For over a year I’ve been sharing and talking about our 2026 SWACDA conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.TosaythatI’mexcitedaboutitisanunderstatement!EverytimeIthinkaboutit,thepeoplewe’ll see,themusicwe’llmake,andthejoyofbeingtogetheragain,Igetalittlemoreenergized.
Our theme, New Horizons, couldn’t be more fitting It’s about looking forward, trying new things, and findinginspirationinunexpectedplaces.Theplanningteamhasbeenpouringtheirheartsintocreatinga conferencethat’snotonlyartisticallyrichbutalsodeeplymeaningful.Itisaspacewherewecanconnect, recharge,andcelebratetheincrediblediversityofchoralmusicinourregion.
And let me tell you, Albuquerque is the perfect host city!The Sandia Mountains rise right beside you, the sunsetsareoutofthisworld,andthefood…oh,my,thefood! Thecityiswelcoming,colorful,andfulloflife, withsomuchtoexplorebetweensessionsandconcerts
IknowsometimesitfeelslikeNewMexicoisalongwayoff,buthonestly,Albuquerqueisnotasfarasyou think it is! It’s easy to get to, and once you ’ re there, you’ll be so glad you made the trip. So, mark your calendarsforMarch4–7,2026 Bringyourcolleagues,yourchoirfriends,andanyonewholovesgreatmusic andgreatpeople.Wecan’twaittosharethisexperiencewithyou tosing,learn,anddreamtogetheraswe reachforNewHorizonsinAlbuquerque!
This is a piece that can fit many different ensembles. I’ve suggested it as a unison piece here because the melodyandaccompanimentcansitsowellontheirown.Thispieceenablesteachingofmanyelementsof musicianship and has a more mature text so that singers of any age can enjoy it. I have used it a couple timesanditcontinuestolandwellwithsingersandaudiencesalike
This piece is gorgeous, yet simple - both with the composition and text When I look for music, I almost alwayslookforpiecesinwhichthepianoaccompanimentaddstotheeffect Manytimesthisalsomeans thepianopartismoredifficult,butinthiscaseit’sstillaccessibleformostplayers Additionally,thereare manyopportunitiesforteachingavarietyofmusicianshipskillsthroughoutthepiece.
Children&CommunityYouth
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Five-SidedS’Vivon-RobertApplebaum
Voicing:Two-part(Alsoavailable:SATB)
S’Vivon is a traditional Hanukkah song that stands well on its own, and I’d recommend programming it sometimeifyouhaven’talready.Thisparticulararrangementusesajazzsensibilityandlivesmostlyin5/4 but also changes meter throughout It checks a lot of boxes, educationally speaking I could see it being treatedstylisticallyseveralways,andwouldbecurioustohearhoweachcomesoff.Ifyouprogramit,send mearecording!
SleighBells-EarleneRentz
Voicing:SSA(Alsoavailable:SATB,3-partMixed,TTB)
This has remained a favorite of mine over the years; it’s one that I will re-use every so often when I can. Singerswillusuallyfinditinitiallyintimidating,butit’sactuallyareasonablyaccessiblepieceandisreally funtosing.It’ssomethingthattendstoimpressaudiencesbecauseitmovesquicklyandlotsofthingsare going on, though mostly it’s a partnering of different themes. If you love this piece like I do, but have a group that needs to stick to 2 parts, this is an easy piece to change to 2 parts and retain the musical elementsthatmakeitimpressive
What I particularly love about this work is that it is secular and perfect for community choirs. I had the pleasure of premiering this with him at Lincoln Center in 2024. From Mark's website: "Drawing from the writings of ancient and contemporary authors, the original text of “Kindness,” written by Hayes, seeks to answer the question, “How then shall we live, especially in a world that seems so dysfunctional?” The answer: live with kindness, courage and compassion.When we are joined as one in our pursuit of these values, we can make a lasting impact. To quote Margaret Mead, “Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committedindividualstochangetheworld”
The second is Patti Drennan's BRAND NEW work entitled "REQUIEM OF LIGHT." This piece is incredibly unique as it is an entirely acapella work You can listen to it on her website (wwwpattidrennancom) or on apple music From Patti's website: "At its heart, this work is a traditional Requiem Mass, a prayer for the departed Yet it also reaches beyond: into the ache of personal loss, the silence after something hoped-for has gone, the questions that surface in grief’s stillness. It is music for anyone who hasfoundthemselvesaskinghowtheyarrivedhere,andwhatlightmightstillbeahead."
This STUNNING acapella piece is a challenge but it will most definitely pay off. I have heard many arrangementsofthisbelovedScottishsong,butthisoneisbeautifullyhaunting.Ienvisionthisbeingsung intheround,allaroundanaudience,particularlyasaclosingsong/blessing.Thereisabeautifulrecording byTheChoralScholarsofUniversityCollegeDublin.
Words and Music by Gordon Lightfoot; Arranged by Michael HanawaltandJustineSasanfar
Thispoptuneisverywellcraftedintoachoralwork.Sometimespopmusicwithintricatemelodiesprove tobedifficultforalargerchoirbutthesearrangershavedoneamasterfuljobinmakingitverysingable.It's often hard to find a good, non-religious song for community concerts.This piece is perfect. Plus, anytime youcanaddapoptunetoyourconcerts,youraudiencewillloveit.
CommunityChoirs
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IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER -Words by Christina Rossetti; Music by Gustav Holst; Arranged by StephenRew
There are some great, tight harmonies in this reimagined carol. It's one of those pieces that sounds more difficultthanitactuallyis!Oursingershaveenjoyedlearningthis,byoneofMissouri'sown!
WHERE CHARITY AND LOVE PREVAIL - Ancient Liturgical Text; RESIGNATION Hymn tune; ArrangedbyDanForrest
"Let strife among us be unknown, let all our fighting cease. " This text is set to one of my favorite hymn tunes It'sparticularlybeautifulwiththesoloinstrumentaddedtothechoralparts
From Idina Menzel's album, this song is a perfect choice for a song of unity "Come as you are, the door is always open. The perfect gift that you can bring is your heart." It's a meaningful, secular text and your singerswilllovetheunifyingmessage.
Graded Honor Choir Acceptance Forms Due November 15 Early Registration ($325 active) open until November 15 (registration increases on November 16)
