Voice 48.1- Fall/Winter 2024 by chorusamerica

Revitalize Your Chorus’s Brand A Fond Farewell From President & CEO Catherine Dehoney Honor Roll

THE NEW HARMONY

Gen Z’s

Role in the Evolution of Chorus

Editor

Liza W. Beth

Managing Editor

Kaeli Todd

Publisher Catherine Dehoney

Art Direction

DLG Design, Inc.

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Editorial

Research begins with simple questions you can start asking on your own, revealing important perceptions about your organization. Here are a few to get going:

The Voice welcomes your letters, commentary, photos, and article submissions by email. Send to voice@chorusamerica.org or Editor, The Voice, address below.

• What is special about your chorus?

• How do your colleagues feel working or singing there?

President & CEO

Catherine Dehoney

Vice President of Communications and Membership

Liza W. Beth

Associate Director of Programs and Membership

Karyn Castro

Information and Digital Asset Manager

Casey Cook

• Why do your audiences or donors support you? Without knowing the answers to questions like these, you’re making decisions about your brand reputation on assumption and guesswork. And realize this: you are what they think you are. That means your audiences hold beliefs about you, true or false, that define your relationship or experiences with them. Only they can decide if your art or place in the community is relevant or valuable. You need to know what they’re thinking.

Vice President of Finance and Operations

Anne Grobstich Erps

Development Manager

Hannah Grasso-McClain

Communications Manager

Victoria Kennedy

Executive Assistant

Anthony Khong

Vice President of Programs, Strategy, and Development

Christie McKinney

What solves problems is getting out there and asking the important questions: What does your audience think of your programming? Are your volunteers happy? Does your community feel seen, heard, and welcome?

Associate Director of Development

James Pennington

Business Development Manager

Mike Rowan

Director of Grants

Kim Theodore Sidey

Membership and Grants Manager

Vale Southard

Baldwin

Messaging:Words Matter

You might be thinking, “We know who we are, why do research?” But by doing this work, you are likely to find that not everyone is on the same page, revealing internal or external gaps in alignment. Where there is misalignment, there is a problem to be solved. Research is the only way to compare if who YOU think you are is who THEY think you are. If you’re driving merrily along the same path and wondering why things are still bumpy, you’re likely just spinning your wheels. What solves problems is getting out there and asking the important questions: What does your audience think of your programming? Are your volunteers happy? Does your community feel seen, heard, and welcome? When you begin with internal and external research, you know what’s working, what can be improved, and how to make cultural changes within your organization (spoiler, this is a HUGE part of your brand) that lead to higher success. Now we’re going to take all of this great information and roll it into the creation of your new brand, beginning with messaging.

Brand research requires asking questions of all your stakeholders, inside and out. Internally, we’re talking everyone involved. Yes, everyone, from the executive director to your ushers. Externally, stakeholders are people who support you—like your audience members, partners, funders, and sponsors— but also community folks who may not be current supporters. Why? Because they have opinions or perceptions about you and they share them with others.

Now that you hold the answers, you can pour a solid foundation of core values upon which to build your mission, vision, and culture. You own the capability to cultivate truer, more authentic connections to your communities and address them with purpose, clarity, and cause. How? Through your message. Your message is powerfully influential. It holds the energy and emotion that differentiates you from others, attracting your true believers and spurring them to action. You possess the power to stir souls and open wallets. You harness the ability to articulate why your chorus matters and underscore its value in conversation with your community and funders. Yet another reason to root your message in meaning, not programs? Programs may come and go, but your mission and purpose largely remain the same.

SingYour Story

yourself: Do we need a rebrand?

Discover FRESH CHORAL ADVENTURES at BCI

Doing What We Love Together

A reflection on our mission to strengthen community ties through choral music

One of the privileges of being president of Chorus America is the opportunity to write this letter.

On November 1, I will be handing over my “pen” to our new president, Christopher Eanes. Chris brings terrific experience, energy, and an entrepreneurial spirit to everything he does, and I am excited for him and for Chorus America.

Since this is my last letter in the Voice, it feels appropriate to reflect on the future by considering the past. As I think back over my many years working with Chorus America, first as the development director and then as its president & CEO, one of the things I am most proud of is all the ways the organization has advocated for the value of choruses in their communities. Making this case is absolutely my favorite talking point wherever I am.

This case-making all started with the work of renowned political scientist, Dr. Robert D. Putnam. His research factored significantly in my work when I first came to Chorus America nearly 25 years ago, and, in a rather remarkable full circle moment for me, it has recently been in the news again with the release of a documentary film about Dr. Putnam and his life’s work of documenting the decline in community connections and advocating for change.

As the legend goes, when the inimitable Ann Meier Baker became Chorus America’s president in July 2000, I was one of her first hires as a part-time development director. As a fundraiser who was also a lifelong choral singer, I couldn’t believe my luck to be working for an art form that was so close to my heart.

Chorus America had hit a period of turbulence, and it was critical to find new earned and contributed revenue fast. We focused on developing a case for a broader audience that explained why choruses mattered, and therefore why Chorus America’s work

mattered. For choral music insiders, who know the deep emotional and communal impact of singing together, the case was obvious. For foundations and the broader public, we needed to find data that demonstrated how people and their communities benefit from a strong choral music field.

When music brings a community together, bridging divides is a powerful outcome.

I was dismayed to discover there was no research specifically focused on the impact of choruses or even on the size of the field. However, that same year, Dr. Putnam released his now classic book, Bowling Alone, that detailed how the decline of American community and civic engagement, as measured by participation in group activities, had negative consequences for our country. In his book and in earlier research, he cited participation in choral singing groups as being correlated to stronger civic engagement and fostering valuable social capital.

Dr. Putnam outlined two types of social capital—both important for a well-functioning society. Bonding social capital refers to the connections between homogeneous groups of people, such as family members or members of the same ethnic group. It’s characterized by strong ties and can provide crucial support to members in times of need. Bridging social capital refers to connections between heterogeneous groups or individuals from diverse backgrounds. It is inclusive and can lead to a more cohesive society overall.

In Bowling Alone, he wrote:

“To build bridging social capital requires we transcend our social and political and professional identities to connect with people unlike ourselves. This is why team sports provide a good venue for social capital creation. Equally important and less exploited in this connection are the arts and cultural activities. Singing together (like bowling together) does not require shared ideology or shared social or ethnic provenance.” u

Robert D. Putnam speaks at the 2015 Chorus America Conference.

We now had an essential element for Chorus America’s case for support: Strong choruses are forces for good in building communities, and Chorus America helps build strong choruses! This conclusion led to a sharpened focus in our advocacy for the field, to new and renewed funders, and, perhaps most importantly, to the first Chorus America Chorus Impact Study—our answer to the need for data on the impact of choruses and the scope of the field.

Dr. Putnam became my muse whenever I was representing the choral field and Chorus America in national arts and culture discussions, during presentations, or while writing funding proposals. In fact, one of the very first things I did

Strong choruses are forces for good in building communities, and Chorus America helps build strong choruses.

when I became president in 2015 was to recruit him to be a plenary speaker at the Conference that year. He proved to be a gracious and informative speaker, just as a muse should be!

Dr. Putnam’s conclusions about choruses and community connection were never so relevant and simultaneously sadly ironic as during the pandemic. At a time when people were dealing with isolation as well as growing political division, singing together—a natural source of solace and a powerhouse for connection—became synonymous with potentially life-threatening viral spread. Suddenly, choruses couldn’t sing together as they were accustomed to. In dealing with the grief of that loss, they leaned even more into the social bridging and social bonding aspects of their work. They supported each other’s, and their communities’, basic needs. They also responded with both innovation, in the form of online gatherings and

rehearsals in outdoor venues from parks to parking garages, and inspiration, in the form of digitally streamed performances and professionally produced videos artfully combining their singing with stories, dance, and visual arts.

This past July, I read a New York Times interview with Dr. Putnam about a newly released documentary highlighting his work, including his 2020 book, The Upswing. This newer work analyzes economic, social, and political trends over the past century to demonstrate how the United States has gone from an individualistic “I” society, to a more communitarian “We” society, and then back again to an “I” society, resulting in a seriously fractured country by every measure.

Again, Dr. Putnam spoke of the critical need for bridging social capital and making connections between people with different perspectives:

“I’m not saying ‘bridging good, bonding bad,’ because if you get sick, the people who bring you chicken soup are likely to reflect your bonding social capital. But I am saying that in a diverse society like ours, we need a lot of bridging social capital […] except that bridging social capital is harder to build than bonding social capital. That’s the challenge, as I see it, of America today.”

Photos of Catherine’s tenure as president and CEO, including Catherine and Ann Meier Baker at the 2015 Conference, speaking at the 2022 Conference in Baltimore, and at the 2017 ACDA Conference with Mary Hopper and André J. Thomas.

Community is what happens when you do what you love, together.

Reflecting on this in an increasingly polarized world and during an election year in the United States, I can’t help but feel the urgency of that challenge.

Dr. Putnam and the documentary argue that the way forward is to become “joiners” in arts, social, athletic, and civic clubs, to encourage more civic engagement, and to rebuild community. As the documentary’s narrator says at one point in the film, “Community is what happens when you do what you love, together.”

Choruses and the choral field are critically important to building that kind of bridging social capital and that kind of community. Our conversations with you reveal that choruses unite people with different, and sometimes opposing, perspectives around a shared purpose. You’ve shared how singing together fosters understanding and connection, allowing us all to learn from each other’s experiences. When music brings a community together, bridging divides is a powerful outcome. This is one of the many reasons that the work that you do—and the work that Chorus America does—is so important and so deserving of support.

When I made the decision in March to step away from my job as president of Chorus America, I knew it would be a bittersweet transition. While I’m excited about the future and eager to explore some different interests and opportunities, I’m

Catherine during a virtual meeting of Chorus America’s board

also keenly aware of how much I’ll miss my Chorus America community. My work with the outstanding staff, board members, and chorus leaders across the U.S. and Canada has tapped into my own joy of doing something I love, together with all of you.

Given my love for the field, you can be sure this isn’t goodbye. Although I’ll be playing a different role, I look forward to continuing to be part of the joy we all share in making and elevating choral music.

Catherine Dehoney President & CEO, Chorus America

The Catherine Dehoney Fund

Catherine Dehoney has served Chorus America with heart, vision, determination, and humor for nearly 25 years. Her special, people-first leadership style means that so many of us have personally felt her impact as she has guided Chorus America’s work.

As Catherine departs Chorus America for new adventures, join us in celebrating her leadership with a special gift to the Catherine Dehoney Fund. This fund, newly created by the Chorus America board and staff, will advance Chorus America’s mission and vision through strategic partnership opportunities, program growth, and innovation.

Catherine’s many achievements as president and CEO include the creation of new programs that serve an inclusive choral field, critical leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocacy for the value of choruses in their communities.

All who know Catherine know that she is a visionary leader, an inspiring colleague, and a warm and compassionate person. Your gift, no matter the amount, is deeply meaningful and includes the opportunity to share your well-wishes with Catherine.

Thank you for considering a gift today and for being part of this tribute to an exceptional leader and dear friend to the choral community.

Make a Gift in Honor of Catherine

chorusamerica.org/catherine-dehoney-fund

“CATHERINE HAS BEEN A TRUE BLESSING TO THE WORK AND MISSION OF CHORUS AMERICA, AND SHE LEAVES THE ORGANIZATION IN AN INCREDIBLY STRONG POSITION TO CARRY THAT WORK AND MISSION FORWARD.”

–Anton Armstrong, board chair, Chorus America and Tosdal Professor of Music, St. Olaf College

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he National Lutheran Choir’s 2024–25 season, Healing: A Sacred Story!, is set to premiere several new works spread across five concerts. They premiered Alex Berko’s Sacred Place within their All Saints concert on November 2 and 3, and will be premiering a new Christmas suite by Taylor Scott Davis within their Christmas Festival concert and a commissioned work by composer Hans Bridget Heruth and lyricist Brian Newhouse within their winter concert and tour. The Houston Chamber Choir opened its 30th season with the world premiere of Patrick

Hawes’s (pictured) The Son of Man with the Houston Symphony on September 21, 2024. The Son of Man is inspired by texts from the Old and New Testaments. The performance u

The Dessoff Choirs, one of New York City’s premier choral ensembles, celebrates its 100th anniversary in the 2024–25 season. Founded in 1924, the chorus has been at the forefront of performing and commissioning groundbreaking choral works. Under the direction of music director Malcom J. Merriweather, the anniversary season will honor Dessoff’s rich legacy while also looking forward towards its future. In the inaugural program for its 100th anniversary season, the ensemble performed Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem. During this performance the chorus welcomed back former conductors Kent Tritle and Christopher Shepard as well as former Dessoff alumni.

Sing Democracy 250: Inspiring Unity Through Choral Music for America’s 250th Anniversary

Asthe 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, Sing Democracy 250 aims to harness the power of choral music to remind Americans to participate in their democracy. Chorus America recently sat down with the Sing Democracy 250 founders, Gary Aamodt and Celia Ellingson, as well as Sing Democracy 250’s 50 States Program director, Tina Sayers, to discuss their vision for this powerful new project. In this interview, the Sing Democracy 250 team shares their inspiration for Sing Democracy 250, the composers chosen, why choral music has the power to inspire unity in a divided world, and how you can get involved in their next steps.

The driving force behind Sing Democracy 250 is your Together In Hope Project—what from that project inspired you to create Sing Democracy 250?

Celia: We strongly believe that choral music has a unique ability to reach people— to bring them to new understandings, open hearts, open minds, and inspire them to action. We decided to use choral music and apply it to situations where music could be a force for healing, reconciliation, and advancement on what we call some “issues of our shared humanity.” The most urgent issue, in our view, is that democracy is threatened in the world generally but also in this country. We were aware of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. We decided to see what we could do to find text and create new music to mark the 250th birthday of our country.

Gary : We have two composers, Brandon Boyd and Michael Bussewitz-Quarm, who are involved in creating the music for this. The first composition, “Redeem the Dream” by Brandon Boyd, is based on “Let America Be America Again,” a poem by Langston Hughes that he wrote in 1935. It’s an outstanding poem—it reflects honestly on America’s history and our shortcomings in living up to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, but it ends on a powerful note of hope that America can do better.

The text for the second of the pieces, “US” by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm, is based on Richard N. Haass’s book The Bill of Obligations that just came out in 2023. He is the former head for 20 years of the Council on Foreign Relations. People ask him, “Richard, what’s the threat to the United States? Is it Russia? Is it China? Is it Iran?” And he says, “No, the greatest threat to the United States is not those things, but it’s within.” Richard is deeply committed to preserving and strengthening democracy, here and abroad.

You have concerts planned for 2026 in multiple cities as well as having a tab on your website for others to organize their own Sing Democracy 250 event. What would a Sing Democracy 250 choral event look like?

Celia: The core of the program is the two major compositions, and it’s our vision that those two compositions would be performed in their entirety, along with “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Other details of these performances might vary, depending on what that choral leader wishes to do, the size of the community, and the resources available. There will be three different options for the accompaniment. It’s a choral work, but it can be performed with a full symphony orchestra, with a chamber ensemble of twenty players, or with just a piano and a drum set.

Gary : We want them to be as creative as they can be. At first, we were just going to do a chamber orchestra version and the piano percussion version. But Brandon, one of the composers, said, “I think we should do a full symphony version.” And he said, “I’ve got a wonderful orchestra at my university as well as my choir; I want

us to be able to do that and have a big event.” So, I’m glad we’re doing the full orchestral version.

Celia: This music is intended to be engaging, educational, and empowering for both singers and audiences, but we’re especially excited about involving young people. We’re encouraging people to make it a community event. It could be in an outdoor stadium with hundreds and hundreds of singers, if you want. It could be on the steps of a state capitol building, with folks out on the grassy mall in front, in a concert hall, school auditorium, or church or other religious facility.

If people want to get involved, what steps should they take?

Tina: The application window will be from January 15, 2025, until May 15, 2025. Anyone who would like to commit to doing a performance of this program can apply to receive free scores for their choir. The idea is to include as many people as we can in this project. We want to have people from small communities, rural communities, large communities, high schools, colleges, community choirs, and everything in between. We want people to feel that they will be able to pull this off with whatever resources they have. And we’re here to offer suggestions or help at any stage of the process. We hope they will reach out to us via our website, which is singdemocracy250.org, and they can sign up for our newsletter. If they do that, they’ll get monthly updates that will give them more information about what stage of the project we’re in, news about the project, and when the applications are opening and closing so that they can stay in the loop and be the first to know what’s around the corner. Our goal is to have choirs in all 50 states participate in this. So, this is really a nationwide event. The more people across the country that do participate, the more unity and the more combined energy and spirit and affirmation of democracy we will feel together.

To learn more about Sing Democracy 250, read the full interview on our High Notes blog at the Chorus America website: chorusamerica.org/high-notes

Out of Necessity and Compassion, A Judgment-Free Laboratory

Choral Chameleon’s Institute for Conductors and Composers provides conservatory-level choral training for participants at any level

Vince Peterson (pictured) nearly ended his choral composing career as soon as he began. As an undergraduate composition major, despite showing promise when his first substantive choral work was given a reading session by an outside chorus, he was berated in front of colleagues for his shortcomings.

“I went back to my lesson with my composition teacher and said, ‘I don’t want to write choral music anymore,’” Peterson recalls. “I was in tears. I was completely humiliated.”

True, he undoubtedly had plenty left to learn as a young composer, including the nuances of writing for and working with choral singers. But, Peterson was convinced, there was a way to deliver the same quality of rigorous feedback in a radically supportive environment.

It was while in school for his master’s degree that Peterson met a fellow student who shared his philosophy and passion for pedagogy, music theorist Steven Smith (pictured) The two became dear friends and collaborators, and in 2012 realized this vision of a safe musical space to experiment by co-founding the Choral Chameleon Institute for Composers and Conductors (presented under the umbrella of Peterson’s aforenamed vocal ensemble).

The Institute co-founders are proud and unwavering that students of all experience levels, pursuing any style of choral music, are welcome—and truly treated as equals. “From day one, we try to eradicate judgment, eradicate comparison between students, eradicate competition,” says Peterson. “We show each person that we really care about them and what their ideas are.”

Following through on this ethos means that, for example, not only do Institute faculty members meet each individual student where they are; all participants learn in the same room together, and witness how everyone can be challenged— even the most advanced students. In the Institute for composers, students with zero composition experience sit side-by-side with postdoctoral fellows in daily classes. Smith and Peterson emphasize the value of this practice in building community and neutralizing imposter syndrome.

Regardless of experience level or musical persuasion, the common foundation that the Institute co-founders have established to unite all participants is the deep love and respect for the chorus, and for exploring its full potential. “I firmly believe that all musicians need to be singing—and in particular, need to be choral singing,” says Smith.

As Peterson puts it, “the Institute is a wonderful, joyful place of curiosity where we get to spend eight days with six to twelve musicians and just love them into being their best musical selves, no matter who they are or where they’ve come from.”

To read the full story of the Choral Chameleon Institute, visit bit.ly/ CC-Institute. Applications for the 2025 conductor (January) and composer (June) cohorts are now open.

Awards

Leonard Ratzlaff (pictured), former Chorus America board member and conductor of the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers and the Richard Eaton Singers, was given an honorary degree from Concordia University of Edmonton in honor of his passion and dedication to the choral community.

Chicago a cappella announced the winners of the 2024 HerVoice Emerging Women Composers Competition: Taja Astar, Agustina Crespo, Lindsey Cotter,

and Emma Wilde. They will have the opportunity of having their pieces workshopped and performed by either Chicago a cappella, Vancouver Youth Choir, or the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) was recognized in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards for 2024. This award honors businesses that are consistently among the top 10% of listings around the world on Tripadvisor.

Sphinx Organization has been honored with the 2024 Kennedy Center Award for Arts Advocacy. This award recognizes efforts in promoting the arts. n

Releases

Aaron Dworkin released a memoir in August entitled Lessons in Gratitude: A Memoir on Race, The Arts, and Mental Health. This memoir covers Aaron’s experience growing up and u

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Christopher Eanes Begins Tenure as Chorus America’s Next President and CEO

Christopher Eanes begins his tenure as Chorus America’s next president and CEO, effective November 1. He succeeds Catherine Dehoney, who transitions out of her role on October 31.

Eanes will guide Chorus America in fulfilling its mission to strengthen singing communities with the advocacy, connections, and resources they need to be a vital part of society. He will work closely with Chorus America’s Board of Directors and staff to sustain and grow the organization’s programs, services, and strategic partnerships. He will be a leading advocate for Chorus America’s membership and the broader choral field.

Over his 25-year career, Eanes has embraced every role within the choral community— singer, teacher, conductor, administrator, and board member—working with youth, professional, and community organizations. Since 2019, he has served as the executive director of the Cathedral Choral Society, the symphonic choir-in-residence at Washington National Cathedral. Under his leadership, the organization has expanded its programming to celebrate emerging and traditionally marginalized voices, attracting over 10,000 patrons annually and reaching audiences in 22 countries.

Mark Lawson Appointed Chorus America Board Chair Elect

Mark Lawson, who has served on the Chorus America board since 2017, was appointed Chorus America board chair elect at the board’s October meeting. As board chair, he will be responsible for leading and supporting the rest of the board in meetings and goals.

Lawson is President of ECS Publishing Group, parent company for E.C. Schirmer, Galaxy Music Corporation, MorningStar Music Publishers, and the ARSIS Audio recording label. He is extremely active in the choral community. Lawson will begin his tenure as board chair in June 2025.

embracing his biracial identity as well as experiencing the need for diversity in classical music.

Benedict Sheehan has released an album called Akathist, available now. This album consists of a recording of the world premiere of his oratorio, Akathist, featuring The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Artefact Ensemble,

Downtown Voices, Trinity Youth Chorus, and NOVUS NY, and was directed by conductor Elaine Kelly.

The Crossing and the PRISM Quartet released Ways You Went featuring original

Shaping the Future of Choral Leadership: Upcoming Chorus America Programs

Choral-Orchestral Conducting Academy July 7–15, 2025

ChorusAmerica’s Choral-Orchestral Conducting Academy gives choral conductors a unique opportunity to develop choral-orchestral skills and enhance their training. During this week-long program on the campus of California State University, Fullerton, participating conductors will have the opportunity to study one-on-one with expert faculty and conduct choralorchestral repertoire, including Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem and Jennifer Higdon’s Ruminations. The Academy culminates with a final performance in Meng Concert Hall.

Applications for program Fellows and Scholars are open through December 5. For more information or to apply, visit chorusamerica.org/conducting-academy

Choral Executive Leadership Academy June 4–August 14, 2025

TheChoral Executive Leadership Academy is an intensive leadership development program focusing on the skill development of leaders who have been marginalized because of race and ethnicity. The Leadership Academy focuses on building administrative skillsets required of C-suite leaders, with specific attention to unique challenges that these leaders face in predominantly White institutions, in order to create career pathways to executive leadership. The Leadership Academy will kick off with an in-person gathering for the 2025 cohort at Chorus America’s Conference in St. Louis on June 4 and continue with online learning and mentorship programming through August 14.

Registration for the Leadership Academy will open in Winter 2025. To receive updates, please fill out our interest form at chorusamerica.org/leadership-academy

compositions by Martin Bresnick and Mason Bates. The lyrics used in this project center around how the advancement of technology can make us feel more distant and isolated.

The Houston Chamber Choir released The Voice of Brubeck, Vol. 1: Song of Hope and Peace to honor the legacy of jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck. This album release features the Brubeck Brothers and Paul English Quartets as well as Horace Alexander Young and a 19-piece orchestra.

True Concord released an album entitled A Dream So Bright: Choral Music of Jake Runestad. This album contains two premiere recordings of works by Jake Runestad. The album reached No. 1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases on its release day.

On July 12, The Crossing released OCHRE. This album centers on themes dealing with cultural resonance and features commissioned works by George Lewis, Caroline Shaw, and Ayanna Woods.

Navona Records released ESTER, LIBERATRICE DEL POPOLO EBREO, an oratorio by Alessandro Stradella, on July 26. This oratorio follows the Old Testament’s Book of Esther and is comprised of an Italian and American cast.

Musica Viva NY will release their new album, CRIMSON ROSES: Contemporary American Choral Music on November 22. This album will include recordings of three new contemporary choral works: And Crimson Roses Once Again to be Fair by Joseph Turrin, Momotombo by The Luminous Ground by Richard Einhorn.

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus released a new song, “A Different Way.” This song is an anthem of nonviolence and is available to stream now.

Cappella Romana released A Ukranian Wedding, sung by an allfemale cast led by Nadia Tarnawsky, a Ukranian American folklorist and singer. The songs in this release follow the u

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rituals of a traditional Ukranian wedding and use vocal techniques of village singers. Choral Chameleon released their first commercial album, Changing, in November. This 11-track album includes nine world premiere recordings of choral music about how humans process change. n

Appointments and Retirements

GALA Choruses Board of Directors appointed John D. Carrion (pictured) as the organization’s new executive director. John, who previously held the postion of executive director of Big Apple Performing Arts (BAPA), the non-profit organization of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, the Youth Pride Chorus, and the Tonewall queer a cappella band, began his position on November 1.

Key Chorale has announced the appointment of Tom Tyron (pictured) as their new event manager. He brings extensive event planning experience and will be seen as quite an asset as Key Chorale continues to enhance their event experiences as well as boost engagement.

Rebecca O-G Eaddy (pictured) has been appointed principal conductor for the Detroit Opera Youth Chorus. Rebecca has extensive experience as a music educator, conductor, and professional opera singer.

Jessie Flasschoen Campbell (pictured) has been appointed as artistic director of Kol Nashim, the Colorado Hebrew Chorale’s treble choir.

Resound Ensemble has named Daniel Hughes (pictured) as their new artistic director. In addition to his new role, he is currently the director and conductor of The Choral Project.

Tactus SF has named Sven Edward Olbash (pictured) as music director. Sven will lead three sets of concerts in the 2024–25 season.

Sven is a voice teacher, singer, and conductor based in San Francisco, and is the founder of Voice Science Studio.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the Bel Canto Youth Chorus have appointed Erica Silver (pictured) as the conductor of the Da Capo Treble Choir and Alaina Swartz (pictured) as the director of education and community engagement.

Annie DiMartino (pictured) was appointed as the new executive director of the Utah Cultural Alliance. Annie previously served as deputy director of Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE).

Suzanne Wilson (pictured) has joined Rockport Music as their new president & CEO. As their new president, she will manage and lead Rockport Music as well as the Shalin Liu Performance Center.

Giacomo DiGrigoli (pictured) has been appointed executive director for Volti. He will also

continue as executive director of International Orange Chorale of San Francisco.

The St. Louis Symphony Chorus has welcomed Erin Freeman (pictured) as their new director. She will be the third director of the chorus since its 1976 founding. Erin also serves as the artistic director of City Choir of Washington.

Jonathan Bradley (pictured) has been named the executive director of Voices of Ascension Jonathan joins with over 25 years of experience, his most recent role being executive director of The Crossing.

Erin Guinup (pictured), recipient of the 2024 Louis Botto Award, will be transitioning away from her position as executive & artistic director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir. She hopes to foster the creation of more spaces where belonging and dialogue rooted in trust offer healing and hope. Orlando Morales (pictured) will be welcomed as the new executive & artistic director. Orlando has experience as a teacher and administrator of the arts. n

DUAIN WOLFE RETIRES FROM THE COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS

Aftermore than 40 years as founder and director of the Colorado Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe leaves behind an immense legacy upon his retirement. His final performances took place October 18–20 during a special 40th anniversary celebration of the chorus featuring the Verdi Requiem, the same piece the chorus performed in their debut nearly 40 years ago to the day.

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH AUTHENTICITY

How Choruses Already Align–and

Can Engage More–with Gen Z

Apprentices at Elevate Vocal Arts’s Summer Institute, a residency-based, five-week summer program designed for vocal artists aged 18–25.

Choruses are seeing increases in members of Generation Z in their ensembles, on their staffs and boards, and attending their performances. Knowing how to reach this powerful and diverse generation will help your chorus thrive.

BY ERIN HAAR

When it comes to the ways choral music has shifted in recent years, the influence of Generation Z (Gen Z) is a hot topic. Choruses need to think outside the box when marketing to Gen Z audience members, singers, and donors, especially because those born between 1997 and 2012 now make up one in five Americans. But many choruses struggle to resonate with a generation whose influence is steadily growing.

Since the November 2000 election, 8.3 million Gen Z members turned 18, which makes their voice in politics increasingly powerful. Gen Z is also more racially and ethnically diverse than older generations according to the Pew Research Center. In 2015, when many Gen Z members reached college age, 50 percent of adults ages 18 to 24 were enrolled in or had already finished their undergraduate degree.

At the Cathedral Choral Society, where I work, we’ve seen an uptick in auditions from Gen Z members, leading to a shift in the makeup of the chorus. We’re also seeing increases in Gen Z members becoming part of our audiences.

As someone born in 1999, I often find myself defending my Gen Z title while joking at my own expense in humorous office lunchtime debates. But important questions lurk in the context of these conversations. What would it mean to think differently about whether or not choral music is reaching our diverse, highly educated, and politically outspoken generation?

Does the act of singing in a chorus align more with Gen Z’s values than we realize? I interviewed a panel of Gen Z members of the choral community about how we as choral singers, conductors, and administrators can bring even more of this powerful generation into the choral landscape we call home.

What do you think other generations think about Gen Z, especially in the choral community?

Drew Halford (he/him): There’s a perception that it’s a very tough time to be someone in Gen Z. I think for some things that’s true. When you’re competing for jobs or opportunities, I think it’s challenging just because of the difference of experience. The world we live in now is different, in some ways for the better, and in many ways for the worse.

Alejandro Cervantes (he/him): What’s lost on [other generations] is that our interconnectivity is a tool. We can see what’s going on around the world, we can talk to people from different parts of the world, we can connect with people better, and we can discover new ideas, and I think that’s lost on them.

Ariel Alvarado (she/her): We’re not afraid of hard work and cutting our teeth and making it happen. We just want what is real and authentic. I’ve been really fortunate in my musical community that I have only encountered authentic people who care about people and care about the music. u

GEN Z CONTRIBUTORS

Drew Halford he/him, 26

Associate Director of Development, The Choral Arts Society of Washington

Washington DC

Alejandro Cervantes he/him, 26

Director, Galena Park

Elementary Honor Choir Galena Park, Texas

Ariel A. Alvarado she/her, 25

Assistant Director, Wilmington Children’s Chorus

Assistant Conductor and Director of Community Programs, Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia

Education & Outreach Coordinator, Elevate Vocal Arts

Wilmington, Delaware

Lulu Maxfield they/them, 24

Advancement Manager, Los Angeles Master

Chorale

Tenor Section Leader, Trans Chorus of Los Angeles

Managing Director, Occidental College Glee

Alum Choir

Los Angeles, California

Douglas Leung he/him, 27

Baritone, Chor Leoni Vancouver, British Columbia

Building Community Through Authenticity

As a member of Gen Z, what do you think our generation values?

Ariel: Our generation values authenticity. I think it comes from a place of the rug being pulled out from under us societally so many times. Sometimes that can be bad, but ultimately it comes from a place of “I don’t really care about the artifice. I just want to know who you are and how you made it happen.”

Lulu Maxfield (they/them): Community, and particularly finding adult connections. Finding people who you have a common connection with, whether it’s singing or something else, is the way we are going to continue to make friends and find community. Many singers in the chorus have joined as they are finding themselves in their trans identity, and most are specifically looking for other people who can relate. The combined love of singing

and the shared experience is why I think so many of us in that chorus are close outside of the singing group.

Douglas Leung (he/him): There is a bigger emphasis on mental health and on social justice. We care about when something feels right, both internally and with other bodies or organizations. There’s a big sense of justice or virtue or what is right. I think a lot of Gen Z also struggles with what is right, given the way the world is right now, but I do think that it’s one of the things we care about the most.

What about joining a chorus—as a singer, staff member, or director—appealed to you?

Douglas: It’s kind of everything for me. There was a moment when I was in 10th grade and I had had a huge fight with my mom right before a concert; it was awful. I remember performing that set and feeling connected with everyone around me, and then I talked with my mom afterwards because she did wind up going to see the

show. That was the moment where we healed and it all fixed itself. Ever since that point, chorus has been the thing that makes me feel connected with other people; it makes me feel emotionally capable of being a human being, and I can listen to other people better.

Lulu: I liked to sing, but it wasn’t until college offered me the opportunity of a social group through singing that I joined. I fell in love with it at my first rehearsal. I walked into my first rehearsal ever, and just in the warmups I felt this warmth of the sound that made me tear up that day. I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.

Alejandro: The reason I continued with choral music in college was because I had an awesome director in my sophomore year of high school. She made us all feel seen, and she was interested in us. In rehearsal she was very structured and direct, but we had that trust in her. That community and that feeling of belonging was really important.

High school choruses from around the DC area participate in Cathedral Choral Society’s annual High School Choir Festival.

“It’s just finding the right message and finding the right ask, because Gen Z does have a desire to give, and we want to make sure our voice is heard and that we are seen within the philanthropic community.”

–Drew Halford

How does being a member of Gen Z allow you to approach your role in the choral musical community in new ways? Do the things that we value as a generation show up for you here?

Ariel: I have a few positions outside of Wilmington Children’s Chorus, so every day looks a little bit different. I think that’s a part of being a member of Gen Z—I’ve learned how to walk in a variety of spaces and in a variety of worlds. I spend a couple of hours every morning in meetings with Elevate Vocal Arts. A part of my work with them is school residencies, so I’ll go into a school from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., then I go to a rehearsal in the evening for either Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia or Wilmington Children’s Chorus. So you kind of have to piece together the work. That’s a part of being a young gigging musician anywhere, but I think the adapt-

ability that I have learned is a product of the generation that I grew up in.

Drew: I’m the only Gen Z staff member at the moment. I think it brings different opportunities and it makes you think about things in a different way. In Development, we have been stressing the notion that every gift matters regardless of the size. A lot of that is targeted towards Gen Z and other younger generations—we have less money to give since we have not been working as long. But all of the data shows that Gen Z is just as generous as previous generations, and in some cases even more so. It’s just finding the right message and finding the right ask, because Gen Z does have a desire to give. We want to make sure our voice is heard and that we are seen within the philanthropic community.

Alejandro: When I lead my elementary school choirs, I know they need constant engagement. My Gen Alpha kids kind of get the same bad rap as Gen Z, but if they’re interested, they’re going to pay attention. They also have to see that I really enjoy it. I kind of treat my classes like a stand-up routine. I see new sets of kids every day, but they all get the same lesson, so it’s like every day I’m in a different city with a different crowd!

Gen Z is the most ethnically and racially diverse generation so far. Do you think that changes the way you approach your work in the choral field, or the way you’ve seen others approach their work?

Lulu: My work is predominantly with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, which is a u

BY CYRIL DEACONOFF FOR CHORUS,

www.cyrildeaconoff.com/hagiasophia

A performance by Chor Leoni, a chorus based in Vancouver, BC.

Building Community Through Authenticity

very old organization with a longstanding history. What I see with an older organization is that connection with Gen Z is a struggle more generally before even looking at racial demographics. Just connection with Gen Z is a frequent topic in our staff meetings. It’s something that our marketing department focuses on. How are we going to reach people that are underrepresented broadly in classical music audiences? This is true of both young people and people of the global majority, and so looking at the vast intersection of the two groups can serve as an access point.

Ariel: In a lot of ways, I’m not sure that the progress that has been made in terms of being more racially and ethnically inclusive has much to do at all with the fact that Gen Z is more diverse. I think that we’re just behind the curve of recognizing different people groups [in the choral community], so now people are being hyperconscious of being inclusive.

As an Afro-Latiné, I see my Latiné side and my Black side [represented], but I

“I think that’s a part of being a member of Gen Z — I’ve learned how to walk in a variety of spaces and in a variety of worlds.”

–Ariel A. Alvarado

don’t see much crossover yet. And that’s to come. The wheel of progress moves very slow. We’re doing our best to address all of those issues [and be more inclusive]. Wilmington is a predominantly Black city, and the Children’s Chorus has been very intentional in making sure that our programming, staff, and everything that we do is a reflection of our city. But even then I think there’s work to be done, and I think it doesn’t have much to do with the fact that Gen Z is more multiracial.

What advice would you give to choruses when it comes to inviting younger generations into the world of choral music?

Drew: Be flexible and be genuine. Be flexible, whether that’s during auditions and trying to meet people where they are, and be genuine, whether you want to recruit singers or get them to be a supporter in any way. Gen Z really listens to that, and they can see through when things are [or aren’t] genuine.

Douglas: It’s very hard to attract people into a hobby when they’re in their midtwenties. A lot of the time, people get into singing when they are in high school. Once that switch gets clicked in your brain, it’s an itch that you know you need to go back to chorus and scratch, and COVID-19 kind of killed that opportunity. Keep building up and focus the energy on the youth of today. If you have good people, and you make a good organization, Gen Z will come to you.

Ariel: If you strip away the artifice of what generation you’re from, your socioeconomic status, and all of that stuff, people have a lot more similarities than differences. The more we have these conversations, the easier that is for us to realize. In the same way that we talk about ADEI work, you don’t have to have all the

answers. You just need to start today with one thing. The wider that we cast the net as a choral community, the more fish we’re going to catch. Start today, start small, and start with something.

Alejandro: You can always go back and sing a Mozart piece or a Bach piece, but there are plenty of composers who are around today (and plenty of composers who were around in the past) who maybe didn’t have the platform as much as all the old greats. So find out what’s in the pulse of society right now. If you’re not already around Gen Z, see if you can see what it looks like! If you’re interested in building a community choir, you can find colleges and ask to come in and observe so you can see what choirs there look like. Just talk to us, do the research, and learn about what it is that motivates us.

Lulu: You have to give Gen Z something of value that’s not just the music. The music is undisputedly valuable, but what are we going to give to Gen Z besides just playing them the Spotify album of our ensemble? What community are we forming? What growth opportunities are we giving to our singers? They have to find unique value u

In a multi-year collaboration, the Commonwealth Youthchoirs and the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia are exploring how intergenerational music-making can enrich both their members’ musical experiences and their broader community.

New from Cappella Romana A Ukrainian Wedding dir. Nadia Tarnawsky

JUST RELEASED! Ukrainian American folklorist and singer Nadia Tarnawsky leads the women of Cappella Romana with special guest folklorists from Ukraine, Inna Kovtun and Hanna Tishchenko, to perform this unique offering of Ukrainian wedding songs. The songs sung in preparation for the wedding employ the vocal techniques of village singers, while the chants and choral works sung during the wedding ceremony itself reflect the sublime style more prevalent in church singing.

“filled with its own plenteous portion of beauty, charm and solemnity.” info - dad

“a lot of heart and soul … for all those who are enthusiastic about the diverse roots of our contemporary musical traditions” pizzicato

ALSO AVAILABLE

ARVO PÄRT: ODES OF REPENTANCE

Cappella Romana presents three odes from Pärt’s monumental Kanon Pokajanen, The Woman with the Alabaster Box, psalmody, and Orthodox hymns. “supreme artistry” concertonet

A BYZANTINE EMPEROR AT KING HENRY’S COURT Worlds collide as Byzantine Emperor Manuel II spent Christmas 1400 at King Henry IV’s royal court. Hear ancient chant and polyphony in Greek and Latin. “strongly recommended” fanfare

in the live experience. I want my peers and younger Gen Z members to see the beautiful impact that live choral performance has on my life so that they might find access to that impact themselves.

In my conversations with these vibrant members of Gen Z, I was struck by how often community was mentioned. Every interviewee expressed that community was vital in their experience of choral music. Singing with others seems like it would inherently build community, but for Gen Z, that might not be enough on its own. Singing in front of others is a vulnerable activity, and being vulnerable requires trust. So what can choruses do to unlock that level of trust and openness?

Lead with authenticity. It’s not enough to simply be a part of a group; that belonging must come from a place that’s real and genuine. This can look like a number of things, because that’s the point. Every chorus is different. Lean into

the uniqueness of your mission, that annual concert your audience loves, or the ways your singers bond outside of rehearsals. Or, if you can, all of the above!

Do YOUR research.

every singer can enter the room with a brighter smile and a deeper trust in the singers next to them.

1 2

Looking up statistics and reading articles like this one is a great start, but what actually resonates with Gen Z communities near you? Are there young adults attending your concerts who might have valuable insight? Ask them about their perspective over coffee. If a member of Gen Z has recently given a donation, can you send them a thank you text and ask them what motivated them to give? This qualitative data can help inform your next steps.

Embrace the moments where the outside world seeps into the rehearsal room.

The world feels heavy right now, and Gen Z is experiencing a lot of turbulence as a result. Embracing discussions during rehearsal breaks or after concerts where “real life” comes up might allow Gen Z singers to bond more with those not in their generation. In time, this openness can lead to a vibrant choral culture—one where

Chorus has a way of making us feel more human. We can listen and process our emotions better in the presence of music. It’s what we do after that—the authenticity we lead with, the trust that we build, and the questions we ask our community members—that can make choral music a truly welcoming space, especially for Generation Z. n

Erin Haar is the Creative Media & Marketing Manager for the Cathedral Choral Society (CCS), the symphonic chorus in residence at Washington National Cathedral in DC. She is also a writer, photographer, and video producer, and her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Daily Californian, DC Theater Arts, and Fujifilm. Her passion for multimedia storytelling has no limits—in addition to her work with CCS, she also serves on the board of Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region (OHMAR) as their Communications Director.

ORPHEUS CHAMBER SINGERS AND SANTA FE DESERT CHORALE IN CONCERT

Sunday March 23, 2025 at 5:00 pm

Following the ACDA National Conference

Lovers Lane United Methodist Church Dallas, TX

June 28-July 8, 2025

AUDITIONS ACCEPTED JANUARY 5 THROUGH APRIL 15, 2025 SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

A peak experience for high school choral musicians under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong at the world-renowned Oregon Bach Festival. oregonbachfestival.org/sfyca

March 18-22 Dallas, TX ACDA NATIONAL 2025

Join us in Dallas for the 2025 ACDA National Conference.

Conference registration is now open. See the conference website to learn more about the performing ensembles, schedules, and sessions.

Be sure to keep up to date with all the conference information by checking the conference website frequently (www.acda.org/conferences).

The conference opens on the evening of Tuesday, March 18, with the Welcome to Dallas Concert. This will be followed by three full days of performances, interest sessions, exhibitions, headlining performances, and the ACDA Honor Choirs. Be sure to plan to stay through Saturday evening for the full conference experience.

How a Strong Brand Can Amplify Your Chorus’s Impact SING YOUR STORY

In order to know if your chorus needs a rebrand, you first need to know what that means and how to implement it. By approaching your branding strategically, you’ll be able to tell your chorus’s story in a way that’s clear, compelling, and engaging.

BY CHERYL BALDWIN

We have a logo; is that our brand? How do we know if and when we need a new brand for our chorus? What does that even look like? Here at DRMTM (pronounced dream team!), where we reimagine brands for arts and culture organizations, we hear these questions on the regular. Which means many of you may be struggling to understand what a brand is and the strategy it can drive in the success of your chorus. We get it. The word brand has become very mainstream, almost overused, and often used incorrectly.

There are three distinct strategies DRMTM shares to revolutionize the strength and role of your chorus’s brand:

1) Build an informed brand on a process that begins with research and culminates in culture.

2) Correct the mistake of leading your message with a list of programs and performances and lead with your mission instead.

3) Utilize your brand as a strategic resource for building capacity across all operations.

We’re here to clarify a few brand basics and to introduce the concepts we teach on how a strong, bold brand holds the power to elevate every aspect of your chorus from song selection to office administration.

Let’s start here: your brand is most definitely, 100 percent, more than just your logo. While a crucial (and arguably the most important) element, your logo is just on

Your message is powerfully influential. It holds the energy and emotion that differentiates you from others, attracting your true believers and spurring them to action.

STRATEGIES TO REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR CHORUS’S BRAND

Start with research, culminate with culture

Lead your messaging with your mission

Utilize your brand for strategic capacity building

the surface of a much deeper existence— it’s your nametag, if you will. But approaching either brand creation or rebranding is about process. While it’s creative, fun, and compelling, it should never be tackled around the breakroom table without a strategic process to guide it. This is especially true for nonprofit cultural organizations which are born out of mission and purpose; your chorus’s values and vision should serve as your unshakeable foundation. That foundation is the deeper existence beneath the nametag we were talking about, and it’s laid in research. u

Research:

The Only Way to Start

Research begins with simple questions you can start asking on your own, revealing important perceptions about your organization. Here are a few to get going:

• What is special about your chorus?

• How do your colleagues feel working or singing there?

• Why do your audiences or donors support you?

Without knowing the answers to questions like these, you’re making decisions about your brand reputation on assumption and guesswork. And realize this: you are what they think you are. That means your audiences hold beliefs about you, true or false, that define your relationship or experiences with them. Only they can decide if your art or place in the community is relevant or valuable. You need to know what they’re thinking.

Brand culture is an ongoing commitment to the strength and sustainability of your organization.

Culture: Commit to keeping those promises.

Ask yourself: Do we need a rebrand? 1 FIVE STEPS TO YOUR BEST REBRAND

Design: Get people excited about your mission. 4

Research: How is your brand perceived? 2

Messaging: You hold the power of your story! 3

If you’re driving merrily along the same path and wondering why things are still bumpy, you’re likely just spinning your wheels. What solves problems is getting out there and asking the important questions: What does your audience think of your programming? Are your volunteers happy? Does your community feel seen, heard, and welcome? When you begin with internal and external research, you know what’s working, what can be improved, and how to make cultural changes within your organization (spoiler, this is a HUGE part of your brand) that lead to higher success. Now we’re going to take all of this great information and roll it into the creation of your new brand, beginning with messaging.

Messaging: Words Matter

Your message is powerfully influential. It holds the energy and emotion that differentiates you from others, attracting your true believers and spurring them to action. You possess the power to stir souls and open wallets. You harness the ability to articulate why your chorus matters and underscore its value in conversation with your community and funders. Yet another reason to root your message in meaning, not programs? Programs may come and go, but your mission and purpose largely remain the same.

Design: Looking Good

All that good research you did to inform your written brand? It will do the same for your visual brand: your logo, color palette, fonts, and visual design elements. If the research tells you audiences are looking for something more modern, you’ll be thinking unexpected colors, interesting fonts, and sleek visuals. If what you’ve learned is that your community appreciates your calm, professional vibe, you will probably be a bit more conservative in the design department. But knowing what clicks puts you way ahead of the game because you’ve taken the

guesswork out of what resonates. Well-informed brand design promises an experience, elicits emotions, and gets people excited to be part of your mission.

Walking the Walk: Brand Culture

Once you’ve applied research to create strong brand messaging and design, it’s time to craft a culture that holds both the tangible (operational) and intangible (emotional) promise of your brand to guide you securely forward. Brand culture is an ongoing commitment to the strength and sustainability of your organization.

We define brand culture as the embodiment and actualization of your beliefs. It is your core values in practice. That’s why a formal branding process is critical in defining values that are totally genuine to your workplace and artistic expression so they can be lived in a way that elevates all tasks, roles, and experiences from transactional to personal (and even transformational). Brand culture is lived at the front of house and behind the scenes, in your HR hiring practices and in the respect and recognition of each contributing member. Think of brand culture as the practical application of your beliefs and a shared code of conduct. So be sure to include some joy as a central principle of your values.

Do You Need a Rebrand?

In today’s rapidly changing arts and culture landscape, your chorus faces the challenge of staying relevant while maintaining a unique and attractive identity. The exercise of branding or rebranding is a strategic move to align with evolving audiences, missions, and market demands. After reviewing the basics of a strong brand, here are some questions to ask yourself in order to determine if it’s the right time to rebrand.

Are audience demographics shifting?

As communities evolve, so do their cultural interests and expectations. If you notice your core audience is aging or you are struggling to attract younger, more diverse patrons, it may be time to rebrand. This doesn’t mean throwing out years of history and recognition, but instead building on your appeal to welcome new constituents while keeping the old guard happy.

Is your mission evolving?

Time isn’t still, and neither are we. You might notice changes in purpose and vision u

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according to organizational or audience growth or needs. When you feel a disconnect, or your original purpose doesn’t match the current vision, there’s a good chance a rebrand needs to follow.

Does your visual identity feel stale?

You know your logo and visual communication is often the first interaction people have with your brand. If it’s been around for a while and no longer represents your current mission and programs, it could be time for an upgrade. An updated visual identity can convey the organization’s evolution while appealing to new and existing patrons.

Is competition increasing?

You know your chorus is incredible. But there are other incredible organizations vying for your same audiences and funding. This is when focusing on your differentiators—what makes you special and attracts your people—becomes paramount. A wellexecuted rebrand can set you apart, clarify why audiences should choose you, and re-engage your most loyal fans.

Has your organization experienced any internal changes?

Leadership changes, restructuring, or strategic pivots can also signal the need for rebranding. When these changes occur, they often bring fresh vision and opportunities that require renewed brand alignment. And if two or more organizations merge, a rebrand can create a unified identity that honors all legacies while setting a new course for the future.

Are you experiencing negative public perception?

Has your chorus experienced any negative publicity or public relations challenges? Are you struggling to make strides related to issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access? If this is the case, a rebrand might

Well-informed brand design promises an experience, elicits emotions, and gets people excited to be part of your mission.

be necessary to rebuild trust and restore your reputation. Again, this isn’t simply changing your logo or name, but rather going through the deep work to make honest systemic changes. A thoughtful rebrand can signal a commitment to change and improvement, winning back your community’s confidence.

Is engagement stagnant or declining?

If ticket sales are declining, there is a reduction in membership renewals, or you’re seeing a decrease in online interactions, this can be a clear indicator that a rebrand is needed. Pay attention to these signs. If your brand is no longer resonating, a rebrand can reinvigorate interest, create buzz, and drive new engagement across all platforms.

Are You Ready for the Work?

At DRMTM, we love to say that branding isn’t a root canal; it’s fun! However, it is work—deep, meaningful, transformative work. We sometimes call it organizational therapy. So it’s important to know what to expect before you get started.

Remember all that research? You’ve gathered dozens or hundreds of opinions

and insights to help you build a brand. But now it’s time to narrow down. Your decisionmakers should be made up of a smaller group (between three and five people) deemed the creative team. When you’re part of this team, you are committed to doing the work, being open to discussion, and giving your full attention and interest on scheduled meetings. These sessions are nothing short of transformative. We’ve yet to work with a group who by the end doesn’t say something along the lines of “Wow, we had no idea working on a new brand would bring our organization so much clarity and a renewed sense of purpose and excitement.” The transformation is real, we promise.

But it’s also important that you understand what is organizationally allowed according to your structure. Most arts and culture organizations are governed by a board, and their input is critical. Before you begin any branding project, be sure to get buy-in from these important decisionmakers. Educating them about the process will reassure and prepare them for what to expect. This important upfront work is critical to alleviate surprises or disappointment at the end of the process.

What Can A Rebrand Do For You?

We know a strong brand is one of the greatest tools you’ll ever own for successful capacity building within your chorus. So yes, if your brand is not representing you well, a rebrand will develop a broader and more strategic approach to furthering mission impact. And, yes again, bold brands raise more than just money, they raise EVERYTHING—including your potential to leverage all stakeholders and resources in your success. How does capacity building show up across the brand process we’ve discussed? Let’s take a look.

Capacity building through research

The goal is making informed decisions by learning as much as you can up front and executing on that knowledge.

Capacity building through messaging

The goal is to engage and compel people to action by clearly articulating your value, creating clarity and trust, and positioning your chorus as a vital part of your community.

Capacity building through design

The goal is to create and nurture connection, evoking feelings of shared identity and belonging with strong visual design that promises exceptional experiences and leaves lasting impressions.

Now that you’ve gained a better understanding of how a bold brand can really elevate your chorus, it’s time to dig deep. Are you ready to do the work? Are you prepared to uncover important but perhaps difficult truths? We promise it’s absolutely worth it at the end of the process; you’ll end up with successful, meaningful branding you are proud to share with your community and a renewed sense of purpose within your organization. n

Cheryl Baldwin, head of brand design at DRMTM, has been a creative professional and graphic designer for more than 30 years. Her gift for style evolved with a mission-driven intent to design brands that move and engage people. Each design detail is packed with meaning and purpose to bring visual brands to life, reflecting the unique spirit, value, and experience of an organization’s identity.

Chorus America presents the 2025 CHORAL-ORCHESTRAL

CONDUCTING ACADEMY

JULY

7–13, 2025

Build choral-orchestral skills and advance your career in a supportive learning environment with expert teachers.

Faculty

Rob Istad Conducting Academy

Dean

Director of Choral Studies, California State University, Fullerton; Artistic Director, Pacific Chorale

Full faculty listing available at chorusamerica.org/conductingacademy.

Repertoire

Participating conductors will work on choral-orchestral repertoire including Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem and Jennifer Higdon’s Ruminations.

Funding support provided by Chorus America’s John Alexander Fund and Duain Wolfe Fund, the Colburn Foundation, the George F. Jewett Foundation, the Popplestone Foundation, ACFEA Tour Consultants, Mary Lyons, Lenora Meister, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In partnership with

for Fellows and Scholars are

through December 5.

CHORUS AMERICA

Chorus America is honored to receive support each year from hundreds of generous individuals, organizations, businesses, foundations, and the U.S. Government. Each gift represents the depth and breadth of our membership, our geographic reach, and the myriad entities that work with, for, and within the choral field. Below you will find an alphabetical listing of each generous donor and partner, as well as special recognition lists that highlight Chorus America’s giving communities and unique funding opportunities. Chorus America recognizes with appreciation all those who contributed essential support for our programs that benefit choruses everywhere between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024.

Matthew Abernathy

ACFEA Tour Consultants

Amanda Adams-Barney

Laura Adlers❖

Albany Pro Musica, Inc.

John A. Alexander*

Ariel Alvarado

Sean Ambrose in honor of Dr. Jane Iverson

Linda and Michael Anderson

Phyllis Wynn Anderson

Anton E. Armstrong❖ in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Mauna Arnzen in honor of Allen H. Simon

Mary Ann Aufderheide in honor of VocalEssence

Ann Meier Baker and Robert Baker

Cheryl Baldwin

Eric Banks

Carol Barnett

Jamie and Jeff Barnett❖

James K. Bass

Amanda Bauman

Dodie and Wayne Bauman

Nicole Belmont

Katie Beltran

Martín Benvenuto

Charles Berardesco❖ and Jeffrey Thurston

Berkshire Choral International

Laura Bessinger-Morse

Liza W. Beth

Alexander Lloyd Blake

Watson Bosler

Paul Boykas

Emma Brondolo

Martha W. Brown in honor of Robyn Lana

Gwen Brubaker

Carolyn and Philip Brunell*

Rhonda Buckley-Bishop

Marie L. Bucoy-Calavan*

Emily Burch

Dashon Burton❖

Paul Caldwell* in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Cape Fletcher Associates

Dallas Caples

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Lesley Carter

Roland M. Carter*

Charlie Cerf

CETRA Language Solutions

David Allen Chase

Chicago A Cappella

Rick Coffey*

Julie Cohen

* = former board member, ❖ = current board member, + = deceased

Colburn Foundation

Linda Sharon Coleman

Jennifer Collins in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Colorado Children’s Chorale

Columbia Pro Cantare LTD

Kim Conlin

Craig B. Coogan

Casey Cook

Thomas Cooke❖ in honor of John Ferns

Megan and Robert Cooper*

Carlos Alberto Cordero

Brigid Coult

Tad Czyzewski in honor of Anne B. Keiser

Kaneez Munjee and Hugh Davies*

Catherine Dehoney and William Hill

Mary Deissler*

Rhett M. Del Campo

Chair’s Circle

Iris Derke❖

Rollo Dilworth❖

Dominick DiOrio III* supporting the John Alexander Fund

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY)

Geneva Dorsey in honor of VocalEssence Joy* and Chester Douglass

Susan G. Duncan* in honor of Singsations, University of Missouri-Columbia

Rebecca Eaddy

KellyAnn Nelson and Christopher Eanes in honor of Catherine Dehoney

John G. Earls* ECS Publishing Group in honor of composers and friends of ECS Publishing Group

The following individuals, foundations, corporate partners, member organizations, and the U.S. Government contributed gifts of $5,000 or more to support the work of Chorus America. We share our special appreciation and highlight their generous support that uplifts the entire choral community.

ACFEA Tour Consultants

Jamie and Jeff Barnett❖

Charles Berardesco❖ and Jeffrey Thurston

Berkshire Choral International

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies Colburn Foundation

Catherine Dehoney and William Hill

Rollo Dilworth❖

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY)

Joy* and Chester Douglass

John G. Earls*

Equity Sings

John C. Griswold Family Foundation

George Frederick Jewett Foundation East

Anne B. Keiser❖ KI Concerts

Kiplinger Family Foundation

Mary Tuuk Kuras❖ and Patrick Kuras

Mary A. Lyons*

Lenora A. Meister

Melodious Accord, Inc.

National Endowment for the Arts

John Nuechterlein❖

Gayle* and Tim Ober

OPERA America

Dianne Peterson❖

Popplestone Foundation

Peter Rutenberg

Steven Smith❖

Southstar Energy Services, LLC

VocalEssence

Duain Wolfe❖

Johnny Edwards II

Ellie and Tom Elkinton

Bradley Ellingboe in honor of Craig Hella Johnson

Maria A. Ellis❖

Messrs. Jayson Engquist and David Winkworth

Equity Sings

Anne Erps

Todd Estabrook*

Kristen L. Fallon

Corty Fengler*

Brooks Firestone

Laura Fischer

Sheridan Foster

Michelle Frank

Erin R. Freeman

Catherine French

Allison Fromm

Justin Fyala and Rich Fowler

Flo Gardner

Joyce Garrett*

Alex Gartner

Robert Geary

Grant Gershon*

Lisa Goldberg

Sarah Goodwin

Hannah Grasso-McClain in honor of the Elm City Girls’ Choir

Louise H. Greenberg +

Matt Greenberg

Barbara Greene in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Matthew Greer

Diane Griffin

John C. Griswold Family Foundation

Mark Hanke

Amy Hansen

Matthew C. Harden in memory of Dr. Bruce Browne

Annie Hargraves

Jeannette Hargroves

Alan Harler*

Kathryn Laura Harsha

Jeff Harvell

Julie Haydon

David M. Hayes❖

Anne Heider*

Ryan J. Heller

Emily Henriksen

Robyn Hilger

Lies’l Hill

Shayla A. Hines-Graham

Greg Hobbs

Ali Hodges in honor of Paul Rardin

Sarah Holmes

Kay Holt

Don H. Horisberger

Jan B. Hower

Julie Huang Tucker

Jeff Hunt in honor of John Stoffel

Lisa Husseini

Brenda Marie Iacocca

Robert Istad❖

Patricia Jennerjohn

George Frederick Jewett

Foundation East

Craig Hella Johnson❖

Ethan Johnson

David M. Jones in honor of Gregory Wait

Michael Judd

Beth Kanter

Anne B. Keiser❖

KI Concerts

Wes Kim

Deborah S. King

Kiplinger Family Foundation

Terry Knowles* and Marshall Rutter*

David and Mary Beth Koehler

Camille Kolles*

Michael Kreuzer

Josh Krugman

Anita S. Kupriss

Mary Tuuk Kuras❖ and Patrick Kuras

John LaForge

Robyn* and Tim Lana

Virginia R. Lange

Mary and Bill Langsdorf

Leanne Magnuson Latuda

Mark W. Lawson❖

Alysia Lee❖

Danielle Lees

Diana J. Leland

Megan Lemley

Casey Leones

Iris and Lesili Beard Levine

Jacob Levine

Kenny Litvack

Thomas Lloyd

Nathan Lofton

Mary A. Lyons*

John Maclay

Carol C. Manifold

Catherine D. Marks in memory of Georgia Davis

Mary Doughty Mauch❖

Isiah Maxey in honor of André J. Thomas

May Festival Chorus

Kay McCarthy in memory of Mike McCarthy

Michael Dominic McCarthy

Marguerite McCormick

Barbara McFarquhar

Susan McMane

Lenora A. Meister supporting the

John Alexander Fund

Melodious Accord, Inc.

Nancy L. Menk

José M. Meza

Sandy and Jonathan Miller

Marcela Molina❖

Amy and Marty L. Monson

David Morales in memory of Albert McNeil

Kara Morrissey

David Morrow❖

Deb Murphy

National Endowment for the Arts

Steve Neiffer❖

Frank Nemhauser

Brian Newhouse❖ in honor of Iris Derke

Robin Noonan-Price

John Nuechterlein❖

Elizabeth❖ and Francisco Núñez*

Gayle* and Tim Ober

Mark W. Ohnmacht in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Eric V. Oliver❖

Michael M. O’Neal

OPERA America

Matthew Otto

Julie Parks

Nancy Pasley

PayPal Giving Fund

Alisa Pearson

Kyle Pederson

Performing Arts Readiness/ LYRASIS

Robin L. Perry in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Patricia Petersen

Catherine Peterson*

Dianne Peterson❖

Gene D. Peterson

Isabelle Peterson

Allan Petker

Vanessa J. Pinto in honor of the Tallahassee Community Chorus

Peter Platt

Molly Pontin❖ in honor of Robert Penn

Popplestone Foundation

Marilyn Pryor

Andrea Ramsey❖

Karen Raskin-Young in honor of Frank Nemhauser

Leonard Ratzlaff

Susan Erburu Reardon* and George Reardon

Jack Reiffer

George Reiss

Mary and David Richards

Dail Richie

Debbie Richman in honor of Fran Vogt

Meredith Ann Riekse

Joel Rinsema

Earl Rivers*

Mona Jones Roberts

William Bradley Roberts

Eugene Rogers❖

Jen Rogers

Kathy Saltzman Romey in honor of Dale Warland

Katie and Jim Rowan in honor of Mike Rowan

Mike Rowan

Dean Rust

Peter Rutenberg

Diana Sáez❖

Janet Sarbaugh

Alisa and Ryan Saunders

Suzanne R. Schaeffer

Anne Schankin

Amanda K. Schkeeper

Nancy Anne Schultz

David W. Schwarz

Jennifer Scott Miceli

Mark Shapiro

Elena Sharkova

Jane Shepherd

Charlotte Sibley

Kate Sibley in honor of the Contra Costa Chorale and in memory of Cindy Beitmen

Daniela Sikora in honor of the Ridgefield Chorale

Valerie Simonsen in honor of Phillip Swan

Marianna and Robert Simpson* in honor of Jon Washburn

Hywel Sims

Alison Skinner

Katie Skovholt

Jan Smith in honor of André J. Thomas

Steven Smith❖

David Snead

Southstar Energy Services, LLC

Harlie G. Sponaugle

Eric Stark in honor of Catherine Dehoney

Darrian Stovall

Jan G. Strand

Rana M. Strickland

Mary Strizek

Frank Stubbs* and Tom Lee

Glenda L. Sullivan

Susquehanna Chorale

Jamie Sutta

Susan L. Swaney

John Tackeff

Barbara M. Tagg*

Carrie Michelle Tennant❖

Cindy Theodore

Karen P. Thomas*

Jesse L. Thrall

Joseph To

Gale A. Townsley

Anthony Trecek-King❖

Kent E. Tritle

UpStage Technologies

Jean-Sébastien Vallée❖

Beverly Vaughn

Joshua Velez

Suze Villano in honor of Ars Nova Singers

Maggie Vo

VocalEssence

Dale Warland*

Jon Washburn*

The Washington Chorus

Christian Wargo

Anne Watson-Born

Trudy Weaver Miller* and John Arthur Miller

Lydia Weiss

Edwin White in honor of the Wendell P. Whalum Community Chorus

Amy Wielunski

Arlene William*

Douglas H. Wilton in honor of Liza Beth

Rebecca Wink

Duain Wolfe❖

Holly Wolff

Michael Wu

John Yankee

DIRECTOR’S SOCIETY

We gratefully acknowledge the three-year pledges made by former members of Chorus America’s Board of Directors. These multi-year gifts help us build a predictable

revenue stream so that we can respond to the changing needs of the choral field. We are grateful for the continued leadership of these committed members of the Chorus America family.

Carolyn and Philip Brunelle*

Roland M. Carter*

Rick Coffey*

Kaneez Munjee and Hugh Davies*

Mary Deissler*

Dominick DiOrio III*

Joy* and Chester Douglass

Todd Estabrook*

Corty Fengler*

Grant Gershon*

Alan Harler*

Anne Heider*

Terry Knowles* and Marshall Rutter*

Mary A. Lyons*

Trudy Weaver Miller* and John Arthur Miller

Gayle* and Tim Ober

Catherine Peterson*

Susan Erburu Reardon* and George Reardon

Earl Rivers*

Frank Stubbs* and Tom Lee

Barbara M. Tagg*

Arlene Williams*

CONTINUO SOCIETY

We are pleased to recognize members of the Continuo Society, Chorus America’s legacy giving society. The Continuo Society was established to honor donors for their support of Chorus America through their estate planning, i.e., as a beneficiary under their will, IRS final distribution, pension plan, or insurance policy.

John Alexander*

Ann Meier Baker and Robert Baker

Catherine Dehoney

Rollo Dilworth❖

Joy* and Chester Douglass

Todd Estabrook*

Floyd Farmer* +

Corty* and Alf Fengler

Vance George*

Louise H. Greenberg* +

Alan Harler*

Elfrieda* and Vern Heinrichs

Anne B. Keiser❖

Terry Knowles* and Marshall Rutter*

Mary* and Phillip Lyons

Kay and Mike McCarthy* + Allison McMillan*

Sandy and Jonathan Miller*

Trudy Weaver Miller* and John Arthur Miller

C. William Moody Jr.* + Alice Parker* +

Deborah* and Jamshed Patel

Dianne❖ and Frank Peterson

Susan Erburu Reardon* and George Reardon

Earl Rivers*

Rosalind Rees and Gregg Smith* + Barbara M. Tagg*

Arlene Williams*

ALICE PARKER FUND

Chorus America is grateful to the following donors who designated their contributions in memory of the choral luminary Alice Parker, who passed away in December 2023. Their gifts support the Alice Parker Fund, which celebrates Alice’s passion for the music landscape and traditions of many cultures, specifically those of Black and Latinx communities that inspired her work.

Anton E. Armstrong❖

Carol Barnett

CETRA Language Solutions

Susan G. Duncan*

Messrs. Jayson Engquist and David Winkworth

Chorus America Officers

Chair

Anton Armstrong

St. Olaf College (MN)

Chair Elect

Mark Lawson

ECS Publishing Group (MO)

Treasurer

Steven Neiffer

Los Angeles Master Chorale (CA)

Secretary

Diana V. Sáez

Towson University (MD)

Members of the Board

Laura Adlers

Management Consultant (ON)

Jeffrey Barnett

Dorsal Capital Management LLC (CA)

Charles Berardesco

Baltimore Choral Arts Society (MD)

Dashon Burton

Professional Singer (NY)

Thomas Cooke

Voce (CT)

Iris Derke

Distinguished Concerts International New York (NY)

Rollo Dilworth

Temple University (PA)

Maria A. Ellis

Educator and Conductor; Girl Conductor LLC (MO)

David Hayes

New York Choral Society (NY)

Robert Istad

Pacific Chorale; CSU Fullerton (CA)

Craig Hella Johnson

Conspirare (TX); Oregon Bach Festival (OR)

Anne B. Keiser

Choral Arts Society of Washington (DC)

Mary Tuuk Kuras

MTK Practical Leadership (MI)

Alysia Lee

Baltimore Children & Youth Fund; Sister Cities Girlchoir (MD)

Mary Doughty Mauch

Conductor and Community Organizer (IL)

Marcela Molina

Tucson Girls Chorus (AZ)

David Morrow

Morehouse College (GA)

Brian Newhouse

Minnesota Orchestra (MN)

John Nuechterlein

Community Leader (MN)

Elizabeth Núñez

Young People’s Chorus of New York City; SoHarmoniums Women’s Choir (NY)

Eric V. Oliver

Zion Baptist Church; Loretta C. Manggrum Chorale (OH)

Dianne Peterson

The Washington Chorus; New Orchestra of Washington (DC)

Molly Buzick Pontin

City of Lakewood (CO)

Andrea Ramsey

Composer, Conductor, and Music Educator (MO)

Eugene Rogers

University of Michigan (MI); The Washington Chorus (DC)

Steven F. Smith

Berkshire Choral International (MA)

Carrie Tennant

Vancouver Youth Choir (BC)

Anthony Trecek-King

Handel and Haydn Society (MA)

Jean-Sébastien Vallée

Toronto Mendelssohn

Christopher Verdugo

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (CA)

Duain Wolfe

Colorado Symphony Chorus (CO)

Corty Fengler*

Allison Fromm

Grant Gershon*

Lisa Goldberg

Diane Griffin

Anne Heider*

Anne B. Keiser❖

Nathan Lofton

John Maclay

Susan McMane

Melodious Accord, Inc.

Julie Parks

Nancy Pasley

Marilyn Pryor

Jack Reiffer

Janet Sarbaugh

Mary Strizek

Susquehanna Chorale

Barbara M. Tagg *

Duain Wolfe❖

DUAIN WOLFE ENDOWMENT FUND FOR THE ART OF CHORAL-ORCHESTRAL CONDUCTING

Chorus America is grateful to the following donors whose contributions support the Duain Wolfe Endowment Fund for the Art of Choral-Orchestral Conducting. This fund makes Chorus America’s ChoralOrchestral Conducting Academy possible.

ACFEA Tour Consultants

Colorado Children’s Chorale

David M. Hayes❖

Don H. Horisberger

Earl Rivers*

Duain Wolfe❖

OSTINATO: CHORUS AMERICA’S MONTHLY GIVING COMMUNITY

We gratefully acknowledge the members of the Ostinato community who contribute recurring gifts to Chorus America.

Mary Ann Aufderheide

Dodie and Wayne Bauman

Dallas Caples

Roland M. Carter*

Kaneez Munjee and Hugh Davies*

Dominick DiOrio III*

KellyAnn Nelson and Christopher Eanes

Todd Estabrook*

Sheridan Foster

Justin Fyala and Rich Fowler

David M. Hayes❖

Lisa Husseini

Marcela Molina❖

Amy and Marty L. Monson

David Morales

Frank Nemhauser

Molly Pontin❖

Eugene Rogers❖

Diana Sáez❖

Steven Smith❖ Duain Wolfe❖

IN-KIND GIFTS

Anton E. Armstrong❖

Atlanta Master Chorale

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Chorus

Berkshire Choral International

Andrea Bocelli Management Team

Emily Williams Burch

The Crossing Cuyler Consulting, LLC

Distinguished Concerts

International New York (DCINY)

DRMTM

ECS Publishing Group

Equity Sings

Dan Forrest

Alex Gartner

Beth Kanter

Anne B. Keiser❖

Mark❖ and Ginny Lawson

Mackus Company Illuminated

Manuscripts

Marcela Molina❖

MTK Practical Leadership

National Symphony Orchestra

Brian Newhouse❖

OPERA America

Estate of Alice Parker +

Kyle Pederson

Susan Erburu Reardon*

Roomful of Teeth

Rowman & Littlefield

Diana Sáez❖

Kendra Scott

Seraphic Fire

Robert Spano

Barbara M. Tagg*

Christopher Verdugo❖

Every donor is important to us. We regret any errors or omissions. If your name or contribution is listed incorrectly, please let us know by contacting give@chorusamerica.org.

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