2024 FVA Summer Convention

Florida Vocal Association

Summer Professional Development Conference with

Head’s House of Music Choral Panorama

Inspire

Sing with Me! July 24-26, 2024

Wyndham Orlando Resort and Conference Center/Celebration

2024 FVA Summer Conference Schedule Tuesday, July 23, 2024 Executive Board - Sawgrass Room

Treble All-Stars Honor Chorus - Salons C & D

8:00 AM

Breakfast (District Chairs Only)

8:30 AM

8:30 AM

District Chair Meeting

9:00 AM Rehearsal Begins

12:00 PM

Lunch (Executive Board)

11:30 AM Lunch Break

12:30 PM

Executive Board Meeting

1:00 PM

9:00 AM

Adjudicator Training All Day - Magnolia Room

7:00 PM

Hall of Fame Choir Rehearsal - Salons C & D

8:00 PM

Welcome Reception in the hotel lobby bar

Check-In

Rehearsal until 5:00 PM

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 7:45 AM

Treble All-Stars Honor Chorus Dress Rehearsal

8:00 AM

Conference Registration Opens - Oleander Room

8:30 AM

Doors open to main ballroom

9:00 AM

Inaugural Concert of the Florida Treble All-Stars Honor Chorus - Mary Biddlecombe, Conductor; Dr. Judy Arthur, Collaborative Pianist

9:45 AM

Break

10:15 AM Panorama Reading Session: Stacey Gibbs - Hot Off the Press!

11:45 AM

Lunch on your own

1:00 PM

Stacey Gibbs: The Significance of World Music in the Present Day Choral Programs

2:00 PM

15-minute break

2:15 PM

Dr. Jeffery Redding - Engaging and Effective Choral Rehearsal Techniques: A Multi-Faceted Approach Culminating in Passionate and Purposeful Concert Programming

3:05 PM

20-minute break

3:25 PM

Deborah Mar - Spilling the “Ti”; How Solfeggio Changed My Life

4:15 PM

5-Minute Break

4:20 PM

Panorama Reading Session: Stacey Gibbs - Soul Stirring Music!

5:30 PM

Anjane Girwarr: Music that Moves: “Yoga for Singers”

Conference Schedule Thursday, July 25, 2024 8:30 AM

Panorama Reading Session: Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer - Songs Your Students Sing in the Hallway

10:00 AM Break 10:15 AM

Dr. Tucker Biddlecombe: Saying What We Mean – Feedback in the Choral Rehearsal

11:05 AM

Break

11:15 AM

Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer: Adolescent Choral Students – How Do You Motivate Them?

12:15 PM

Lunch on your own

12:30 PM

New Directors Luncheon

2:00 PM

Panorama Reading Session: Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer - Move, Learn, Sing!

3:00 PM

15-minute break

3:15 PM

FVA Breakout Sessions 1 Then and Now: A Reflection Upon the Road Map in Choral Teaching - Kyle Goyens leads a panel discussion; Salons C & D 2 Cody Puckett – See the Ability, Not Disability; Sawgrass Room 3 Michelle Tredway and Miguel Oquendo – All Things All-State 4 Shanpatrick Davis - Understanding the MPA Rubric

4:05 PM

Break

4:30 PM

FVA General Membership Meeting

5:45 PM

FVA Awards Program

Friday, July 26, 2024 College Colors Day - Show Your School Spirit 8:30 AM 9:30 AM 9:45 AM 10:45 AM 11:00 AM

Dr. Emily Williams Burch: Finding the Fun (and Flexible Voicing) Reading Session - Sponsored by Perform International 15-minute break Dr. Emily Williams Burch: Warm-ups, Vocal Tech, Engagers, and more!

- Sponsored by Perform International 15-minute break Dr. Tucker Biddlecombe: Positives Dissipate, Negatives Accumulate

Florida Vocal Association Executive Board

David Pletincks

David Verdoni

Jeannine Stemmer

Michelle Tredway

Miguel Oquendo

President

President-Elect

Past-President

Middle School Chair

Interim Middle School Chair-Elect

Committee Chairs

FVA Office

Dale Choate

Joey Canessa

Adjudication

All-State

Solangi Santiago Elizabeth Phillips Awards

Clinics

Michael Dye Executive Director

Deborah Mar MPA

Jo Hagan Business Manager

Ian Tapson Mentoring

Alicia RomeroBrad Franks Brandon Monse Technology Sardinas, PhD Past Presidents Music

FVA District Chairs

Paul Miller

Maggie Smith

Kim Keepers Adam Pryor

District 1

District 3

Kara Ferland

Kyle Goyens

Alex Pollard

Blake Hudson

District 6

District 7

District 8

District 9

Branigan Lawrence

Eileen Walentin

District 4

Jennifer Rock Brittany Smith District 10

District 11

Christine Barrette District 15

District 5

District 12

Elizabeth Cid District 16

District 13

Madison Fullarton

District 18

Karista Collum District 14

Ryan Knight District 19

Clinicians Saying What We Mean – Feedback in the Choral Rehearsal Positives Dissipate, Negatives Accumulate

Dr. Tucker Biddlecombe - Keynote Vanderbilt University

Reading Session: Hot off the Press Reading Session: Soul Stirring Music The Significance of World Music in the Present Day Choral Programs

Stacey Gibbs

Composer/Conductor/Clinician

Sponsored by Heads House of Music and Hal Leonard

Reading Session: Songs Your Students Sing in the Hallway Reading Session: Move, Learn, Sing!

Adolescent Choral Students: How Do You Motivate Them?

Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer

Texas State University, Retired

Sponsored by Heads House of Music and Hal Leonard

Engaging and Effective Choral Rehearsal Techniques: A Multi-Faceted Approach Culminating in Passionate and Purposeful Concert Programming

Dr. Jeffery Redding

University of Central Florida Reading Session: Finding the Fun (and Flexible Voicing) Warm-ups, Vocal Tech, Engagers, and more!

Dr. Emily Williams Burch

Spilling the “Ti” How Solfeggio Changed My Life

Sponsored by Perform International

Deborah Mar

Savannah College of Art and Design

Retired

Breakout Sessions Panel Discussion Then and Now: A Reflection See the Ability, Upon the Road Map in Not Disability Choral Teaching Kyle Goyens, Facilitator

Shanpatrick Davis

George Rahming

Understanding the MPA Rubric

Cody Puckett

Michelle Tredway Miguel Oquendo

All Things All-State

Music that Moves “Yoga for Singers”

Anjane Girwarr Musical Theater Voice University of Miami

FVA Hall of Fame Award MichelleTredway earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of West Florida and a Master of Music in Music Education from Florida State University. She continued post-graduate Piano Performance Studies at the University of South Florida. Currently in her 34th year of teaching, Mrs. Tredway has taught vocal and instrumental music at every level including elementary, middle school Michelle Tredway (band and choral), and high school (AP Theory and Chorus). Additionally, she spent 3 years as an Adjunct Music Professor, and 5 years as a fulltime Assistant Music Professor at Southeastern College (now University) in Lakeland.

Mrs. Tredway has been a collaborative pianist for many vocal and instrumental ensembles over the course of her teaching years, including with the Imperial Symphony Orchestra (Lakeland), the Okaloosa Chamber Singers, the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale, nineteen Okaloosa All County Choirs, six Florida All-State Choirs, nineteen Twin Cities Honor Choirs, and many other solo /small ensemble collaborative performances over the years. Orff Certified and Kodaly Trained, Mrs. Tredway is privileged to have taught in both Okaloosa and Walton Counties for the past 15 years. In Okaloosa County, she worked as Middle School Choral Director at both Lewis School (K-8) as well as at Ruckel Middle School. Post-Covid, she then spent 2 years at Walton High School, where she reinvigorated a choral program, which continues to grow even after her absence. She currently co-teaches the Jazz/ Barbershop Classes, and assists with teaching the other chorus classes with Catherine Feazell in the Choral Department at Niceville High School.

Under her direction Mrs. Tredway’s middle school choirs consistently earned the highest rating of ‘Superior’ from all adjudicators at the District Music Performance Assessments.

Furthermore, while under her direction, her Ruckel Middle School Choirs earned the Florida Vocal Association ‘Choir of Distinction’ status all 4 years that that middle school delineation had been in existence (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). Mrs. Tredway desires to further the choral education of elementary students in Okaloosa County and is currently working with the FWB Community Chorus to begin the first Emerald Coast Children’s Chorus.

She was recently honored to be named the FMEA Secondary Teacher of the Year at the January, 2024 FMEA All-State/Professional Development Clinic/ Conference.

An active adjudicator and honor choir clinician, Michelle has served the Florida Vocal Association as District Chair, and at present, serves the Florida Vocal Association in the elected position of Middle School Chairperson for 2023-2025. Mrs. Tredway is a member of FMEA, FVA, and ACDA.

Roll of Distinction Award Linda J. Boot has a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Dordt University (Sioux Center, IA) and a Master's Degree in Conducting Performance from the University of South Florida (Tampa), where she studied with Robert Summer. As a vocalist, Mrs. Boot performed with the Gold Coast Opera Company and the EPCOT Center

Linda Boot

"Voices of Liberty.” She also held positions as Soprano Section Leader and Chancel Choir Director in numerous churches. Mrs. Boot was named Teacher of the Year at Apopka High School in 1999, where she taught for 27 years.

Mrs. Boot’s choirs consistently received top ratings at music festivals and assessments, and her students performed in the Florida All-State and the ACDA (Florida and Southern Division) Honor Choirs. Her choirs performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Animal Kingdom Opening Ceremonies, and the EPCOT Center Candlelight Processional. Mrs Boot was a proponent of college tours and her choirs also performed at Vanderbilt University, The University of Georgia, The University of South Carolina, The University of Florida, Stetson University, and The University of Central Florida.

Mrs. Boot served on both the Florida Vocal Association and Florida ACDA Board of Directors and was highly respected as a supervising teacher, having mentored over 30 interns. Mrs. Boot retired in 2024 after opening Windermere High School in 2017 and Horizon High School in 2021, with a total of 39 years in the classroom. She currently resides in Winter Garden, FL with her husband, Ron and their adorable boxer Remington

FVA Service Award Allyssa Jones is the Director of Vocal Ensembles at University of South Florida where she conducts the Chambers Singers and Blue Mood Jazz Vocal Ensemble.

Scheduled to make her Carnegie Hall debut in June 2025, she was Guest Conductor on

Allyssa Jones

for the 2023 Pinellas All-County SSAA Honor Choir (Clearwater, FL) and a conducting coach for the 2023 Florida ACDA Fall Conference. Ms. Jones serves

the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay Board of Trustees, is a member of the NCCO National Board (Southern Region) and was Chair of the NAfME Council for Innovations from 20222024. Her own creative credits include five recordings as a singer-songwriter, two original musicals, and commissioned works for youth choirs and solo voice, strings and woodwinds. A cultural entrepreneur, Ms. Jones is the founder of Rising Tide Music Press, a non-profit career pathway program for emerging Black Brown Indigenous and Asian composers

John Rose Mentorship Award Cathy Montero was a native of Polk County and graduated from Fort Meade High School.

She earned her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Miami. For nearly 36 years, she Cathy Montero taught general music, band, chorus and piano at all levels from preschool to high school.

She most recently was the choral director at Dundee Ridge Middle Academy. Cathy directed the Miami Children’s Choir, the Lake Wales Youth Chorale, All- County choirs in Florida and many church children’s choirs.

She was a clinician for the Florida Chapter of Independent Schools and for the Miami Baptist Association and a presenter for the Florida Elementary Music Educators Association. She proudly served the Florida Vocal Association as the chair of District 12. Her choirs performed at Carnegie Hall, Bok Tower Gardens anniversary and Holiday celebrations, Epcot’s Candlelight Processional, and numerous other civic and community events.

Cathy was a strong leader in the choral world in Polk County hosting many interns who have gone on to become teachers. She took it upon herself to provide training and “how to” documents for new choral teachers ranging from how to organize a choral program calendar to how to be successful in the MPA sight reading room. Several of her documents continue to be a staple for new and seasoned teachers alike. Cathy lost her fight with brain cancer and left us too soon on October 26, 2023.

Lindsay Keller Rising Star Award Valerie Parrish holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Choral Music Education from The Florida State University and is currently the Choral Director at Horizon West Middle School in Valerie Parrish Windermere, Fl. Valerie is passionate about choral music and is always looking for ways to express and share her love of music with her students. She has served on the OCPS AllCounty Honor Chorus Committee as the Co-Coordinator for the Treble Chorus for the past three years and has been involved in many choral festivals, including Florida, Southern Division, and National ACDA. Ms. Parrish was recognized as the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year at her middle school and has most recently helped to coordinate the 2024 Florida All-State Treble Chorus in Tampa Fl. Born and raised in Orlando, FL, Valerie desires to continue to give back to her community by being an active conductor and clinician. Valerie believes that through music we can create a community of kindness, acceptance, and love. Teaching chorus and working with students is her passion and each year she looks forward to sharing her knowledge of singing and music through joyous and creative ways in and outside of her classroom.

J. Mark Scott Choirs of Distinction Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer Maverick Singers Ryan Ellis, Conductor

Wellington Community High School Chamber Chorus Bradford Chase, Conductor

Middle School Choirs of Distinction Bak Middle School of the Arts Treble Chorus Jorge Valls and Carrie Leahy, Conductors

Eagles Landing Middle School 7th Grade Treble Chorus Eagles Landing Middle School 8th Grade Treble Chorus Roberto Vidal, Conductor

Innovation Middle School Phoenix Voices Innovation Middle School Golden Harmony Cristina Jimenez, Conductor

Joseph L. Carwise Middle School Concert Choir Joseph L. Carwise Middle School Carwise Ladies Kelly Moss, Conductor

Woodlawn Beach Middle School Concert Choir Paul Miller, Conductor

FVA Awards Past Honorees The FVA Hall of Fame 2010: Harold Bradley, Elaine McNamara, Phyllis Merritt, J. Richard Warren 2011: Peggy Barber, Jim Forssell, Raymond Kickliter, Andrew Wright 2012: Earl F. Little, A. Byron Smith 2013: Beth Meadows, Ree Nathan, John Yost 2014: James W. Hughes, Woodrow W. Nail Jr. 2015: Jackie Hails, Barbara Kingman, E. Tyrrell “Terry” Owen 2016: Judy Arthur, Karen Bradley, Michael DeShong, J. Mark Scott 2017: Keitha Bledsoe, Dale Choate, Danny Compher, Beth Cummings, Deborah Mar 2018: Jamie Bryan, Connie Drosakis, Michael Dye 2019: Julia House, Mary Catherine Salo 2021: James Urbanski 2022: William Renfroe 2023: Alice Ann Nilsen, Thomas Davis

The FVA Roll of Distinction 2010: Anne Folsom, Gretchen Marz, Sandra White 2011: Edna Hargrett-Thrower 2012: R. Wayne Bailey, Jim Copeland, Barbara J. Smith 2013: Betty Mullett, John Rose 2014: Ronald C. Corbin 2019: Greg Carswell 2021: June Capezza, Charles Cheeseman 2022: Dr. Larry Reed 2023: Nancy DeCoux

The John Rose Mentorship Award 2021: John Weatherspoon 2022: Tommy Jomisko 2023: Deborah Mar, J. Mark Scott

The FVA Service Award 2021: Wesley “Wes” Rainer 2022: Dr. Peter Steenblik 2023: Dr. Julian Bryson

The Lindsay Keller Rising Star Award 2021: Karista Collum, Alexis Castro 2022: Cindy Ellis, Cara-lyn Mullholand 2023: Gabriela Santos, Adam Pryor

Head's House of Music - headshouseofmusic.com (800) 783-8030 or (813) 679-5029 Perform International - Gene Peterson Florida ACDA - Justin Chase FloridaFundraiser.com - Charlie Rankin National Concerts - Hollie Pratt Superior Images - Ken Biggs TeachTix - Brandon Yager TNT Music Box - Rob Turner UCLA School of Music - David Brown

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