I have a friend here in Missouri (Hi, Elizabeth) who lovesputtingpuzzlestogether.Thesepuzzlesarelarge, with hundreds of pieces It can take weeks for her to finish a puzzle, but the finished product is beautiful I would even say "amazing." Once the picture is complete, I'm sure there is a sense of pride or accomplishment.Iknowthatsome,whenfinished,put the pieces back in the box to save for another time, whileothersframethemasterpieceandshowcaseitin theirhome
I used to enjoy putting puzzles together. I remember thatmyoldersisterhadsomereallycoolpuzzles.They were Disney movie puzzles (from the 1960s) in metal tubes with the finished picture on the outside of the cylinder Theactualpuzzleswereovalinshape Ididn't gettoplaywiththemoften,astheywerekeptinabox of her special toys the box with the wooden pickup sticks, the Disney card games, and the original "Ken" doll.
Asanadult,Ican'tsayI'veputmanypuzzlestogether Theideasoundsfun,andIknowIwouldhaveasense ofaccomplishmentwhenIfinished,butIdon'tthinkI have the patience to spend the time looking for all of the pieces. You know, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" syndrome Or maybe I've become accustomed to how everything in our world seems to get done quickly, without very much work... think microwave.
Each piece is part of a bigger "picture." It may be colorful, even beautiful, but by itself, it is just one piece. What is it like when you complete this perfect picture and a piece is missing? Is what is there any lessexcellent?Hasyourtimebeenwasted?Itcanstill be beautiful to look at, but it just isn’t complete. A missing piece doesn’t take away from the work you put in. It's the collective effort that makes it truly remarkable.
I would say that ACDA is like a giant puzzle, with eachpersonfittingperfectly.Iknow...it’scliche,andI can imagine the eyes rolling right now. But I do believe in ACDA. We need each other. We need each other for support. We need to learn from our ACDA colleagues Our colleagues need to see and hear what wehavetooffer Whatwehavetoshareisagift
If you have colleagues or friends who are not current members of ACDA, they are our missing pieces. Our choral picture can’t be truly complete without them. Reachout Encourage Invite Share
Best, JonathanOwen,SWACDAPresident
BryanTaylor Church&Worship
IamexcitedtorepresentSWACDAandallofthegreatchurchmusicdirectors as your Music and Worship Repertoire and Resource chair I cherish the opportunitytobothleadandcontinuetolearnandgrowthroughthebountiful levelofexcellentchurchleaderswepossessinSWACDA Andforthosewhowe don’tyethaveinourorganization,let’sgetthosefriendsinvolved,too!
As pre-service conductor-teachers, we are often surrounded by incredible opportunities to learn, grow, and network withsomanyindividualsandorganizationsaroundus.Regardlessofwhatagelevelyouplantoteachorwhattypeof organizational structure you intend to work in (schools, sacred institutions, non-profits, etc…), educational opportunities can occur all around us, especially if we are intentional and open to learning from everyone. Our professional development benefits from a multi-faceted approach where we are open to continuous learning, collaboration,andself-reflection.Below,Ihaveincludedavarietyofwaystoengageinprofessionaldevelopment.
AmericanChoralDirectorAssociationConferences:
The American Choral Directors Association provides so many great resources and educational opportunities for conductor-teachers of all ages and experiences. Specifically for youth and students, there are ample ways to participate and learn from these experiences. At the upcoming 2025 ACDA National Conference in Dallas, ACDA is onceagainholdingastudentconductingmasterclass.TheseapplicationsopenonSeptember3andcloseonOctober 15. Now is a great time to review the submission requirements so that you are already preparing materials and considering the logistics of the video requirement. These master classes are great ways to learn from some of the leadingconductor-teachersinthefield.Whetheryouareselectedasaparticipantorattendasanobserver,youhave theopportunitytoseehowthegestureimpactsthesoundofthechoiraseachconductorleadstheensemblethrough therepertoire.Beyondthestudentconductingmasterclass,theseACDAconferencesarefilledwithincrediblemusicmaking opportunities and information-filled interest sessions. ACDA offers a discounted student rate, especially for thosewhoregisterattheearlybirdpricing,sobeonthewatchwhenregistrationopens.Youcanfindthisinformation onwww.acda.org.
K-12SchoolObservations:
Whilemanyofushadideasaboutthegradelevelororganizationalstructurethatwewouldliketoworkinwhenwe enteredcollege,thosepredeterminedideascanshiftaswecontinuebuildingonourformaleducation.Inallage-levels and music disciplines, we can learn from some of the most incredible teachers in the field. For example, as a young teacher, I gained so much about how to break down difficult musical figures and teach introductory music literacy skills, which are applicable to all age levels, by watching incredible teachers at the elementary school level. These veteranteachershaveabreadthanddepthofexperiencethatoffersallconductor-teachersmanyideasandresources. Though college life is often very full, I encourage you to take opportunities to observe these conductor-teachers in manydifferentmediums.
Aschoralmusicians,weoftenfocusonourareaofmusic-makingingreatdetail Thatsaid,wecanlearnsomuchfrom our instrumental music colleagues at all levels Having played clarinet for a number of years, I realized how much I drawonthosemusicalexperiencesinmypresentchoralmusic-making Additionally,observingconductor-teachersin other disciplines opens our eyes to more strategies in our own rehearsals and when we are select repertoire that requiresinstrumentalists Developingacomfortworkingwithinstrumentalistscancomewithtimeandexperience
Observing instrumental conductors, especially in rehearsals, helps us to develop our own competencies in these areasandprovidesadditionalinspirationforourrehearsaltechniques.
CommunityChoirs(Children,Youth,andAdults):
WhetheryouareplanningtoteachinpublicorprivateK-12schoolsorinothermediums,wecanlearnsomuchfrom thenon-profitworldofcommunitychoirs.Theseensemblesandensembleorganizationsexistattheintersectionof artistry and entrepreneurial savvy as they work to support their artistic endeavors through a variety of funding sources.Oftenrehearsinglessthanschoolensembles(typicallyonlyonetotwodaysperweek),theseorganizations offerdifferentmusicalexperiences.Thereismuchtolearnbytalkingwiththeseorganizationalleaders(conductors, executive directors, artistic administrators, etc…) about how to start, grow, and sustain non-profit organizations. There are also opportunities to learn about grant-writing, building donor relationships, and networking within the localcommunity.Aschoralmusicians, wefacilitateartthroughcommunityandtheseorganizationsoftenhighlight thoserelationships.
WorkshopsandSeminars:
In addition to ACDA Conferences, there are a plethora of opportunities to attend workshops and seminars throughoutthecountryonchoralmusicrelatedtopics Theseprofessionaldevelopmentofferingsallowparticipants to delve deeply into various topics and often have different foci depending upon the specific workshop and the year Asconductor-teachers,self-reflectioncanbeagreatskillsothatwecontinuouslyworktoexpandourteaching strategies Attendingaworkshopeachsummeroreveryothersummermayhelpustocontinuetodrawinspiration andhelpustofeelrejuvenatedbeforebeginningthesubsequentacademicyear
We began by hosting our NMACDA All-State Choirs in Albuquerque, at the incredible National Hispanic Cultural Center. The New Mexico chapter holds its all-state conference every January. We offer three allstate choirs, Elementary (4-6 grades), Treble Youth, & Treble Mixed (7-9 grades). Approximately 400 students from around the state come together to make musical memories over the three day conference. We received over 600 auditions, the largest number of auditions in 6+ years, and are excited about the expansionofourall-stateensemblesandourstateorganization
We are currently in talks with professional ensembles in the Albuquerque area, looking at ways to collaborate at our all-state conference and provide more professional development opportunities for our educators throughout the year. With a state membership increase up 20% from 2023, we know that providingevenmorequalitychoralopportunitiesforoureducatorsandstudentswillhelpourmembership continuetogrow.
As most of you have heard by now, Albuquerque will host the 2026 SWACDA regional conference. When wereceivednewsthatJonathanOwenandMargieCampweremakingasitevisittoNM,wewerealittle shocked, but even more excited! In the grand scheme of ACDA regions, New Mexico feels like an island. Being a border state of the SWACDA region, a neighboring state to Texas, the second largest state in the nation, and a rural state where there are more cows than people, New Mexico can feel isolated. Most conferencesandprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesareheldacrossthecountryanditfeelslikealarge undertaking to travel to attend year after year. SWACDA taking a chance on New Mexico is a breath of fresh air and we cannot wait to show you what our state has to offer! Our stunning landscape, beautiful cultures,anddeliciousfoodarejustafewthingsthatyouwillexperiencewhileyouareinAlbuquerque
Inmylife,ACDAhasservedasanimportantprofessionalandsocialnetwork,asupportsystemin which fellow choral directors could bond, share, learn, and grow. The heart of ACDA is that members have considerable input at the local level which steers development to their needs and informscontentattheregionalandnationalconferences.
Connect with
Southwestern Amercian Choral Directors Association
Conference Performances
1963
University of Denver Choir Denver, Colorado
Roger Dexter Fee - Conductor
O Clap Your Hands - Vaughn Williams
Mass for Two Voices and Percussion - Virgil Thompson
To St. Cecilia - Dello Joio
O Come Let Us Sing Unto the Lord- Lockwood
McCluer High School Choir Ferguson, MO
B.C. Bundy - Conductor
Works performed by:
Victoria / Bach / Gibbons Scandello
Vaughn Williams / Bohnhorst
Central State College Concert Choir Edmond, OK
Clarenece E. Gardner - Conductor
Messa di Gloria - Puccini
Laud to the Nativity - Respighi
My Tribute
On August 16th, my sister would have been 64. She died unexpectedly on June 27th. Many of you, my ACDA,SWACDA,andMCDAfriends,sharedyoursympathyandcondolencesonmyFacebookpost,which announcedherpassing.MyfamilyandIappreciatedyourkindwordssoverymuch.
Tricia was born with slight cerebral palsy and aphasia. She learned to walk later than most and talk betweensixandeightyearsoldwhileliving120milesawayfromhomeataspecialschool.Shegraduated highschoolandjuniorcollege(takingalittlelongerthanmostpeople).Whilesheisnotachoralhero,she loved music. My parents tried to give her the same opportunities my older two sisters had, and I would have While my oldest two sisters (who were 7 and 11 years older) often were able to see what she had overcome,I(whowas5yearsyounger)oftenonlysawwhatshecouldn’tdo
Sheenjoyedplayingthepiano,althoughherfinemotorskillswerenotasfineasmostpeople’s Sheloved to sing and sang often around the house She sang in the Royster Jr High Choir and the Chanute High SchoolChoir(KS),andinthelastfewyears,shesangintheFirstEvangelicalFreeChurchChoirinWichita. She was not a soloist. She was not a section leader. She was not a star. She had a somewhat breathy, young-sounding voice, but she was committed and always there with a smile. She had what I think all directorshopealloftheirsingershave:apure,unadulteratedjoyinsinging.
EveryonewhoknewTricialovedher.Sheismissed.
FunFactsAboutAlbuquerque
Albuquerque, standing at a remarkable elevation of 5314 feet above sea level,isthehighestmetropolitancityintheUS.
TheSandiaPeakTramwayrunsfromthebaseoftheSandiaMountains to their summit, Sandia Peak. It is the longest aerial tramway in North America,spanning2.7miles.
Sandia Peak, towering at 13,378 feet above sea level, offers a breathtakingpanoramicviewthatspansmorethan11,000squaremiles.
Over 2/3 of New Mexico’s land mass is government-owned and protected.
The University of New Mexico is widely recognized for its Medicine, Law,andElectricalEngineeringdepartments.
Albuquerque’s Central New Mexico Community College offers higher education in many computer-based, medical-based, business-based, and trade-basedoccupations.
Albuquerque is the home of Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman, and the late MaxieAnderson,andthethreepilotsoftheworld-famous“DoubleEagle II” thefirstmannedballoontocrosstheAtlantic.
