CCDA Cantate (Winter 2025)

N O W

B O O K I N G

2 0 2 6

CARNEGIE HALL

CARNEGIE HALL

CARNEGIE HALL New York, NY

New York, NY

CARNEGIE HALL

CARNEGIE HALL

MEYERSON SYMPHONY CENTER

STEINMETZ HALL

New York, NY

New York, NY

New York, NY

New York, NY

NATIONALCONCERTS.COM

2 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

Dallas, TX

CARNEGIE HALL

Orlando, FL

INFO@NATIONALCONCERTS.COM

California Choral Directors Association

IN THIS ISSUE 5 | AHA MOMENTS from the president’s pen · by arlie langager 6 | USE YOUR WORDS letter from the editor · by eliza rubenstein 7 | CASMEC 2025 9 | ACDA 2025 NATIONAL CONFERENCE 9 | 2025 SUMMER CONFERENCE AT ECCO 10 | REMEMBERING JOSEPH HUSZTI by vicki sullivan jaeger and edward maclary

15 | HONOR CHOIR UPDATES 16 | R&R: CHORAL COMPOSITION by zanaida robles

19 | SEEN & HEARD 26 | VISION FOR THE FUTURE donors, grants, and scholarships 31 | NEWS AND NOTES happenings from around the state

32 | R&R: MIDDLE SCHOOL by patrick burzlaff (christopher borges, guest columnist)

A big smile for the new year by a coastal honor choir member (Photo by Robyn Peters)! more Photos BEGIN on page 19.

33 | R&R: TTBB CHOIRS by albee mabeza

36 | CCDA BOARD ORGANIZATONAL CHART 38 | CCDA DIRECTORY

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 3

CANTATE Volume 37, Number 2

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.

ADVERTISING IN CANTATE Please visit our website (www.calcda.org) or e-mail us at cantate.ads@gmail.com for complete information on advertising in Cantate, including rates, deadlines, and graphics specifications.

Advertisements are subject to editorial approval.

On the cover: Members of the Coastal Regional SSAA Honor Choir perform under the direction of Iris Levine. Photo by Robyn Peters.

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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.

CCDA is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt corporation and an affiliate of the American Choral Directors Association.

UPCOMING EVENTS CASMEC January 15-19, 2025 Sacramento ACDA National Conference March 18-22, 2025 Dallas, Texas CCDA Summer Conference at ECCO July 20-23, 2025 Oakhurst

California Choral Directors Association

From The president’s pen:

AHA MOMENTS light comes on. The fog lifts.

TYouheEureka! know that feeling of joy: when we

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

finally put the pieces together, when we understand something on a deeper level, when we see something in a new way. And we celebrate it when our singers have those aha moments, too. Something clicks, a chord tunes perfectly, the singers marvel.

These are the life-changing moments that are a special part of choral singing.

But getting there can be exhausting.

With one of my novice ensembles, I had to take rehearsal time to describe the most basic principles of conducting. One student who was new to singing and choral music asked earnestly if my gesture meant that she should change notes every time I made a new gesture. One part of me wanted to laugh because it seemed so obvious, but on the other hand, but the student’s question led to a few fundamental aha moments.

Another semester, a new student who had been president of his high school choir raised his hand during rehearsal a couple of months into the semester. He said that his school conductor used solfege in their choir, but until that very day, he hadn’t realized there was meaning to using it. I might have rolled my eyes in shock if it weren’t for his excitement from his aha moment!

It’s not just our new or novice singers who can get bogged down by the everyday challenges in rehearsals. We may have singers in our ensembles who have been participating for years and are downright resistant to our best efforts use solfege, or sight-reading exercises, or even voice pedagogy in rehearsal. One night after guiding my community choir through ways to unify their vowels, I was surprised that one disgruntled retired singer angrily chastised me, “If I wanted to learn how to sing, I would just take voice lessons!” Not all our singers are willing to take the risks it takes to discover something new.

But when our singers trust us, sometimes

the aha moments come much later.

One year my choir included a couple of very novice, emerging tenors. On the night of the performance, the two young tenors suddenly sang with a gusto I’d never heard in rehearsal, using a tone like two angry geese fighting. The recording of our performance captured every decibel of their bold vocalizing. I was so disappointed that the excellent work of the ensemble was lost.

At the choir’s next rehearsal, I played back the recording for the students. I couldn’t avoid addressing what we all could hear, but I also knew I needed to keep the focus on what we could learn from the whole performance, rather than focus on the individual singers.

Years later, I got an e-mail from one of the geese, who wrote to thank me for the things he’d learned as my student, and to say that he was working on his graduate degree in voice: “After my experience with your chamber choir, I found a profound love for classical music that has kept me going for years since.” Those aha moments showed up years after the fact.

When I was a music ed student, I wondered if my professor ever got tired of saying the same things over and over to the choir. It seemed Sisyphean to repeat, endlessly, watch me for the cut-off, don’t breathe there, let’s use a rounder vowel. But, after decades of saying those very things to my singers, I realize it feels fresh with every new piece and every new singer.

Not all CCDA members work with “students,” but all of us have the incredible privilege of guiding singers through their music. We’re in it for the long game, and rehearsal after rehearsal, we invite our singers to seek the challenge of finding new experiences in the music.

As I set my goals for the new year, I want to bring aha moments into every rehearsal, and cherish the deep privilege of bringing these singers into a bigger world of sound and art. 

in Carlsbad.

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 5

letter from the editor:

USE YOUR WORDS rowsing Facebook the other day in B an effort to postpone grading for a bit longer, I stumbled upon a post with 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 five dogs.

She’s passionate about vegan Thai food, photography, and the

St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues, even when her teams are terrible, as they both have been recently.

a lengthy comment thread in a group for choral directors. The original poster, who directed a non-auditioned community chorus, needed help figuring out what to do with a soprano who consistently and confidently sang much more loudly than everyone else in the ensemble, and fellow conductors were happy to offer their suggestions.

Most of their ideas represented pretty respectable pedagogy: Do more warm-ups focused on listening.

Record the group and ask them to listen to and critique themselves.

Remind everyone not to sing more loudly than their neighbors (a virtual impossibility, if we’re being technical, but okay, sure).

Some commenters went mildly passiveaggressive, encouraging the director to give dynamic directions to the whole group while fixing her eyes on the problem soprano.

And more than a few advised her simply to move the loud singer to the alto section, which—predictably and appropriately— raised the hackles of the altos in the crowd, who weren’t interested in being a dumping ground for demoted would-be spintos.

Do you know what remarkably few people suggested? Talking to the singer.

Why? Why wouldn’t that be the first and most obvious response? Are we so accustomed to the collective culture of choral rehearsal that we’ve let our one-on-one skills grow rusty? Do we avoid conflict lest we lose a singer or poison the spirit of a section? Do we not trust ourselves (or our colleagues) to have challenging conversations without

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running them through ChatGPT first?

Another thread asked how to get audiences to clap, and not clap, at the proper times in a concert. Once again, many of the answers involved fairly elaborate body-language choreography or type-spacing program-layout tricks designed to encourage the desired behavior. Almost nobody said what seemed obvious to me: Explain to the audience how to know when to clap, and why we do it that way.

People don’t know what we don’t tell them. Singers don’t always think our group instructions are “for them.” Audience members who aren’t experienced concertgoers find most of our moves and mores to be mysterious and arcane, and the ones we make between songs are no different in that regard from the ones we make within them.

Sopranos want to sound pretty.

Audiences want to clap at the right times. Sometimes they just need a little help. nd sometimes we need a A reminder that even if our college professors always told us to

stop talking and start conducting (it me), there are moments when we need to use our words.

If a soprano is singing too loudly, let’s assume she doesn’t know it, rather than that she’s a diva. If an audience claps between songs in a set, let’s assume they liked what they heard and didn’t realize they weren’t supposed to show it yet. Let’s credit them with acting in good faith, and figure out how to communicate more clearly next time.

After all, if we’re afraid to talk to an overly enthusiastic singer or a supportive audience, what else are we afraid to talk about? If we can’t find the words to request different behaviors without causing insult, how will we ever be able to talk with our singing communities about subjects that are really difficult? 

California Choral Directors Association

January 15-19, 2025 SAFE CREDIT UNION CONVENTION CENTER SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA Annual professional development music education conference and honor ensemble performances for students, teachers, industry professionals, families and more...

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$445 Non-Member Registration

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Retired Member Registration

$30 Collegiate Member (Students)

(MEALS NOT INCLUDED)

CASMEC.ORG Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 7

ACDA NATIONAL 2025 March 18-22, 2025 | Dallas, TX Gather with ACDA members as we celebrate our rich choral heritage, highlight the music and expertise of our present-day choral colleagues, and look with excitement to the next generation.

Registration is Open! acda.org/conferences Register early to take advantage of discounted rates! Prices increase after February 5.

$425 $385 Attendee

$365 $325 Retiree $250 Student

Need to pay with a PO? Simply complete your conference registration online and select the Proforma Invoice option at checkout.

ACDA hotel room blocks offer discounted rates of $215-245 per night, plus tax and parking. You must complete your conference registration to gain access to the hotel booking links.

Discounted hotel rates expire February 24.

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California Choral Directors Association

Summer Conference Save the Dates...

at E.C.C.O.

July 2025

20-23

Headliner:

Dr. Andrea Ramsey Composer

Conductor Teacher For more information visit: Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 9

Reme

JOSEPH HU y Lords, my Ladies of the 21st century, harken “M to my pronouncement. As an officer in King Henry’s guard, I have been entrusted with the grave

responsibility of easing thy transport across the years to 16th-century England. By dint of thy attendance upon us, ye demonstrate the willingness to undertake the journey. However, a willing heart alone is not sufficient, for the way is arduous.

“King Henry asks, nay, the king demands that ye strip away the frenzied cares and bitter sorrows of the modern age. Ye must prepare thyselves for revelry and joy. Ye must leave behind thy worries of the morrow and prepare for the fellowship of this good company.

“And ye must believe.”

Every season of the Madrigal Dinners at UC Irvine, under the careful supervision of Joe and Melinda Huszti, started with a variation on the Crier’s speech.

And the Dinners meant so much to so many.

First, the facts: Originally created in 1978 as a fundraiser for the UCI Choral Organization, the Madrigal Dinners were a reenactment of the Christmas feast in the court of King Henry the Eighth.

There were 27 years of performances, ending in 2007. The Dinners served over 78,000 paid meals, including 4,900 gallons of potato leek soup, 26,000 pounds of Leggs of Fowle, and 9,800 platters of Boar’s Head, all presented with 371,000 serving utensils and on top of 9,800 red tablecloths.

Melinda became an expert on Tudor England: She researched and wrote the script every year and designed and created over 300 costumes. Joe beat us into shape musically, and sometimes he found us lacking. We all recall court rehearsals on stage with Joe holding his head in one hand while conducting with the other.

Over 3,400 people performed, worked behind the scenes on ticket sales or stage management, or created the food. Between guests, court members, servants, musicians, technical staff, and caterers, the Madrigal Dinners touched over 82,000 people. That’s more than the current population of Tustin, Fountain Valley, or

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Aliso Viejo.

But what about the intangibles? Joe and Melinda had a very special gift. They recognized and believed in everyone’s talents and gave them room to thrive.

The Dinners were like being in the trenches with your peers. People relied on you, and it was important to live up to your commitments. Alliances were made—even some marriages—and I still have friends I met through the “Mad Dins” whom I hold dear.

Working live theater in a hoop skirt, singing with your ears covered by a hat, and holding a platter with flaming rum gives you nerves of steel. I’ve always said that I survived the Dinners, so you can throw me into any situation!

We learned that there is no such thing as an inside joke. If your audience couldn’t be included, odds were the joke was at their expense. Work harder at being clever.

Innovation and creativity saved the day: Safety pins substituted for zippers, a wassail pitcher with extra greenery was reborn as a Boar’s Head, and an ordinary glass ball became magic in our Jester’s hands.

While in the public eye, be sure to make it appear that everything is perfect. Then, behind the scenes, run like hell to fix a crisis.

Fitting thousands of people in costume taught me the art of persuasion. Because orange really did look terrific on certain skin tones, but first you needed to convince people to try it on! And, of course, the difference between anti-perspirant and deodorant. (Polyester holds on to odors. Enough said.)

Henry the Eighth was our king. And though his historical behavior was less than stellar, for us it was always Christmastide, and he was our most worthy prince. In typical Huszti fashion, Joe and Melinda turned a potentially ordinary fundraiser into the extraordinary.

Because, as Joe frequently asked, “Why not?”

As we celebrate Joe, the many gifts he gave us, and his legacy, we also close the book on the magic of the Madrigal Dinners. The most fitting farewell comes from the Crier, once again, at the close of the show.

California Choral Directors Association

embering

USZTI

“Alas, good friends, the fragile threads of love and music which have bound us one to the other can not endure beyond these walls. Thus, I must now bear thee forward to thine own era for thy world awaits thy return. And ye must go alone, for history’s gentle bonds tie to us to the Sixteenth Century and we can survive in no other.

“Should ye yearn after us, ye may find us pressed dryly between the pages of thy histories, until yet another Christmastide brings us hence once more.

“We are warmed by the knowledge that fine music lingers in the hearts of those who seek it. Thus may our songs abide with thee as we take our leave.”

The Madrigal Dinners, and especially Joe and Melinda, are pressed dearly into our hearts forever. 

—Vicki Sullivan Jaeger (UCI class of 1991) t is a privilege to celebrate Joseph Huszti’s legacy as I“rehearsals a teacher, mentor, artist, and friend. On the topic of with Joe,” you might say “they contained

multitudes” and be done, but that would be understating it. Anyone who sang with Joe has a veritable trove of rehearsal memories—great ones, unique ones, crazy ones.

When I spoke with friends who also studied and worked with Joe, some sent specific examples, but a much larger number took the opportunity to share more encompassing descriptions: “He was completely committed artistically”; “making music with Joe was like coming home”; “rehearsals were completely musical.”

Those phrases ring true for me as well.

During my senior year in high school in Newark, Delaware, Joe arrived one day to rehearse our choir. I remember very little of the rehearsal specifically, or what he asked of us (likely things simultaneously inspirational and unattainable) or how we sounded (likely loud and out of tune), but in line with the descriptions of my colleagues, somehow, in that rehearsal, I realized that here was someone after whom I could model myself—a genuine musical mentor that my life had thus far lacked. I knew I could actually learn in his rehearsals.

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 11

simplistic, perhaps. But for those of us with experience I went on to the University of Delaware, studying in choral directing and choral singing, we know how both voice and conducting with Joe. It bears mentioning difficult an ideal it is to attain. It is so much less that as an undergraduate I arrived possessing no challenging to do things in a linear fashion, a step at real study skills and no practice discipline, and I was a time, in a sedimentary plod. But Joe believed in his infamously unreliable. But Joe tolerated my missteps, bones that holistic approach to rehearsing and being disciplined my actual sins, and taught me each day as intensely musical during every minute was the secret to if I had promise. In his wisdom, he saw something that musical success. I know I am not betraying his legacy in at that time was hidden even from me. What stuck with saying that by consistently choosing this path Joe and me were those Delaware rehearsals—Bruckner motets, all his choirs experienced countless rehearsal moments Bach “Magnificat,” Lotti “Crucifixus,” and Thompson of “We have seen the “Alleluia”—works light!”, as well as more that came heartthan just a few moments poundingly alive in his of “Good grief, what was hands. I was learning that about?!” But that was in spite of myself. the bargain his ensembles Following Joe to his always struck with him, and next post at Boston over and over again it easily University, I worked proved worth the risk. as a graduate assistant In the end, I believe what in the school’s choral is important to remember program and at the about Joe’s rehearsals is Tanglewood Institute. that his true goal was— My most powerful always—for every member musical memories of the choir to be the music of Boston days are in every moment, in every also rehearsals— meaningful way possible, Monteverdi madrigals, and to commit themselves Barber “Reincarwholeheartedly to the task. nations,” Brahms What a high bar, what a Liebeslieder Waltzes, wonderful challenge he Britten “Hymn to St. presents to us! What a Cecilia,” Copland lifelong goal: Be the music.

“In the Beginning.”

Rehearsals were full of inally, it is well known incredible musicality, Above: Joseph Huszti and Edward Maclary by all who knew him despite their 9:00 a.m. deep in conversation. Image on previous page that Joe was always looking start time. I was now ahead, full of ideas, eager to learning on purpose! courtesy of Kristine and Russell Droullard. peer around the corner and When I ventured take part in what was next— into the choral world right to the end of his life. Fittingly, he left us one more alone, it took very little time to realize that what I had inspiring gift. learned most fully from Joe was that to which I had paid The Joseph and Melinda Huszti Choral Conducting the closest attention: the art of rehearsal. And though Prize has now been established through the auspices I went on to learn further rehearsal skills from other of the California Choral Directors Association. brilliant conductors and teachers through lessons and observation, the bedrock of what I believe is great choral A $10,000 prize will be presented in a two-year rehearsal technique resides with what I learned, what I alternating cycle, beginning in 2026, to a mid-career believe everyone who studied with him learned, whether conductor and in the next cycle to an early career explicitly or implicitly, from Joe. conductor. The unique aspect of this award is the We learn the music while we learn the notes, and we primary criterion of the selection process is the one that learn the notes while we learn the music. The rehearsal Joe himself insisted upon: great rehearsing. is a Gestalt—that is, according to Merriam-Webster, “an Thank you, Joe, for everything!  experience so integrated as to constitute a functional unit with properties not derivable by summation of its parts.”

—Edward Maclary, Director Emeritus of That sounds obviously desirable, even a bit Choral Activities, University of Maryland​

F

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California Choral Directors Association

Joe and Melinda Huszti Choral Conducting Prize CCDA is honored to introduce the Joseph and Melinda Huszti Choral Conducting Prize. The creative force behind the establishment of this program is Joseph Huszti, who, over his long career of pedagogy in rehearsal and performance, taught thousands of choral singers how to realize their artistic potential. His influence on multiple generations of choral conductors throughout the United States remains profound. He wished to have that legacy continued through this prize under the auspices of CCDA. The inaugural $10,000 mid-to-late career prize for 10 or more years of work will be presented at the 2026 ACDA Western Region Conference in San Jose, CA. At future Western Region Conferences, two awards will be given, both for mid-to-late and early-career conductors.

The prize honors the legacy of Joseph Huszti as a choral artist and teacher of the highest rank. The purpose of the two awards, as specified by Joe himself, is to recognize, reward, and encourage the cultivation of the highest level of artistry in choral conducting as exemplified in rehearsal and performance of music from the canon of choral literature. The awards will be given to individual conductors, not to the ensembles they direct or the institutions with which they are affiliated. The selection process will give particular weight to artistry, creativity, musicality, and mentorship demonstrated in the rehearsal environment.

Candidates must be members in good standing of ACDA and be nominated by a colleague or peer who is also a member in good standing of ACDA to the selection committee. Nominated candidates will be notified and may then choose to submit materials for consideration. Detailed information about the nomination process will be posted on the CCDA website in early 2025. Materials for consideration include: Rehearsal videos (30-45 minutes each) from any three years of the most recent five years showing full front view of the conductor and full audio. Repertoire included in the rehearsal may be divided into three selections, and must represent any of the following three time periods: 1600-1900 1900-1950 1950-2000 Letters of support, up-to-date curriculum vitae and repertoire list, and a 500 word artistic statement Performance videos (no longer than 45 minutes each) of any three years of the most recent five years.

The prize is supported through a generous seed gift from the Huszti estate through the cooperation of Joe and Melinda’s daughter, Heather.

Additional gifts to the fund are gratefully accepted, and contributions can be made using the QR Code at left. Read more about the incredible legacy of Joe and Melinda Huszti at www.calcda.org/huszti-conducting-prize.

Leading the Way

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California Choral Directors Association

HONOR CHOIR UPDATES

by JENNI GADERLUND AND SUSANNA PEEPLES

T

he 2024 Central, Coastal, and Southern Region High School Honor Choirs were held November 7-9 at Clovis North High School, Santa Clara University, and University of Redlands. Event chairs Kira Dixon, Miranda Ford, Marc McGhee, Kristen Walton and their teams did an amazing job organizing all the details. All of us at CCDA appreciate you!

The 2025 All-State Honor Choirs will take place at CASMEC in Sacramento from January 16-18, 2025, with guest directors Dr. Edryn J. Coleman (High School TTBB), Dr. Kimberly Dunn Adams (High School SSAA), Ms. Maria Ellis (Junior High School SATB), Dr. Marcela Molina (Junior High School SSAA, and Dr. A. Jan Taylor (High School SATB). Rehearsals are open for observation by conference attendees, so we hope you will visit Sacramento State for some inspiration from our wonderful guest conductors.

We also hope you can attend the honor choir concerts on Saturday afternoon, January 18th, at the historic

Leading the Way

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. There will be two concerts: one at 12:00 p.m. featuring the Junior High SATB, Junior High SSAA, and High School SATB choirs, and one at 2:30 p.m. featuring the High School TTBB and High School SSAA choirs.

Thanks to the generosity of Resounding Achord and everyone who has donated to the CCDA Honor Choir Scholarship fund, CCDA was able to provide financial assistance to over 80 All-State honor choir students.

Special thanks to Susie Martone for spearheading and organizing more corporate sponsorships of honor choir scholarships. You can donate at any time throughout the year; find the donation button on the All-State Honor Choir website (calcda.org/all-state)!

Please keep an eye on your email and the All-State Honor Choir website for the most up-to-date information.

We’re looking forward to another amazing year of All-State Choirs at CASMEC! 

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 15

repertoire and resources:

CHORAL COMPOSITION t is truly an honor to serve as your Choral Composition Chair on the CCDA Advisory IBoard.

Serving CCDA in this capacity for the

Dr. Zanaida Stewart Robles is an award-winning composer, vocalist, and teacher. She is in demand as a composer, vocalist, clinician and adjudicator for competitions, festivals, and conferences related to choral and solo vocal music.

last 3 years has been rewarding in ways I never imagined. One of my favorite aspects of this job is getting to know, work with, and be inspired by so many brilliant California composers. This work can be challenging, but fortunately I don’t have to do it alone.

I am pleased to introduce our 2024-25 Choral Composition Committee members.

These folks are members of CCDA who serve as adjudicators for the CCDA Heussenstamm Choral Composition Contest. They also offer vital input and assistance on composition-related articles, conference sessions, honor choir commissions, and member correspondence.

2024-25 Choral Composition Committee Members Judith Baity Juhi Bansal Matthew Brown Saunder Choi Marianne Foreman Amy Gordon David V. Montoya

I asked our Choral Composition Committee for some ideas about what would be interesting and useful for me to share with composers in this issue of Cantate. Here are some tips for finding and building connection and community as a composer (or for anyone, for that matter!)

Tips for Finding/Building Connection and Community Composing music can be a very solitary task. Composers who aren’t members of a performance ensemble may find it difficult to build and maintain relationships for professional, emotional, and social well-being.

Composer Juhi Bansal says, “It’s a topic that can be surprisingly hard when someone doesn’t begin totally immersed in the choral world…”

Juhi recommends “finding [a] choral community that resonates [with you] to build more lasting relationships.”

“Perplexity” is the name of a conversational AI search engine I use for comprehensive and cited answers to specific questions and

16 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

directives. I asked Perplexity for tips for finding and building connection and community. Here’s my edited version of Perplexity’s list of effective strategies for finding and building connection and community: Start conversations: Attend concerts and conferences. Introduce yourself to presenters or other artists you recognize at the event. Be gracious and demonstrate gratitude with every interaction. If time permits, use conversation starters to spark discussions and connections during breaks and before and after the event.

Host meet-ups: Organize events that encourage networking, such as meet-ups focused on shared topics. A meet-up can be as simple as coffee with a single colleague, conductor, or student. It can be having drinks with a few peers at a local tavern. It can be a party at home or someplace special where you fill the room with people celebrating a holiday, a special occasion, or an achievement.

Create networking channels: Establish dedicated spaces for members to connect and collaborate. Honestly, that’s what I use social media for. Using social media specifically for this purpose has helped my career immensely.

It’s important to remember, though, that connections and collaborations through networking channels don’t take the place of actual conversations and person-to-person meetings necessary to foster real relationships and communities. Networking channels can also be created in person as a break-out activity in a group or in any number of creative ways you can imagine.

Encourage mentorship: Implement a mentorship protocol to foster relationships between experienced and junior composers.

Many choral organizations like Chorus America and Chicago A Cappella have excellent existing mentorship programs with which to get involved.

But mentorship can materialize organically through intentional relationships cultivated using the strategies above.

Celebrate achievements: Recognize and celebrate peers’ successes to strengthen community bonds. In other words, never miss an opportunity to party with your people. 

California Choral Directors Association

9TH ANNUAL CCDA HEUSSENSTAMM CHORAL COMPOSITION CONTEST AT ECCO ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FEBRUARY 15 THROUGH MARCH 15, 2025 The winning composer will receive $500 and be invited to attend the 2025 CCDA ECCO Summer Choral Conference for FREE! Could you be this year’s winner? Get ready to submit your composition with the chance to have it distributed to and read by choral directors from all around the state. Please visit www.GeorgeHeussenstamm.com to learn more about our late, great, talented, and generous benefactor.

Eligibility: Adult composers are invited to submit a single, original composition, not from a larger set. We are looking for single, stand-alone compositions, not sets and not arrangements. Shorter works (3-5 minutes) are preferred. (Previous winners are not eligible to apply.) Winners agree to become members of ACDA. Scores: Please submit your anonymous, unpublished* score, a cappella or with piano accompaniment (no obbligato instruments), any voicing, along with an anonymous demo recording (MIDI is acceptable but voices are preferred) to znrobles@gmail.com. Please visit the CCDA website to enter all composition and composer information via Google Form.

NOTE: Please be sure to remove composer’s name ANYWHERE that it might appear: title page, copyright notice, headers/footers, etc. and even on audio file information.

Format: All scores must be submitted in PDF format AND all audio files must be in MP3 format.

Dates: Submissions will be accepted from Feb. 15, 2025 through Mar. 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m. PDT. Submissions that do not meet the above requirements WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Compositions will be judged on the following criteria: Overall Effect, Overall Craft, Harmonic Interest, Rhythmic Interest, Melodic Interest, Text Usage, Originality, and Cosmetics of Score.

As we are interested in finding works that might be considered for inclusion in the CCDA Choral Series with Pavane Publishing, we will also consider the composition’s marketability.

Winner: The winning composition will be chosen by the CCDA Choral Composition Committee and will be announced on the CCDA website at the end of April 2025. The winning composer will receive a scholarship for tuition, room, and board at ECCO 2025, and will have their composition copied, distributed, and read at the summer conference.

The winning composer will also receive a $500 cash prize. The winning score may be given consideration for inclusion in the CCDA Choral Series on Pavane Publishing.

[NOTE: CCDA reserves the right to declare “no winner” if it is deemed appropriate.] *Unpublished is defined as “not released for public distribution or sale.” Self-published works and works published in audio and/or video formats are also ineligible; if the public can access any version of it, then it is ineligible.

Contact Zanaida Robles at znrobles@gmail.com for more information.

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 17

Perform International / Perform America 2026 Festival Experiences

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18 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

SEEN & HEARD Right: members of the San Dimas High School choirs (Jared Pugh, director) perform their annual Winterfest program; below: the Central Valley Youth Chorus (Beth Holtan, director) present a holiday concert in Modesto. Turn the page for more photos, and send your best shots to cantate.editor@gmail.com if you’d like them considered for inclusion in a future issue!

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 19

Right: a member of the Oakland Youth Chorus (La Nell Martin, artistic director) enjoys breakfast with Santa; above: the Reedley College Choir (Kirstina Collins, director) inaugurates the school’s new McClarty Center for Fine and Performing Arts; below: the Victorian Carolers of Enterprise High School (Alissa Gibbs, director) mark their 34th year of caroling for the Redding community.

20 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 21

Left: the graduating seniors of CSU Long Beach gather for one more photo together; below: Resounding Achord, Vivace Youth Chorus, and the Nova Vista Symphony combine forces under the baton of Kristina Nakagawa to perform “Befana,” a new Christmas cantata by San Francisco composer Kirke Mechem, in Saratoga.

22 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

Above: the Cantare Chorale and Nova Youth Choir (Julie Haydon conducting) perform “Hymn to Freedom” at Cantare’s Bay Area holiday concerts; below: Chris Peterson and Rob Istad of CSU

Fullerton hang out during a gig at Warner Brothers Studios in case this parking spot’s owner shows up.

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 23

Above: a volunteer usher welcomes guests to the Festival of Christmas concert at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tustin (Kieun Steve Kim, director of music ministries); right: choristers from the Abraham Lincoln High School Chamber Chorale (Kira Dixon, director) take a big deep breath before heading out to deliver carol-grams to the San Jose community.

24 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

CCDA DATES TO REMEMBER Thursday, January 30: Deadline to apply to present at ECCO Saturday, February 8: Board and Advisory Council Meeting Friday, March 14: Deadline to apply for scholarships and grants Saturday, March 15: Cantate submission deadline Saturday, March 15: CCDA COMPOSITION CONtESt deadline Sunday, April 6: CCDA Annual General Meeting, 3 p.m. (ZOOM) Visit www.calcda.org for more information!

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Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 25

Vision for the Future DONATIONS TO CCDA

This list includes donations made between november 6, 2023, and december 6, 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 Dr. Arlie Langager* Ludus Susie Martone 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) ACFEA Tour Consultants Dr. Daniel Afonso Jr*, in honor of Bill Hatcher Mike and Julie Dana*, in celebration of ECCO conference Lou and Mary De La Rosa*, in memory of Jim Heiner Angelina Fitzhugh Lori Marie Rios and Bryan D. Walker*, in honor of Shirley Nute, Don Brinegar, and Bruce Mayhall-Rastrelli Jo-Michael and Mary Scheibe Burt and Polly Vasché* National Concerts President’s Circle Gold ($300-$499) Florence Agcawili Diane Guyett, in memory of dear friend William Hall Duane and Linda Lovaas* Oscar Luna II June Ou Susanna Peeples*, in memory of Germán Aguilar Cliff and Cindy Samson, in celebration of Joe and Melinda Huszti Dr. Jonathan Talberg*, in honor of Dr. William Hall Phil Wyatt, in memory of Alan Caddick

President’s Circle Silver ($100-$299) Patrick Burzlaff Lauren Diez Dr. Cari Earnhart Maggie Goodrich Gutierrez Mary Hamilton Dr. Scot Hanna-Weir Semele Heller Kent Jue and Steven Kirk Anbinh Kao Albert Mabeza MaryClare Martin*, in honor of Lena and Art Babin, and Signe Boyer Richard Martone Marc McGhee Kristina and Ryan Nakagawa*, in memory of Lois Carah and Joe Huszti Molly Peters, in honor of Lori Marie Rios Dr. Zanaida Robles Haruna Shiokawa Sponsor ($50-$99) Felicia Bessent Ruth Charloff Allison Crose Srinu Dongole Jennifer Gaderlund Jason Gallardo Robert Hepple Suzanne Martone Yardley McNeill Laryssa Sadoway David García Saldaña Heidi Vance Dr. Ángel M. Vázquez-Ramos and Jody R. Vázquez* Amber Welsh Supporter (up to $50) Srijoy Aditya Stephanie Alvarez Yasmin Angeles Sindhuja Balasubramanian

Pritom Baruah Heather Bennett Andrew Berg Heather Bishop Florence Bray Christopher Chappell Tingting Chen Stephen Commisso Keith Conley Ann Day Trang Do Loreen Dunbar Shelley Durbin, in memory of Charles Irvin William Eisenstein Beth Holtan Tracey Jue Swarajya Kalapatapu Drew Lander Prof. Desiree LaVertu, in appreciation for the work and dedication of Lori Marie Rios Daniel Lim Hyobin Lim Sara Ludlow Veena Mahadevan Oanh Mandal Kyle McClintock Katharine Nelson Samantha T. Nickel Erica Orcharton Issac Pereschica Patchareeya Pumpuang Katie Schramm Aaron Schultz Heena Shah Aparna K Shankar Jennifer Sumant Noah Sutherland Genevieve Tep* Randeep Toor Muthuswamy Venktaramani Sricharan Vinnakota Xiaopeng Wang * Founder’s Circle

26 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

Receive up to $1500

for your project or professional activities through grants and scholarships like these: up to $500 to support special projects that are specifically available for BIPOC and/or underrepresented choral directors in California up to $1500* for special creative projects such as presentations, research, travel, performances, etc. *generously sponsored by our partner, Ludus

funding to attend the CCDA Summer Conference at ECCO (covers dorm lodging, registration, and meals) up to $1500 to attend a nationally recognized conducting workshop

Application DEADLINE: March 14, 2025

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scan for more info and to apply

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 27

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California Choral Directors Association

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Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 29

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30 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

News and notes

from around the state Na-Young Shin and Adrien Rangel-Sanchez were awarded the 2025 Orange County Outstanding Music and Arts Awards. Ms. Shin is a Teacher on Special Assignment in the Arts in Garden Grove Unified, and Mr. Rangel-Sanchez is a secondary vocal music teacher in Irvine Unified.

CCDA’s previous All-State Honor Choir Co-Chair, Angelina Fitzhugh, was awarded the Outstanding Music Educator Award by the CMEA Bay Section. Congratulations, Angelina!

Resounding Achord, under the direction of Kristina Nakagawa, collaborated with Nova Vista Symphony in December to perform Befana, a new Christmas cantata by “dean of American choral music” and San Francisco resident Kirke Mechem. Matthew Martinez conducted the Long Beach Chorale and Chamber Orchestra in the Southern California premiere of the same work a week later.

The San José State University Choraliers, under the direction of Jeffrey Benson, performed alongside Broadway and West End star Sarah Brightman in December.

Kent Jue and Shelley Durbin conducted the CMEA Bay Section Honor Choirs held in November at San Jose State University.

CCDA members Roger Emerson and Niké St. Clair are presenting at the CASMEC conference in Sacramento in January. Performing choirs include Los Gatos High School Treble Choir (Maricel Riley); Bonita High School: Echoes of the Spirit (Ryan Yoder); San Diego State University Choir (Arian

Leading the Way

Send us news to share about hirings, retirements, collaborations, commissions, premieres, awards, or projects!

Khaefi); Albany High School Chamber Singers (Kate Huizinga); and Fresno City College City Singers (Jennifer Hansen Heder).

both in the San Juan USD, the administration accepted her proposal to expand the middle school program under her leadership.

For the first time, CCDA’s Choral Leadership Academy was offered in conjunction with the Music Association of California Community Colleges Conference in San Diego in November. Lori Marie Rios worked with Arlie Langager to prepare sessions, and presenters Darita Seth, Ramon Cardenas, Eliza Rubenstein, and Matt Falker shared professional perspectives with the students. The CLA students also participated in the nearly 150-voice MACCC Intercollegiate choir, coordinated by Karen Miskell and conducted by USC professor emeritus Jo-Michael Scheibe.

The Central Valley Youth Chorus, now in its second year, sponsored its first “Young Voices in Song” choral workshop and concert in November 2024. Judith Herrington of the Tacoma Youth Chorus was guest clinician and conductor, with six choirs and 180 singers participating. During her residency in Modesto, Judith also gave workshops for local teachers and students. The CVYC was founded in 2023 by Polly Vasché with Chelsea Costa Foy and Beth Holtan. Beth is Artistic Director and Conductor.

San Jose Symphonic Choir (Leroy Kromm, conductor) performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah to a sold-out crowd as part of their 100th anniversary season.

The Davis Sr. High School Jazz Choir will celebrate its 50th anniversary at their annual Cabaret Dinner on April 11 and 12 under the direction of Natascha Bach.

Natascha is working hard to rebuild the DSHS choral program. In an effort to plant seeds for the future, the Madrigals and Jazz choir are hosting outreach performances for the district’s elementary and junior high students.

New CCDA member and experienced band/choir director Karen Davidson used Proposition 28 funding to create a full time music program at Louis Pasteur Middle School in Orangevale, near Sacramento. After several years of splitting her assignment between Pasteur and Casa Roble High School,

Another new choral hire resulting from Prop 28 funding is Liisa Davila at Joseph A. Gregori High School in Modesto. The one choir class at Gregori had been taught for five years by instrumental teacher Paul Herrera, who was so dedicated that he attended ECCO to hone his vocal and choral skills. Thank you Paul, and best wishes to Liisa as she continues to grow the choral program at Gregori!

The Santa Clarita Valley was represented at this year’s Disneyland Candlelight Processional concerts this year with singers from Santa Clarita Christian School (Susi Johnson); Saugus High School (Kaytie Pi), and Valencia High School (Christine Mocha). The performances were December 7 and 8, and Kathryn Hahn from “Agatha All Along” was the narrator. 

Thanks to Membership Director Molly Peters for coordinating our news and notes. Send your items to MEPeters79@gmail.com!

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 31

repertoire and resources:

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIRS Guest columnist: Christopher Borges ello Californians! It’s good to be back in the Golden State after six years teaching H abroad in Brazil, Morocco, and Nepal. In Patrick Burzlaff holds a BA in Music from Luther College and a MA in Choral

Conducting from CSULA. He has taught for 10+ years in the Kern

High School District and currently works as the Director of Vocal

Music at Centennial High School. Patrick has served as a guest conductor, adjudicator, or clinician for various choral festivals. When he’s not conducting, you can find Patrick playing piano at his church or out on the golf course.

March I was given the opportunity to conduct the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) European Middle School Girls’ Honor Choir in Munich, and while it was an honor choir, much of the music I chose is highly accessible for middle school singers.

Have a look at the list below, in performance order, and you can also see the performances online at https://amis-online.org/page/ concert-showcase-23-24 (scroll down).

For more information, feel free to email me at christopher.borges@burkes.org.

Students (especially the altos!) will love to dig into this, and the joy of the piece will really shine through.

One of the first pieces I taught while living in Brazil was Gabriel Levy’s “Ciranda em Canône,” a “circle dance” that singers sing and move to (often on the beach!), usually holding hands and performing simple movements. It’s available online, although often only two-part; e-mail me for the 3-part canon.

I was able to ask a Brazilian choreographer for some basic choreography, and the students in Munich enjoyed the piece so much that we auditioned a smaller group to perform the dance. It was one of their favorite pieces, as well as one of the simplest.

For our opening selection, I chose Joy Ondra Hirokawa’s “Lamma Banda Yatathanna” (Hal Leonard), an enchanting Andalusian piece that allowed the students to process into the concert hall as they sang. It’s quite an easy two-part piece, the Arabic is very accessible, and it has a lilting, gentle flow that lends itself well to procession while also featuring some additional instruments. I love this piece because it’s so singable and it’s a very well-known work, especially in Morocco, where I also taught it to my middle schoolers.

As a grad student at Florida State University back in the early 2000s, I found Uno Naissoo’s “Metsa Telegramm [The Woodpecker’s Warning]” (Shawnee Press) in a stack of free repertoire. I immediately loved the word painting, repetitive Estonian text, and rhythmic energy throughout. It also has a wonderful message of environmental stewardship, so it can be used in a variety of settings with your students. Don’t let the language scare you: you can do parts in English or really stretch your students and sing it in Estonian with the attached IPA guide.

Our second piece, “Sing to Me” (Choristers Guild), features music by Cynthia Gray and text by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. One of my intentions for this honor choir was to feature women as composers/arrangers and lyricists as much as possible, and this piece accomplished both. It’s a melody that gives lots of room to teach interpretation, phrasing, and dynamics, and the middle schoolers and I really enjoyed talking through the poetry.

Next up was an enchanting Latin piece from Puerto Rico, “Plena” (Lorenz), expertly arranged by Diana V. Sáez. Not only did the middle schoolers love singing (and moving to) this piece, I thoroughly enjoyed researching the plena, often called the “sung newspaper” because it spread messages among the lower classes, through which they gained empowerment through parody.

The very first time I heard Rollo Dilworth’s arrangement of “Walk in Jerusalem” (Hal Leonard) was in an ACDA Junior High Honor Choir that my oldest child was privileged to be a part of. If you’re like me, you know that Rollo is a “sure thing,” and virtually any piece he’s written or arranged is going to be wonderful. This one blends the spiritual “I Wanna Be Ready” with a wonderful piano accompaniment and many gospel stylings.

32 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

Our closer was an arrangement by California’s own Corie Brown, “Never One Thing” (Hal Leonard), of a song by May Erlewine. We accented this one with a video montage of the honor choir students in a variety of groupings to celebrate their unique contributions to this wonderful ensemble. It made for a beautiful, touching, and highly memorable closing to the performance, which was evident by the audience’s response. 

California Choral Directors Association

repertoire and resources:

TTBB CHOIRS W

Albee Mabeza is the Director of Choirs at Woodside Priory

School in Portola Valley where he conducts the Middle

School Choir, Chamber Singers and Concert Choir. He is also an Associate Conductor at the Vivace Youth

Chorus in San Jose.

Albee also recently founded Pariter, a tenor-bass vocal ensemble also based in

San Jose. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in

Music Education and Vocal Performance from San Jose State

University.

Leading the Way

hen the world feels uncertain, we turn to music to bring us together. The following pieces are meant to bring together our ensembles as friends and family to do many things: worship, dance, grieve, have fun and of course, sing. The hope is that you will be able to gather your tenor-bass ensembles to be together again and make lovely music. Here are a few examples of ways to gather your low voices back together again.

Bob Gibson (1931-1996), Alex Hassilev and Glenn Yarbrough (1930-2016), arr. Cantus There’s a Meeting Here Tonight TTBB a cappella Timothy C. Takach Publications TCT-CTS-001 We gather to worship. Originally written as a Methodist camp song, this tune was later arranged by folk singer Bob Gibson.

American Gospel duo Joe and Eddie put their own fun, hip spin on it and it became one of their signature songs. A lot of the Cantus arrangement’s most charming aspects revolve around the use of unison singing and simple two-part harmony that then later in the piece evolves into beautiful four-part Gospel harmony. It features a great tenor solo feature in each of the refrains.

Kathleen Allan this brightening silence TTBB choir a cappella MusicSpoke We gather to mourn. Composer Kathleen Allan wrote this piece as a commission by the Newman Sound Men’s Choir to honor a terrible moment of loss from the early 20th century: the Newfoundland Sealing Disaster.

Allan describes her composition as “a poetic depiction of loss and hope.” The poetry was written by her husband, T. Benton Roark; the fate of the lost seamen is described as a “grey angel.” The haunting spirit, flowing in the higher voices of this composition can be heard flowing above the text. By the end, the spirit’s theme can be heard throughout the ensemble, though as a peaceful current in the ocean.

John Lennon (1940-1980) and Paul McCartney, arr. Rich Hasty With a Little Help from My Friends TTBB a cappella Barbershop Harmony Society 211550 We gather to play. From Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, this is a fun tune about friendship and togetherness. The arrangement passes off the iconic melody between the Tenor 2 (or lead) line and the Bass 1(or baritone) line in the verses. The outer voices also have fun with walking Bass lines and soaring Tenor 1 lines. Rich Hasty used rich lush, barbershop-style voicing and harmony to add life to an already upbeat fun tune.

JMT Dosoo, arr. Jester Hairston (1901-2000) No Ne Li Domi TTBB a cappella Bourne Co. 090497 We gather to dance. This piece is written in the Adangbe Tribe language of Ghana and tells a fun folk story, describing a dance competition in a village. Some people dance for fame, others compete for glory. In this case, the prize is the tastiest, meatiest part of the chicken.

Consider using percussion and having a little dance competition after the English section of the song before the coda begins. Have fun and let your singers let loose on this chart!

Hans Leo Hassler (1562-1612), ed. Scott A. Taylor Cantate Domino TTBB a cappella Alliance Music Publications, Inc. AMP0757 We gather to sing. Any medium to medium advanced tenor-bass ensemble would do well singing this motet by Hans Leo Hassler. As the editor notes, “beautiful tone quality is important, [but] an overly legato approach should be avoided.” The lines dance along all of the parts and all of the entrances should be treated equally to keep the momentum of the piece moving. Sung a cappella or with an organ reinforcing the voice parts. Also includes an optional opening monophonic chant at the beginning of the piece. 

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 33

34 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

2025 AUDITION DATES NOV. 2 | FEB. 15-16 | MAR. 1 Accompanists available

music.sonoma.edu

Everyone who auditions is considered for a Music Scholarship

Matthew Lyon Hazzard

Darita Seth

CSULB Choral Studies congratulates two extraordinary alumni from our graduate Choral Conducting program. Bravo to Dr. Matthew Lyon Hazzard (MM 2019) on his appointment as Director of Choral Activities and Vocal Studies at Mt. San Antonio College and to Darita Seth (MM 2023) on his appointment as Director of Choral and Vocal Studies at Santa Rosa Community College.

The Beach Family is proud of you both.

Are you ready for the next step in your career? For more information about CSULB’s graduate program in choral conducting, please visit csulb.edu/music or contact Dr. Jonathan Talberg at jonathan.talberg@csulb.edu

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 35

Board of Directors & President’s Council

President • Past Presid

Executive Committee - ele

Officers Treasurer

Membership

Financial reporting; budgeting; Cantate ads; event registration

Facilitates engagement with all levels of membership leads committee of member representatives

Directors • Voting members; oversee, serve, and represent working groups K-12 School Programs Serving High school teachers (large and small schools; urban and rural); middle school/junior high school teachers, auditions for regional and all-state honor choirs; elementary choral and classroom music; (ACDA Youth Choirs)

Education & Student Outreach

Community Music in Wo

Serving post-secondary conductors; post-secondary students; conductors of all types of ensembles including parttime, emerging/new conductors, volunteer conductors; interested high school students; student activities (ACDA Collegiate Choirs)

Serving condu based ensemb adult choirs; c church childre GALA choirs; p adult and chil and TB ensem America mem (ACDA Lifelon

Advisory Council • Chairs & Subcommittees K-12 School Programs Chairs and Committees

Education & Student Outreach Chairs

High School, Middle/Junior High School; honor choirs, CASMEC, Honor Choir scholarships, Elementary; SSAA; TTBB; vocal jazz, showchoir, a cappella repertoire; SCVA, CMEA, OAKE liaisons (ACDA and Western Region R&Rs)

University; Community College; Music Education; Undergrad and Graduate Student Programs; ACDA Student Chapters; Choral Leadership Academy programs; NCCO liaisons (ACDA and Western Region R&Rs)

36 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

Community

Committees in Worship; Com Community Yo GALA choruse Choral Comp Professional C America liaiso Western Regio

California Choral Directors Association

& Advisory Council

dent • President-Elect

ected positions

p;

Development

Secretary

Fundraising; manage professional development grants; honor choir scholarships; Vision for the Future

Executive Administrator (ex officio)

Choirs & orship

uctors of faithbles; community community and en’s choirs; professional; ldren’s treble mbles; Chorus mbers in CCDA ng Choirs)

Choirs Chairs

nclude Music in mmunity Choirs; outh Choirs; es; SSAA; TTBB; position; Choirs; Chorus ons (ACDA and on R&Rs)

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Directors at Large The duties may be adapted and their activity portfolio may represent the following areas: Professional Development and Conferences; Retired Members; Pedagogy and Practice; Volunteer Activities; History, Archives, and Institutional Memory; Communications, Marketing, and/or Public Relations

Communications Committee Committee includes Cantate Editor, Website Editors, Social Media Manager; Email Management; eNewsletter; Communications Strategist

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, & Belonging (DEIAB) Fosters a more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming choral community throughout California; helps CCDA’s programs, practices, and initiatives align with our core DEIAB values; collaborates with national and regional ACDA to promote inclusivity; provides resources that support both choral directors and their singers

Events & Programs Chairs Summer Conference at ECCO; All-State Honor Choirs; Regional Honor Choirs; CASMEC Coordinator; Choral Leadership Academy; Region Conferences and Workshops; ACDA Western Region and national conference reps

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 37

CCDA BOARD Directory BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADVISORY COUNCIL: R&R

President Community and Arlie Langager Worship (858) ­774-­0412 Buddy James alangager@miracosta.edu buddy.james@ csueastbay.edu President-Elect Kristina Nakagawa DEIAB kristina.m.nakagawa@ Kellori Dower gmail.com drkellori@gmail.com

Children’s and Community SSAA Choirs Youth Iris Levine Kent Jue irislevine@mac.com kjue@ragazzi.org TTBB Choirs Community Choirs Albee Mabeza Yewon Lee amabeza@prioryca.org yewonlee98@gmail.com Vocal Jazz Choral Composition Andreas Preponis Zanaida Robles apreponis@ znrobles@gmail.com laspositascollege.edu

Vice President Chris Peterson (562) 453-9851 cpeterson@fullerton.edu Treasurer Genevieve Tep gtep@seq.org Development Daniel Afonso dafonso@csustan.edu Membership Molly Peters mepeters79@gmail.com

Education and Student Outreach Cari Earnhart cearnhart@csufresno.edu K-12 Student Programs Patrick Burzlaff patrick_burzlaff @kernhigh.org Director at Large William Zinn wzinn6023@gmail.com

COMMUNICATIONS Cantate magazine editor Eliza Rubenstein cantate.editor@gmail.com Web developer John Nguyen

Social Media Coordinator Position open E-mail communications Emily Moore emoore@musd.org

Music in Worship Steve Kim kieunstevekim@gmail.com

ADVISORY COUNCIL: EVENTS Summer Conference at ECCO Jeffe Huls jeffe.huls@gmail.com CCDA Conference at CASMEC Jennifer Heder jenniferheder@gmail.com CLA/CASMEC Cari Earnhart 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

CLA/MACCC Karen Miskell karen.miskell@vvc.edu

@gmail.com

CCDA STAFF Executive Administrator Kathleen Preston 921 N. Harbor Blvd., #412 La Habra, CA 90631-3103 exec_admin@calcda.org

Communications Coordinator Jasmine Nicholson jnicholsonconsult

@gmail.com

38 • Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025

California Choral Directors Association

The SDSU Experience Chamber Choir, Treble Choir, University Chorus Opera Workshop, Fully-Staged Operas

Undergraduate: BM Music Education, BM Vocal Performance Graduate: MM Choral Conducting, MM Vocal Performance, Graduate Artist Diploma

Dr. Arian Khaefi, Director of Choral Studies akhaefi@sdsu.edu Dr. Ramon Cardenas, Choral Music Education racardenas@sdsu.edu

Leading the Way

Cantate • Vol. 37, No. 2 • Winter 2025 • 39

California Choral Directors Association 921 N. Harbor Blvd., #412 La Habra, CA 90631-3103

SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY

Follow Your

n o i s s a P Dr. Jeffrey Benson

Director of Choral Activities jeffrey.benson@sjsu.edu

Dr. Corie Brown Choral Music Education corie.brown@sjsu.edu

Performance Opportunities • SJSU Choraliers • SJSU Concert Choir • Treble Choir • Spartan Glee Club • Vocal Jazz Ensemble • Opera Theatre

SJSU Choirs sjsuchoirs sjsu.edu/music

SJSU Choirs