OCDA - Doug O’Neal

Ohio Choral Directors Association

A happy welcome to the 2021-22 School Year from the Ohio Choral Directors Association. As I begin my term as president, I look forward to serving the Ohio choral community. I am deeply in debt to ACDA, OCDA and OMEA for the professional development that has inspired me to become a better director every day.

As an affiliate to the American Choral Directors Association, our members have access to excellent resources through publications like “Choral Journal” and “ChorTeach” as well as the incredible online resource “ChoralNet”. Thanks to our members and former board members, Ohio is seen as a strong affiliate of ACDA.

In addition to what ACDA has to offer, here is a look at what you could expect from OCDA this year: • The OCDA News is published three times a year; Fall, Winter and Spring. The online publication contains both information about what the organization is up to, as well as insightful and practical articles from our

Executive Board and guest contributors.

Anyone is welcome to submit an article. • OCDA Summer Conference will once again take place IN-PERSON at Otterbein University this coming June 20-22, 2022. Not only does the conference offer local clinicians, expanded reading sessions, concerts, honor choirs and opportunities for collaboration, but will welcome Jason Max Ferdinand and Elaine

Hagenberg to Ohio. This is a conference you will not want to miss! • OCDA sponsored Reading Sessions at OMEA

Conferences are an incredible way to find new music recommended by our outstanding

Repertoire and Resources Chairs. Three sessions are sponsored: Elementary, Middle

School/Jr. High, and High School/College

University. If you haven’t attended one of these workshops, make it your mission this year. • Ohio will also be continuing the virtual workshops begun in the past year. These workshops are offered for free to our members as well as some to the greater choral community.

Our two new standing committees on Diversity

Initiatives and Professional Development will be working to provide insightful and thought provoking sessions. • Ohio will once again be offering mentors to new professionals. While I had a great experience in undergrad, it was the work with mentors once I was in the classroom that has made all of the difference. Reach out to me if you are interested in having a seasoned professional in your corner this year! • Upcoming ACDA conferences include the

Midwestern Region Conference in Chicago, IL, (February 16-19, 2022) and the 2023 National

Conference in CINCINNATI, Ohio (February 22-25, 2023). It is incredible to have this incredible conference in our own state!

In my first year on the OCDA Board as membership director, I made a comment that we are much more than reading sessions, and we are! I am reminded of a commercial from my youth, “the only thing missing is YOU.” Your membership is what lets OCDA offer the outstanding insightful discussions to our past, present and future endeavors. To find out more about membership or what ACDA/OCDA has to offer, please visit www.acda.org or www.ohiocda.org. I hope this year will return us to continued beautiful music making, memorable experiences, and strength to support our musicians as we continue to strive during these times.

Doug O’Neal serves as Director of Choirs at Olentangy Liberty High School where he conducts four concert and two ACAPOP choirs. A former music minister and conductor of Illuminati from the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, Doug also enjoys performing musical theater. He has degrees from Bowling Green State University and University of Dayton and has served as Co-Chair of the OMEA All-State Choir.

We are Wittenberg.

Make music at a university that cares.

2021-2022 Audition Days

Dec. 10, 2021 Jan. 17, 28, Feb. 12, 21, 26, 2022

To schedule a scholarship audition, visit www.wittenberg.edu/music/audition.

For more information about our music programs and scholarships, contact Dr. Daniel Kazez, dkazez@wittenberg.edu, Professor of Music and Music Audition Coordinator, tel. 937-327-7354 (or 800-677-7558, ext. 7354)