choir tours and great moments

in rehearsals, but sometimes students would also share more complicated stories about their experiences singing for those same passionate, charismatic directors, when highly charged moments headed down some not great paths.

I wanted to say that when we find ourselves intoxicated by the enthusiasm of our singers, or their unbridled affection for our musical direction, or personal allegiance, it can be hard to see through the eyes of our singers. The roles of conductor are complex and intertwined, and boundaries might be difficult to gauge and recognize in the blur of emotion and energy. I wanted to say that the outstanding attributes of emotion and energy can strengthen but also weaken the relationships with our singers.

I wanted to say how amazing it is to have a career that allows us to express our artistic ideas, but the privilege of having other humans agreeing to make our own artistic vision happen is an incredible honor and an even greater responsibility.

My actual response ended up being something closer to this: I wish I had a better self-awareness to understand most times which motivation was driving me as artist or educator. I wish I could have more easily recognized whether my desire to achieve my own artistic goals was overshadowing my passion for student growth, and whether I needed to manage the balance more carefully.

Finally, I wanted to tell the student that no advice I or anyone could give would be as valuable as experience, but self-honesty and awareness will always be the best guides in the long run. 

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 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’s family includes her partner, julie fischer, and four dogs. she’s passionate about vegan thai food, photography, and the st louis cardinals and st louis blues

letter from the editor: WHAT MATTERS

Atage 20, I made an impulsive decision to become a choral conductor rather than an English teacher, and an equally impulsive corresponding move from the Midwest to California to pursue a master’s degree toward that end.

I must have fretted aloud to my undergraduate mentor about all of that at some point. I don’t remember what I said, but I remember his reply. “Eliza, don’t worry about having a big career or being famous,” he said. “Just work hard and honestly and trust that success will come.”

Thirty years later and on the verge of turning 50 years old, in moments when I feel my center slipping or my vision clouding, I still return to those words. Borrow them if you want. They’re good ones.

Whatmatters, Eliza’s incomplete list: The music. Good music. Our students and singers. The relationships we form with them—the appropriate relationships that illuminate and inspire, not the ones that exploit or exclude. Our colleagues. Our values. Our persistence in believing that even if choral music alone can’t change the world, it can change us into people who will.

What doesn’t matter, also an incomplete list: Social-media clout. Another selfie. Forgettable flashy repertoire. How many prestigious gigs we had this year. How many prizes and superior ratings our choirs won. How we stack up against our peers, or against our own expectations and ambitions, according to any of those metrics.

What matters: Doing honorable work in honorable community with others. What doesn’t: Confusing the happy external reinforcers we may receive for that pursuit with the pursuit itself.

Matters: Art. Empathy. Integrity. Doesn’t: Pretty much everything else.

My graduate-school mentor, Joseph Huszti, the one I came to California to learn from, was this year’s conference honoree at the Western Region ACDA conference in Pasadena. Many of the

younger choral directors in attendance probably didn’t know him, or perhaps even know of him, though he’s amassed a head-spinning list of achievements and logged many years of service to the profession. He’s done most of it quietly, never chasing acclaim or seeking to turn his name into a brand.

Tasked with choosing three choral works to rehearse and perform at the conference, Joe chose Randall Thompson’s “Alleluia,” J.S. Bach’s “Dona Nobis Pacem” from the Mass in B Minor, and Aaron Copland’s “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land. The first two of those contain five words of text in about ten minutes of music—a one-word mantra of praise and gratitude with a single “amen” at the end; a three-word hope for peace. Nothing else, nothing extra.

The third piece, “The Promise of Living,” is one I confess I found insufferably saccharine when I first sightread it as a substitute alto in Buddy James’s church-choir rehearsal in 1996 or so. Its open-armed, quintessentially Copland-y harmonies struck me as pedestrian; its wholesome text embarrassed me at my cynical core.

The promise of living

With hope and thanksgiving Is born of our loving our friends and our labor.

Decades later, I’m wrinklier and maybe a bit wiser, harder to impress but easier to reach. I get it now, this music and this text; it’s about what matters.

The promise of loving

The promise of growing Is born of our singing in joy and thanksgiving.

Work hard and honestly. Be kind. Sing with joy and thanksgiving. Tell those who taught you, and those you teach, that they matter.

The promise of living

The promise of growing

The promise of ending Is labor and sharing and loving. 

CCDA mourns the loss of George Heussenstamm on April 8, 2024, at the age of 97. George was a composer, author, and teacher, as well as a scrabble aficionado and a dear friend to many.

In 2016 George became the benefactor of the CCDA/ Heussenstamm Composition Contest at ECCO. This competition awards an annual prize for an unpublished choral work.

Look for a fuller tribute to George Heussenstamm in a future issue of Cantate.

LISTEN: Joseph Gregorio Remembers Alice Parker

Just before I went to sleep on December 24, 2023, I learned that one of the brightest lights in the firmament of choral music had gone out. I lay awake for a long time that night, and have spent much time since, thinking about all that Alice Parker gave to me, to the students and singers I have led, and to music itself.....

AliceParker wore, among many others, the hats of a conductor, songleader, author, and tireless advocate for singing itself. I own and have read a number of her books, I brought her on several occasions to work with ensembles I conducted, and at the 2017 ACDA National conference I sat with her on a panel about performing spirituals. Yet I knew her best and cherish her teachings most in her capacity as a composer, arranger, and teacher of composition. The memories most present in my mind, and my reflections that seem most consequential, center on her work in these areas, on how that work impacted me, and on what I think that work offers the world. I hope that, through them, something of Parker’s light might shine toward and inspire you as it did me, regardless of whether you knew or knew of her, or even of whether you are a musician.

Memories of Working With Alice Parker

Like many who grew up singing in choirs, I first sang some of Parker’s arrangements as a high school student, at the time having only a vague idea of who she was. I doubt that I fully grasped her stature in the choral world until I was in graduate school. I first directly encountered her teaching at the 2011 National Collegiate Choral Organization conference in Colorado, where she was a headliner. In one of her sessions, she took conference attendees through guided improvisations on folk melodies. How attentively she got us to listen to each other—to each phoneme as we sang, to the clarity and intention of each onset and release, and to what the songs she chose were themselves telling us they needed! And how natural and easy she made it all seem!

Parker also led a session there on some of her hymn and folksong arrangements—a segment of her oeuvre I recall her saying elsewhere that, though much of it bears Robert Shaw’s name as co-arranger, she did the lion’s share of the work to write. As she told it, he mentored her in writing for voices in the earliest days of their collaboration, but eventually he trusted her to work entirely on her own. Later she also recounted the nervewracking routine of bringing Shaw her completed works for feedback: He would have her play them for him on his piano, which was positioned in his studio such that she would be boxed in by walls behind her and to her left, by the keyboard in front, and by Shaw to her right. He, wielding a pencil, would reach over her right shoulder every so often as she played to mark something for revision on her manuscript.

I came to see the boundless riches of craft and detail each arrangement contains, down even to the microscopic compositional level, and each one’s thorough artistic integrity. There is not a note out of place in any of them, nothing gratuitous, not a gimmick anywhere. The notation is immaculate. Everything in Alice Parker’s

arrangements is utterly singable and grows organically out of the song’s materials. During that session I zealously scribbled down her observations, recollections, and performance instructions about each one she shared. I later used my annotated copies of her arrangements as guides to interpretation when I programmed them with choirs I led. I guard those scores like sacred texts.

At that same conference there was a session marking the debut of the NCCO Choral Series offered by ECS Publishing Group. A piece of mine (“Love, thricewise”) was included in the inaugural imprint of the series, so I stayed on stage for a while afterward talking with presenters and attendees. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Parker standing at the foot of the stage looking in my direction. I talked on with those around me, shook a number of hands, and so on; still Parker waited, looking more or less at me. Finally, as the hubbub died down, I left the stage via the stairs near where she still stood. She looked me right in the eyes and told me she thought my piece was excellent. Imagine my profound gratitude for her words—and my regret that I had inadvertently made her stand around waiting for me!

Imagine, too, my delight when I learned shortly thereafter that Parker routinely hosted groups of composers, arrangers, conductors, and music educators at her home in idyllic, off-the-grid western Massachusetts to study melody, composition, and arranging with her— and when she invited me to study there. I went for a week in autumn 2012, thanks to encouragement from my wife and extra childcare from my mother and sister.

In and around Parker’s quaint home by a brook in the woods, with few sounds other than birdcalls, the wind moving through the trees, and the gentle burbling of water, I felt both time and my pulse slow down, and my attentiveness stretch out. Cell phones were useless, the internet was barely accessible, and there were regular power outages. It was a perfect sanctum for someone as attuned to the breath and to the slow, beautiful, inexorable processes of nature and art as Parker was.

At the large wooden table in her study where she taught her groups, I tried not to say much that week, the better to listen and internalize everything she had to teach about the breath and voice as the generative force in music, the inner life of text, the primacy of rhythm, the ebb and flow of melodic shape, the joy of discovering organic counterpoint to a melody, and the peril of forgetting that notation is merely a guide to the sound of music and not the music itself.

While there I made a dear friend in Susan LaBarr, who also found herself profoundly affected by Parker’s teaching. Susan has beautifully recounted elsewhere not only lessons she learned from Parker, but also the tale of how Susan and I found ourselves giddily raiding Parker’s kitchen one night—with Parker’s permission, of course—for dinner ingredients.

One day early in the week, Parker told us go find

a song in one of the many song collections on her living room shelves, and to prepare to sing it for her and the group the next day. What she meant, we had learned, was to live every word of the song as we sang, to find the way that each sound in the language of its text could express the song’s meaning, and to sing as though we were giving a gift to our listeners. She wanted us to give everything of ourselves to bring the song to life.

Before our next meeting I spent several hours walking in the woods singing the song I picked—“Frog went a-courtin’”—observing the shapes and sounds of its words, the patterns of its rhythms, and meditating on its melodic contours. The next day I mustered all the childlike energy I could, and pretended I was singing to my own three-year-old as I performed it for the group. We improvised answers to the melody—Parker’s way of sowing seeds of counterpoint. “Mm hmm,” I remember her humming in reply, and saying, “it’s as though there were an old couple on their front porch sitting on rockers, one telling a story, the other nodding and affirming every now and then.” In response to a verse about Uncle Rat (who plays a supporting role in the song), Parker had a wonderful time improvising on the text “shook his fat sides”; to this day I picture her gleeful expression every time I hear that verse.

For the next day, she told us to begin an arrangement

of whichever melody we had selected, and limited us to writing strictly in two parts. This forced us to focus on crafting a single fitting response to the melody, making sure that it grew only out of the melody’s existing musical materials, with rhythm that complemented the melody without upstaging or otherwise detracting from it. And if, for example, one chose a pentatonic song—like “Frog”— then the countermelody had to be pentatonic too.

I set six of “Frog”’s many verses that week, taking feedback from Parker on those six and polishing them until I had a solid torso of an arrangement. Those verses stayed in two parts and scrupulously pentatonic, per her instructions. Over the following months, I finished “Frog,” programming it for Ensemble Companio’s inaugural concert season in 2012. I didn’t keep it in two parts all the way through; I widened it into three and eventually four voice parts, but no further. She was leery of divisi, viewing the practice as an expedient, and counseling composers generally to avoid it. She recounted an amusing visualization of how divisi struck her, which she attributed to Shaw: Imagine a quartet performing when suddenly a fifth singer runs on stage, sings a few notes of a transient fifth part with the quartet, and then dashes off. Though silly, it speaks to how fiercely she cared about integrity of the melodic line.

Following Parker’s method, I also kept “Frog”’s

harmony overwhelmingly pentatonic, which allowed the few tones I sparingly introduced from outside the pentatonic scale to have an outsized effect. When a singer asked me, after a rehearsal of “Frog,” why one particular passage felt so special to sing, I knew immediately why: It was because the passage in question was one of the only places in the piece where fa, a tone that has a particularly reverent and spiritual quality, appeared in a landscape dominated by the pentatonic tones do, re, mi, so, and la. It was also because it coincided with a verse that was about the music made by guests at Mr. Frog and Miss Mousie’s wedding, and how the music rang through the woods. It is always moving to sing about making music, and the special presence of fa in that passage enhanced its meaning.

In a come-full-circle moment two years later, I had Ensemble Companio perform “Frog” for Parker when the group hosted her for a workshop. It was only fitting that Parker be one of the arrangement’s dedicatees alongside Ensemble Companio and Ollie, my 3-year old whom I’d imagined as my audience when the arrangement began life at Parker’s home.

I assuredly do not believe that “Frog” attains the level of quality Parker routinely achieved in her work, but in the way she led me to create “Frog,” I was able to glimpse the path she took to get where she did. It involved deep listening, awareness of the breath, precedence of embodied musical experience over theorizing, rigorous economy of materials, and unflinching willingness to pare and refine, all in the service of creating something musicians would want to spend their precious time and energy to bring to life. It led her to create sustainable, enduring music that nourishes deeply and continues feeding listeners and performers long after the final bow.

I cannot help but imagine what could happen not only in the realm of music but in society if more people created art, cooked, built, manufactured, purchased, cared for the environment, and raised and taught children by Parker’s values, pursuing excellence instead of singularity, and quality instead of fashion. There would be less trash, less indifference, more forethought, and more compassion.

Reflections on Alice Parker’s Work and Philosophy

As more time passes since Parker’s passing, I find myself increasingly not just revisiting but re-interpreting my memories of working with and learning from her, and trying to articulate what I feel is the significance of her work.

If I were to distill down to a single word Alice Parker’s philosophy as I understood it, I would have

a difficult choice to make between two equally worthy candidates.

Most who have been lucky enough to work with Parker would probably, and quite justifiably, choose listen. For Parker, everything arose out of silence and awareness of it; accordingly, she made a lifelong habit and pedagogy of listening deeply for the quiet that holds infinite potential for the breath, vibration, sound, music, connection, and communication. This showed in every facet of her work—her precise compositional choices and engraving; her profound relationship to text; the riches of emotion mined in her music; the depth of her didactic writings; and her inexhaustibly magnanimous and enthusiastic teaching at her home, in workshops, at Sings, and at conferences. Out of Parker’s heightened consciousness of silence as the canvas on which music is painted, every note she wrote and everything she taught flowed naturally.

My own experience studying with her was evidence of this; every time she asked my colleagues and me to sing— be it a single note, a phrase, a melody, or an improvised response—preceding everything, at her insistence, was awareness both of the silence in the room and of the way the breath is pregnant with possibility. She interrogated our compositional choices with a keen ear, forcing us to listen carefully enough to know whether what we had written grew organically out of the soil of the piece’s materials. This is consistent with how she led large-group workshops and Sings, too, making even the most page-bound, timeworn hymns come alive with dancelike levity and freshness by listening first to what the music and text themselves were telling us they need, and then lovingly guiding singers to give the music those things.

Parker carried out all her work by listening attentively; this much is obvious to anyone who reads her writings, engages with her music, or learned directly from her teaching. Equally plain is that she reaped extraordinary results by building the edifice of her output on the foundation of her exquisitely sensitive ear. Yet what interests me even more than how she worked, and what I feel should correspondingly interest anyone wishing to learn from her example, is a larger question, one whose answer I suspect gave her direction and meaning: Why create and teach this way, with focused listening as the central, undergirding imperative?

Certainly, for one in the world of music to base an entire compositional and instructional oeuvre on the practice of listening deliberately should not be too surprising—though, in the present moment, considering how difficult it can be and how unfashionable it can appear to pay attention to anything for longer than a few seconds, Parker’s modus operandi looks downright radical. Though I chuckle to imagine such possibilities, she could have chosen to become one of the many commercial or academic composers who have built careers

on veneer—following trends and chasing money and popularity, or perhaps retreating into relevance only to a highly-credentialed few in the ivory tower of the academy. Or she could have become one of the pedagogical hangers-on who, for whatever reasons, ballyhoo, attend, and eagerly prop up such composers. These approaches clearly never held any appeal for Alice Parker.

To ask why she worked the way she did leads me toward a notion encompassing and going beyond listening, toward a directive and a word that I believe was the one most emblematic of her method: Empathize. Nothing but empathy could give rise to the boundless generosity evident in her music and pedagogy or explain how every fruit of her labor—the uplifting way she built and strengthened communities through collective singing, the selflessness of her teaching and writing, even the most minute artistic choices in her composition and arranging—nourishes the performers, learners, and listeners who engage with her work. She seemed to ask, with every note and rest, every marking, every lesson, and every shared breath, “What kind of experience do I want those encountering my work to have? What will they come away with? What kind of world do I want my work to help make?”

I believe that these questions and their answers guided her—not expedience, fads, or pursuit of fame and accolades. Listening was the path down which Alice Parker mirthfully danced, but improving the lives of all she touched through her work in music was where she was bound. To study, perform, and connect with her music is to see that she pointed toward a world in which communal music-making brings not simply joy but also, crucially, the empathy society so desperately needs: a world in which people listen to each other, recognize each other’s humanity, and celebrate each other’s worth. 

Joseph Gregorio has received commissions from Cantus, The Esoterics, Choral Chameleon, Singing City, and ACDA; his music has been performed on four continents in such venues as Lincoln Center, the Basilica di San Marco in Venice, and a decommissioned nuclear reactor. Gregorio’s composition teachers include Steven Stucky, David Conte, and Alice Parker; his conducting teachers were Marguerite Brooks, Simon Carrington, and Paul Rardin. Gregorio directed the choirs at Swarthmore College from 2013-2023 and in 2011 founded Ensemble Companio, which he led until 2016. Gregorio holds a D.M.A. in composition (Temple University), a M.M. in composition (San Francisco Conservatory of Music), a M.M. in choral conducting (Yale School of Music) and a B.A. in music (Cornell University). Visit josephgregoriomusic.com to learn more.

The SDSU Experience

HONOR CHOIR WRAP-UP

by JENNI GADERLUND AND SUSANNA PEEPLES

Wehope that many of you were able to attend the 2024 All-State Honor Choir concerts at the beautiful and historic Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento. The students came well prepared and their incredible achievements are a testament to the expertise and dedication of you, their directors! We also have to thank everyone who made this year’s All-State Choirs possible: the regional audition hosts and judges, regional event coordinators, chaperones, ensemble managers, guest conductors, and brilliant collaborative pianists.

A special thank you to our outgoing All-State coordinators: Susie and Angelina. You stayed on an extra year so that we could make a smooth and seamless transition to Sacramento. The amount of care and dedication you put into creating templates and structures will have a lasting effect on these events for a long long time. And also a huge thanks to Lauren Diez for your meticulous work as chaperone/hotel coordinator. Your

organizational prowess will be missed!

This year we were delighted to inaugurate our first Junior High/9th Grade Treble All-State Honor Choir this year, bringing the total number of All-State students in 5 ensembles to 520!

The 2025 All-State Honor Choirs will take place at CASMEC in Sacramento from January 16-18, 2025, with guest directors to be announced soon.

Save the new date for the 2024 Coastal and Central Region High School Honor Choirs: November 7-9, 2024! The 2024-2025 CCDA Honor Choir calendar is already posted on the All-State website (calcda.org/ all-state) for your planning. Please note that dates are shifting earlier once again to accommodate the earlier CASMEC timing! Keep an eye on your email and the Honor Choir website (calcda.org/general-info) for more details, including audition information, by the end of this school year. 

WHAT THE ALL-STATE SINGERS SAID

“There’s something so beautiful in learning and performing with people that love music as much as you do.”

“I will cherish the memories I made here for the rest of my life.”

“I was just completely wrapped up in tuning in to the music and the amazing singers around me, and that is one of the best and rarest feelings in the world to a huge choir nerd like myself.”

“Coming into All-State, I was really nervous and excited at the same time. All my worries melted away as soon as we started singing.”

“I’m so grateful for this experience. It has definitely rejuvenated my soul.”

“Honor choir gives me a sense of belonging that I can’t really get anywhere else.”

“Last year as a freshman I decided to do concert choir as a way to not take a PE class. The first time we sang in harmony I got hooked, and here I am now performing at an All-State level. I never knew that something I did as an excuse to not take a certain class could blossom into a newfound obsession.”

“Thank you for this experience, and thank you for making it amazing.”

CCDA Summer Conference

Singing with Soul: Empowering Singers to Embrace Expression Building the Room: Creating an Environment Where All Can Thrive

Building An Effective Gesture (conducting workshop) The Silent Canon (music from composers of African descent)

Critical Conversations (how to have productive conversations in rehearsals)

seen & H e A r D

Right: ACDA Western Region conference performer Kristina Nakagawa shares a smile with her former teacher, Conference Honoree Joseph Huszti; below: the members of Perris High School’s first-ever advanced choral ensemble, Vox Viridian (Arthur Sauls, director), try out a few new poses.

Send your photos to cantate.editor@ gmail.com for a future issue!

Above: members of Men Alive: The Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus (Steve Milloy, director) prepare for their “Iconic” spring programs; below: the Orange County Women’s Chorus performs “Arms,” a concert on the theme of gun violence (Eliza Rubenstein, director; photo by Leonard Leo).

Left: Michael Ushino rehearses the San Juan Hills High School choir at the ACDA Western Region conference (photo by Allison Zema Cavalluzi); above: the Irvine High School choir (Tina Peterson, director) explores Times Square; below: the choirs of Granite Bay High School and College of the Canyons (Susanna Peeples and Lori Marie Rios, directors) enjoy an exchange.

Left: the San Diego North Coast Singers, director Melissa Trevino Keylock, and high school intern Ella Carey soak up some springtime sun (photo by accompanist Anna Juliar); below: the City Singers of Fresno City College (Jennifer Hansen Heder, director) spend the day in San Francisco; right: Santiago High School (Tzipora Khodzhayev, director) and five of its feeder schools gather for a joint performance.

Right: Jennifer Meregini, director of the choral program at Vista Del Lago High School in Moreno Valley, receives the 2024 CCDA Choral Director of the Year award at CASMEC, presented by CCDA Southern Regional Representative Dr. Kellori Dower; below: the Tesoro High School Advanced Treble Ensemble (Keith Hancock, director) meets composer and conductor Yu Hang Tan, whose arrangement of a Malay folk song the choir is performing. Tesoro students created the connection after meeting him at the ACDA Western Region conference in Pasadena!

Send your best photos to cantate.editor@ gmail.com (include a caption and photo credit) if you’d like them considered for inclusion in a future issue of Cantate!

BY CHRISTOPHER W. PETERSON

News and notes from around the state

NORTHERN REGION

Chanteuses, a Sacramento women’s choir under the direction of William (Bill) Zinn, is taking exciting steps as it approaches its 30th anniversary in 2026. The choir has sought its first commissioned work from composer Amy Gordon to create a piece based on members’ personal written statements, and St. Francis High School and their director, Tina Harris, have invited Chanteuses to combine forces to present David O’s “One With the Wind” and Elaine Hagenberg’s setting of “Measure Me, Sky” on May 1. Learn more at www chanteuses org!

BAY AREA

Congratulations to Susan Swerdlow, who retired after teaching choral music at the College Preparatory School in Oakland for 35 years. Susan is now active in Early Music, as a singer and as Artistic Director of the Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble (WAVE) and Associate Conductor of the Renaissance community chamber choir Tactus SF.

Also congratulations on the brilliant performances representing our Bay Area at both CASMEC and Western ACDA in Pasadena this winter! We’re so proud to call you our colleagues.

CENTRAL COAST REGION

The Cuesta Concord Chorus, under the direction of Cassie Tarantino, will present “Viva La Música!” on Sunday, May 5, at the Atascadero Lake Park Bandstandat 3:00 p.m. The choir will perform music from

Send news of hirings, retirements, awards, commissions, premieres, collaborations, or projects to your regional representative!

their upcoming tour to Italy. Tickets can be purchased at www.tickets. cuesta.edu.

Canzona Women’s Ensemble will be joining two Canadian choirs, Cantiamo Women’s Choir directed by Jackie Hawley and Chorale de Gesù directed by Patricia Abbott, in a tour to Ottawa and Montreal in June of 2024. The concerts will feature each choir in an individual program, as well as four combined pieces. Canzona is celebrating its 15th season with founding directors Cricket Handler and Jill Anderson.

The 26th Annual Cuesta Vocal Jazz is slated for November 8 and 9, 2024. Applications are currently being accepted to this educational festival for Middle School through University levels. Contact John Knutson or visit www.vocaljazzfestival.com for more information.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Choirs, under the direction of Scott Glysson, will perform two concerts in the Spring. The first, “Sacred Sounds” on May 25 in Mission de Toloso San Luis Obispo, will feature the Chamber Choir as well as Cantabile and will celebrate sacred music from the 15th century through modern times. On Saturday, June 8, the Cal Poly Polyphonics and University Singers will join forces with the Cal Poly Symphony to present a concert of music from their upcoming tour to Paris in late June.

The Adelfos Ensemble chamber choir under the direction of Temmo Korisheli will present its spring concert on Tuesday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the beautiful sanctuary of Santa Barbara’s Trinity Episcopal

Church. The program is titled A Late 18th-century Solemn Vespers at Salzburg Cathedral, and places the music of W.A. Mozart’s 1780 Vesperae solennes de confessore in its original liturgical context of Gregorian chants, keyboard intonations, and a memorial motet by Johann Michael Haydn. More information and online ticketing available at www adelfosensemble org/tickets.

The Westmont Chamber Singers under the direction of Daniel Gee participated in the 2022 Chorus America Commission Consortium, which jointly premiered Cristian Grases’ new work, “Camarón Que Se Duerme,” the first of a series of works he is entitling Refranes. The Westmont Chamber Singers premiered the work at Westmont’s 2023 Fall Choral Festival for visiting high schools from across California.

CENTRAL REGION

At CASMEC, Michael Gutierrez from Firebaugh High School won the 2024 CMEA Pearson Scott Foresman/Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award, and the SSAA All-State choir gave the world Premiere of “Boa Noite, Minha Gente” by Daniel Afonso, Jr., conducted by and dedicated to Elisa Macedo Dekaney.

In February, the Fresno Community Chorus, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, and Fresno Unified School District welcomed Dr. Rollo Dilworth to Fresno for the Unity Fresno Concert. Over 600 singers from Fresno and Clovis came together and performed the World Premiere of Rollo’s setting of “Peace Like A River,” commissioned for the event.

The Bakersfield Master Chorale and Bakersfield College Choirs, under the direction of Jennifer Garrett, presented “Hope in the Darkness.” The Visalia Community Chorus and College of the Sequoias Concert Choir combined with the Sequoia Symphony Orchestra and soloists, under the direction of John Sorber, to present Mozart’s Requiem. The Fresno Master Chorale, led by Anna Hamre, presented Elaine Hagenberg’s Illuminare and Jocelyn Hagen’s The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci.

Clovis Unified celebrated elementary choral music in a grand way with a three-day festival featuring 34 district elementary school choirs!

SOUTHERN REGION

Several districts in the South hosted elementary and middle school Honor Choirs, along with the more common High School Honor Choirs. This marks a substantial positive change in many district operations, which may be the result of funds made available through California‘s Proposition 28!

It’s festival season for the choirs of Troy High School. Director Mark Henson will take each group to participate in an SCVA adjudicated festival with sight reading, as well as an appearance at the Fullerton College Jazz Festival. Later, Troy’s choirs will open their production of the musical Footloose, running for six performances. The choir year concludes with a May spring concert.

for their Spring Concert and end the year by joining to perform at Knott’s Berry Farm.

FAR SOUTH REGION

The Choral Consortium of San Diego hosted a Beer Choir San Diego event led by Dr. John Russell and singers of the San Diego Master Chorale in February. They also organized the San Diego Sings! biannual choral event, featuring three concerts of fifteen dynamic San Diego and Tijuana-based choirs on April 6. Each concert included five different choirs performing a range of music both individually and together in the stunning acoustics of the Conrad Baker-Baum Concert Hall.

San Diego Children’s Choir (Ruthie Millgard, Artistic Director) presents the inaugural San Diego Youth Choral Festival from June 27-July 2, 2024. Participants include over 200 middle and high school singers from 9 choirs across the country. Participants will experience the best of what San Diego has to offer, including the Zoo, beach, and Balboa Park. Guest conductor Cindy Ellis will lead participants in rehearsal of choral music primarily from Central America, with performances at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Sunday afternoon, June 30, as well as the Festival Concert at the new UCSD Epstein Amphitheatre on Monday, July 1.

Director Tina Glander Peterson and the Irvine High School Chamber Singers traveled to New York City’s Carnegie Hall this April. They survived a rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake in NYC and had a wonderful trip!

Director Rhonda Bauer took the San Bernardino High School Varsity Choir to participate in Disney’s Imagination Campus Vocal Music Soundtrack Session Workshop. Varsity Choir is also traveling to Cal State San Bernardino to tour the campus and music department and to have an exchange with the CSUSB Chamber Singers. The SBHS Vocal Arts Conservatory will combine with their Instrumental Music Program

The San Diego Master Chorale (John Russell, Music Director) hosted its annual Honor Choir with 100 students in March. After a day of workshops and rehearsals, the talented young singers performed a joint concert with the Master Chorale.

The Far South region warmly welcomes Adam Davis, Music Director at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and Catherine Marshall, Director of Music at St. Thérèse of Carmel Church. We’re thrilled to have such talented individuals join our musical community!

Thanks to our Regional Representatives (William Zinn, Northern; Corie Brown, Bay Area; Cari Earnhart, Central; Scott Glysson, Central Coast; Kellori Dower, Southern; and Yewon Lee, Far South) for collecting and sharing news from their areas! Send your news to your regional representative if you’d like to be included in a future issue.

JOHN RUSSELL rehearseS with THE San Diego Master Chorale Honor Choir and members of the Palomar College Chamber Singers

Vision for the Future

Scholarship Fund Donors

This list includes donations made between february 28, 2023, and march 29, 2024. Donations made after that time will be acknowledged in the next Cantate and may be found on our website. Thank you for your support!

President’s Circle

Diamond ($1000 and higher)

Resounding Achord

Erin Ellis Family, in honor of father and papa, William Hall

Hutton Parker Foundation Christopher Hall Family, in honor of father and papa, William Hall

David Masone and William Hall Legacy Giving, in honor of Dr. Gene Peterson, Dr. Jonathan Talberg, and Dr. Joseph Modica

President’s Circle

Platinum ($500-$999)

Dr. Daniel Afonso Jr,*, in honor of Bill Hatcher Semele Heller Duane and Linda Lovaas*

Lori Marie Rios and Bryan D. Walker*, in honor of Shirley Nute, Don Brinegar, and Bruce Mayhall-Rastrelli Jo-Michael and Mary Scheibe

The Sorber Family*, in honor of Dr. Anna Hamre Burt and Polly Vasché*

President’s Circle

Gold ($300-$499)

Florence Agcawili

Pamela Bertin

Mike and Julie Dana*, in honor of my students, now colleagues

Diane Guyett, in memory of dear friend William Hall

Arlie Langager*

Susanna Peeples*, in memory of Germán Aguilar

Dr. Jonathan Talberg*, in honor of Dr. William Hall

Phil Wyatt, in memory of Alan Caddick

President’s Circle Silver ($100-$299)

Dr. Jenny Bent

Heather Bishop

Dr. Cari Earnhart

Tania Fleischer and Larry Berliner, in memory of the great Bill Hall

MMaggie Goodrich Gutierrez

Mary Hamilton

Dr. Scot Hanna-Weir

Anbinh Kao

Stacey Y. Kikkawa

Gregg and Sandra Laughlin, in memory of Monica Lehman

Prof. Desiree LaVertu

Yewon and Dan Lee

Albert Mabeza

Robert MacNeil

MaryClare Martin*, in honor of Lena and Art Babin and Signe Boyer

Gene Peterson

Susan Pierce

Zanaida Robles

David García Saldaña

Haruna Shiokawa

Sponsor ($50-$99)

Dana Alexander

Glenn Carlos

Lauren Diez

Srinu Dongole

Catherine Stoltz Hammon, in honor of Bill Hall

Robert Hepple

Julianna Jerome-Drerup, in honor of Dr. William D. Hall

Dr. Ron Kean*, in memory of Dr. Lynn Bielefelt

Yardley McNeill

Molly Peters, in honor of Lori Marie Rios

Antone Rodich*

Vincie Sasiadek Family, in loving memory of William Hall

Heidi Vance

Dr. Ángel M. Vázquez-Ramos and Jody R. Vázquez*

Amber Welsh

Supporter (up to $50)

Srijoy Aditya

Yasmin Angeles

Alissa Aune

Sindhuja Balasubramanian

Andrew Ball*

Pritom Baruah

Heather Bennett

Andrew Berg

Florence Bray

Bella Cahn

Jane Carter

Christopher Chappell

Tingting Chen

Stephen Commisso

Keith Conley

Allison Crose

Ann Day

Deborah Divine

Trang Do

William Eisenstein

Lafica Fernandes

Jennifer Hansen Heder

Brandon Harris

Andrew Hathaway

Tracey Jue

Swarajya Kalapatapu

Drew Lander

Anastasia Legatos, in honor of Ginger Colla

Daniel Lim

Hyobin Lim

Sara Ludlow

Veena Mahadevan

Oanh Mandal

Kyle McClintock

Patricia Moore

Dennis Nasitka, in honor of Bill Hall

Kim Nason*, in honor of Rob Istad and Chris Peterson

Katharine Nelson

Samantha T. Nickel

Erica Orcharton

Patricia Prunty, in honor of Dr. William Hall

Patchareeya Pumpuang

Eliza Rubenstein*

Laryssa Sadoway

Katie Schramm

Aaron Schultz

Heena Shah

Aparna K Shankar

Pressley Slattery

Jennifer Sumant

Genevieve Tep*

Jennifer Tibben and Sharon Hickox

Randeep Toor

Muthuswamy Venktaramani

Sricharan Vinnakota

Xiaopeng Wang

Dr. William Hall ECCO Scholarship (2023-24 donors)

Florence Agcawili

Dr. Jenny Bent

Pamela Bertin

Alvin and Juanita Brightbill

Patrick Burzlaff

Kathryn J. Carpenter

Jane Carter

Laura Holmes Cea

Michael DiGiacinto

Erin Ellis Family

Tania Fleischer and Larry Berliner

Hutton Parker Foundation

Maggie Goodrich Gutierrez

Diane Guyett

Dr. William D. Hall

Christopher Hall Family

Mary Hamilton

Catherine Stoltz Hammon

Andrew Hathaway

Julianna Jerome-Drerup

Wendy Hauk Kaiser

Dr. Ron Kean

Stacey Y. Kikkawa

Prof. Desiree LaVertu

Yewon and Dan Lee

Robert MacNeil

Susie Martone

David Masone and William Hall Legacy Giving

Gregg and Sandra Laughlin

Patricia Moore

Jeff Morton

Dennis Nasitka

Melanie Nelson

Gregory Norton

Molly Peters

Gene Peterson

Patricia Prunty

Jackie Reeff

Sara McGah and Ken Roehrs

Vincie Sasiadek Family

Dr. Jonathan Talberg

Anna Thoreson

Burt and Polly Vasché

Royce and Darlene Wise

William Zinn

* Founder’s Circle

Congratulations to our 2024 CCDA Vision For The Future Scholarship and Grant Recipients!

Dr. Charles C. Hirt Scholarship for Professional Development

Julie Corallo

Choral Equity Scholarship

Adán Fernández

Creativity Grant

Ann Chen

Dr. William Hall Summer Conference at ECCO Scholarship

Laura Ramirez and Jason Gallardo

Summer Conference at ECCO Scholarship

Aaron Rice

More about these winners in our next issue of Cantate!

Dr. KAren MisKell is professor and department chair of music at victor valley college in victorville, california she holds degrees from the university of southern california, northern arizona university, and the university of miami. in between her bm and mm degrees, she taught secondary choral music in the public schools of las vegas, nevada she serves as the southern choral representative for the music association of california community colleges, and actively serves as a choral clinician, adjudicator, accompanist, and educator throughout the western us

repertoire and resources: COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Weall know from our art that collaboration is key. Different voices, talents, and perspectives create the music to which we’ve dedicated our lives. The last four years have only strengthened the idea that we need each other—not only to make music but to survive. I currently have the privilege of serving on two California State Boards: the Music Association of California Community Colleges (MACCC) as President-Elect, and the California Choral Directors Association (CCDA) as Community College Representative. With the help of some incredible colleagues who have previously started this conversation, we are beginning a journey to strengthen collaboration between these two organizations, aiming to create opportunities unique to community college students and faculty.

MACCC serves as a unifying force for music departments within California’s community colleges. It promotes excellence in music education, advocates for the interests of its members, and facilitates networking opportunities that help with the unique circumstances of community college music programs. CCDA is dedicated to advancing choral music in California by providing resources and professional development, and fostering a supportive community for choral directors. While both organizations share a passion for music education and performance, their collaboration in the past has been sporadic, and there is a definite need for more community-college-specific resources and opportunities.

Fostering collaboration between MACCC and CCDA can create pathways for students and educators alike. In working with both organizations, I hope that we can begin establishing opportunities—including, but not limited to, mentorship programs and collaborative projects. Both organizations can nurture the next generation of musicians, educators, and choral directors. This relationship not only benefits individuals but also strengthens the musical ecosystem in California.

Though our conversations are on-going, we’ve identified avenues for collaboration such as joint events at conferences. By co-hosting workshops or seminars, for example, both organizations can leverage their respective strengths to offer comprehensive programming that benefits their members. MACCC can provide expertise in community-college-specific curriculum development, while CCDA can offer insights into choral repertoire selection, vocal techniques, and conducting strategies.

I’mincredibly excited about the potential possibilities for both organizations as we lean into a new era of collaboration. I’m hopeful that by forging a more consistent relationship between the two groups, we will be able to reach more of our future California music educators as they progress in their degrees. I look forward to engaging in this work with all of you!

buDDy JAMes is professor of music at csu east bay, where he serves as chair of the department of music at csueb he was founding director of the school of arts and media, the 2015-16 george and miriam phillips csueb outstanding professor, and the 2022-2023 recipient of the faculty excellence award in the college of arts, letters, and social sciences. he has held leadership positions in acda , ccda , nafme, and imc and was a founding officer of the national collegiate choral organization. he is the artistic director of schola cantorum silicon valley and the san francisco bay area chamber choir.

repertoire and resources: community & professional

California is home to an extraordinary number of diverse community choirs. Secular community choirs flourish in cities throughout the state, offering opportunities for Californians of all faiths (or none) and all ages to connect through choral singing. We in the singing community are well aware of the research that singing makes us happier and healthier, yet a gap often exists between the composition of our choirs and the communities they aim to serve. Economic disparities, cultural differences, and generational divides all contribute to this disconnect. Many choirs proudly proclaim missions focused on inspiring and enriching their communities, yet their lack of diversity makes it challenging to realize their goals fully.

Here are five ways community choirs in California successfully address these challenges to better enrich the lives of their communities.

Collaboration: Forward-thinking choirs are forging connections with community organizations. Partnering with schools, senior centers, or cultural groups fosters a sense of mutual respect and understanding. These collaborations can involve joint workshops, performances showcasing diverse musical traditions, or outreach programs that introduce new audiences to the joys of choral singing. These collaborations often increase awareness of the choral programs and can serve to stimulate membership growth.

reduCing or removing finanCial barriers: The cost of participation can be a significant obstacle for some, including younger singers who often sang for free during their academic years. Offering scholarships, need-based fee structures, or fundraising specifically for financial aid demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, exploring free or low-cost rehearsal spaces can open doors to those with limited resources.

embraCing Cultural diversity: The rich cultural heritage of California communities can be reflected in the choir’s repertoire. Actively seeking out and incorporating music

from underrepresented communities sends a powerful message of inclusivity. This could involve exploring authentic cultural folk songs, collaborating with local music teachers of diverse backgrounds, or even commissioning new works that celebrate California’s multicultural heritage.

boardroom refleCtion: A choir’s governing board ideally mirrors the makeup of the community it serves. Actively seek out board members from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages. This diversity of perspectives ensures the choir’s decisions are informed by a broader understanding of the community’s needs and interests and the choir’s mission is better understood throughout the community.

PerformanCe innovation: Step outside the traditional concert hall! Choirs are taking their music directly to the people by performing in public squares, parks, and community centers. This strategy not only exposes new audiences to choral music but also fosters a sense of connection and breaks down the perception of choirs as exclusive or elitist.

Theseare but a few strategies that can help community choirs bridge the gap between their regular performance spaces and the diverse communities they represent. Taking a few small steps can allow our choirs to more widely share the happiness and health benefits of ensemble singing and ensure that the joy of singing and the power of choral music are truly accessible to all Californians. 

CCDA BOARD Directory

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Arlie Langager (858) 774-0412 alangager@miracosta.edu

President-Elect

Kristina Nakagawa (408) 205-6050

kristina m nakagawa@ gmail.com

Vice President

Chris Peterson (562) 453-9851 cpeterson@fullerton edu

Development & VFTF

Daniel Afonso dafonso@csustan edu

Treasurer Genevieve Tep gtep@seq.org

Membership

Molly Peters (213) 880-7597 mepeters79@gmail com

Executive Administrator

Kathleen Preston 921 N. Harbor Blvd., #412 La Habra, CA 90631-3103 exec admin@calcda.org

REGIONAL REPS

Bay Area

Corie Brown (541) 743-6335 corie.brown@sjsu.edu

Central Cari Earnhart cearnhart@csufresno edu

Central Coast

Scott Glysson sglysson@calpoly edu

Far South Yewon Lee yewonlee98@gmail com

Northern William Zinn wzinn6023@gmail com

Southern Kellori Dower drkellori@gmail com

EVENT CHAIRS

Summer Conference at ECCO

Jeffe Huls jeffe.huls@gmail.com

CCDA Conference at CASMEC

Jennifer Heder jenniferheder@gmail com

CLA Coordinator

John Sorber choralleadershipacademy @gmail com

All-State Honor Choirs

Jenni Gaderlund

Susanna Peeples honorchoir.allstate.ca @gmail com

Central Region honor choir

Marc McGhee honorchoir.central.ca @gmail com

Coastal Region honor choir

Kira Dixon

coastalhonorchoirchair @gmail com

REPERTOIRE & RESOURCES

Children’s & Community Youth

Kent Jue kjue@ragazzi.org

Junior High & Middle School

Anthony Arnold stephcry@gmail com

Senior High School Susanna Peeples speeples@rjuhsd us

Community College

Karen Miskell karenmiskell@hotmail.com

College & University

Scot Hanna-Weir scothw@gmail.com

Student Activities

Alan Garcia garcia al@auhsd us

Choral Composition Zanaida Robles znrobles@gmail com

Community & Professional Choirs

Buddy James buddy.james@ csueastbay edu

DEI Guidance

Stevie Hirner stevie@ transitioningvoices.org

Music in Worship Position open

SSAA Choirs

Iris Levine irislevine@mac com

TTBB Choirs

Albee Mabeza amabeza@prioryca.org

Vocal Jazz

Andreas Preponis apreponis@ laspositascollege.edu

COMMUNICATIONS

Cantate magazine editor Eliza Rubenstein cantate.editor@gmail.com

Web developer David Saldaña david.g.saldana@gmail.com

Social Media Coordinator

Kate Crellin katecrellin@gmail com

Web Editor

John Nguyen jvnguyen3 @csu fullerton edu

YOUR SOUND SCHOOL YOUR

DEG

REE PROG R AMS :

B a c he lo r of Music in Music Education ( P r e-Ce rt ific at ion )

B a c he lo r of Music in Per formanc e

B a c he lo r of Music in Ja zz St udi e s

B a c he lo r of Music in Compositio n

B a c he lo r of A rt s in Musi c

Mino r in Music Lib er al Ar t s

Mino r in Music J a z z St udi e s

California Choral Directors Association

921 N. Harbor Blvd., #412

La Habra, CA 90631-3103