Western Region Leadership
ExecutiveCommittee
JulieDana,President
AimeeStewart,President-elect
MichaelShort,Past-president
DavidSonnichsen,Treasurer
NickyManlove,DEIInitiativesChair
NaomiGamezPenciu,RecordingSecretary
StatePresidents
RyanHolder,ArizonaPresident
KristinaNakagawa,CaliforniaPresident
ChrisSerrano,Hawai‘iPresident
JenniferTibben,NevadaPresident
RogerHale,UtahPresident
CommunicationsCommittee
ElizabethBaker,Marketing&Communications
AnnaCaplan,Webmaster
OliviaArnold,TactusEditor
Conference Team
Cari Earnhart, Conference Chair
Aimee Stewart, Conference Vice-Chair
Marc McGhee & Vivian Santos, Honor Choir
Michael Huff, Conference App
Marcela Molina, Conducting Masterclass
Christina Hall & Cynthia Salomonson, Toolbox Session
Molly Peters & Tina Paulson, Performing Choirs
AdvisoryCommittee
MarcelaMolina,YouthR&RCoordinator
LauraRamirez&KevinTison,SeniorHighSchoolCoChairs
JoannaHabermann&JenniferLowry, Jr.High/MiddleSchoolCo-Chairs
Vacant,ChildrenandCommunityYouth
CynthiaSalomonson,ElementaryChoir
StephanieCouncil,CollegeandUniversityCoordinator
AaronHumble,4YearCollegeChair
MichaelHuff,2YearCollegeChair
Vacant,Youth&StudentActivities
RyanHolder,RepertoireSpecificCoordinator
TinaPaulson,SSAAChair
AndrewHowden,TTBBChair
ÁngelVásquezRamos,WorldMusics&CulturesChair
JohnKnutson,VocalJazz
MaryAnneMuglia,ContemporaryAcappella
ReneeWilson-Wicker,LifelongChoirsCoordinator
AllanPetker,CommunityChoirsR&R
GregHebert,MusicandWorshipR&R
NickyManlove,DEICommitteeChair
MiguelChicas
JuanJoseGarcia
AmandaHallam
Yu-FengHuang
DarleneMachacon,Advisor
Ryan Holder & Stephanie Council, Interest Session
Andrew Howden & David Saldaña, Composer Track
Jennifer Lowry & Ángel Vásquez Ramos, Reading Sessions
Michael Short, Exhibits
Jason Gallardo, Site Liaison & Coordinator
Heather Scobie, Hospitality
Alec Schumacker & Scott Glysson, College Fair
Bret Peppo, Interest Session Liaison
Front page images sourced from the Library of
Arizona: Slot Canyons, May 2009, A narrow path with streaks of sunlight
California: Palm Springs, 1926, Sand drift
Hawai‘i: Waikolu Stream (“three waters”), Moloka‘i, 1998, A view upstream into Waikolu Valley
Nevada: Red Rock Canyon, 1980-2006
Utah: Heber, May 1941, Pasture with snowy Uinta Mountains in the distance
A Letter from the Editor
Dear Readers,
I write to you one final time before the 2026 WACDA Conference in San Jose – I hope you all are well and had a relaxing and restorative summer! Whether you are entering a new school year, welcoming singers back to your church choir from summer hiatus, planning choir tours, in the midst of research, or are preparing ahead for the close of 2025, I think you will find the content of fall Tactus inspiring for your craft. Featured in these pages are returning regional authors, new international authors, student authors, and authors from our neighboring regions. What a fabulous array of voices! Enjoy R&R selections for children’s, K-12, adult, and community choirs, an introduction to Cantonese choral music, best practices for teaching high school, pedagogy documented in social media, and interviews.
Readers, I hope that the repertoire and knowledge in these pages might help carry you successfully through the fall If I might suggest a takeaway from this issue, it would be to go for it! If you have been needing encouragement to try something new, pursue an interest, take a leap, or tackle something tough, count this as your sign Our community is stronger when we work together, support creativity, and embrace growth and change As I think of the many Tactus contributors past and present, I see the courage, effort, and vulnerability it takes to write and edit one ’ s written work I applaud our colleagues who “ go for it” and take the leap to see their work published!
The winter issue will serve as the conference program. I am grateful to my colleagues on the board who, year after year, put together a conference that supports the Western region. If you see me at the conference, please say hello! I would love to meet more of our readership and authors. To prepare for the conference, you will find information on applications and deadlines, clinicians, important updates, and more in this issue
As always, I would love to chat about your thoughts and article ideas! Feel free to email me if you’d like some help brainstorming. Please contact me at: tactuseditor@acdawestern.org.
All the best, Olivia Arnold Tactus
Editor
A Message from the President
Happy Fall to you
A time for music renewed May the song inspire
My friend Jon Talberg often shares his poetry on social media I love reading these poetic tidbits and so I wrote you all a little haiku
Thanks for the inspiration, Jon I loved learning to write haiku in school and like many things we learn in school, as I grew my energies moved to new life experiences I was surprised at how easily writing it came back to me, and even more surprised at the warm feeling that the memory brought back Memories such an important part of our lives!
Do you ever go into your phone photo storage? (Mine has WAY too many photos & videos!) I will sit down and speak out loud, to no one in particular, “I’m going to clean out all these photos!”, and I begin full of purpose and strength for the task ahead of me. As I begin scrolling I have a conversation in my head. “Delete, delete oh wait! I’ll leave that one, I may need that note (It’s a slide from a conference session I attended ) Focus Julie! delete Ohhh Look at my peeps at the conference!!!! I love them so much, that was such an amazing day, I wish I saw them more often…. Keep those, I’ll sort the best ones out later. ….. scroll scroll …. Family, family. Wait! What? HA HA….how did they get my phone AGAIN? (Selfies of my singers in various unattractive facial poses.) OK…back to work...” And so it goes, I finish my “deletion session” having removed maybe 5-10 photos if I’m lucky, but my heart is full from the memories these photos have brought back, reminding me of how blessed I am Blessed with family, blessed with an adventurous spouse who loves to travel as much as I do, and often a huge part of my feeling blessed is seeing you in my little thumbnails, smiling, laughing, and enjoying our time together.
How fortunate we are to be able to come together from time to time, at workshops, at conferences, and at concerts! We celebrate our common passions, we reminisce about past experiences, we share our future plans and dreams, we complain, we laugh, we cry all because someone, somewhere, inspired us to follow the music to our current place I realize now that I never truly left my love of haiku and that middle school unit on poetry.. I have been reading poetry and inspired writing every day of my professional life! It’s in the music, it’s in those slides at conferences and in the conversations that tie our choral community together
with threads so strong that no matter how much time passes between our meetings in person, we can still pick up and relive memories, and our travels along the way.
I believe that we need to reflect on our memories more What is that little “inspiration” that crosses your mind out of the blue? The one that makes you smile to yourself and possibly share it with the people you are with at that moment We shouldn’t wait for memories to be triggered when someone leaves us We should remember them, and when we can, if it was a memory inspired by someone you can still reach out to…then DO IT! Send them a note, call them, take some time out of your busy schedule to stop and reach out. That 5 minutes or 30 or whatever length you spend talking with your people, or writing that note, often will be the catalyst to get you back to work and productive in ways that you never imagined! It most definitely will give you a “pick up ” and brighten your day
I am thankful for the memories of my childhood: that class where I learned haiku, that trip with the band and choir to DC, that typing teacher who was so full of joy every day and inspired me to teach in the same way. As educators, you will be a part of your singers’ memories some day…think about that. What will they remember about being in your class? Your rehearsal? Experiences you provided for them? Make it count, my friends! We, in California, lost a conductor in July who was one of the kindest humans I’ve known My memories with Dan Jackson were great We sat on state and region boards together, and I was honored to visit and work with his Mt Whitney choirs. My choirs and I traveled to his wonderful festival at Pt. Loma University, and he always made time for me in passing at conferences and workshops, most recently at ACDA Dallas. Our conversations were always positive and caring. Dan knew how to give you a hug, simply through your conversation with him I am grateful that over the years I was able to share with him and another friend a memory of learning from them at a conference when I was a young teacher, and the effect it had on me and my program I will miss seeing Dan at our events, but I will continue to carry memories of our friendship with gratitude. Make the time to reach out to your people, my friends. You will be so glad you did.
Memories sustain
Songs of choirs the common thread Tapestries that bind
Wishing you all a wonderful new season of music!
Julie
A Tapestry of Voices - San Jose, CA 2026 Western Region Conference
BY JULIE DANA
I am so thrilled to see our amazing board and conference team working to bring the final pieces together for our conference in San Jose! Presenters, performing choirs, composers, honor choir conductors, along with our team of volunteers who bring conference planning dreams to life, are all making their final preparations to make “A Tapestry of Voices” a beautifully woven experience for all of us March 4-7, 2026! Our headline ensembles: Chanticleer and Lyyra will bring inspiring music to us, while keynote speaker Melanie DeMore will uplift and challenge us to sing and to come together as a community of music makers to continue to send all that is beautiful out into the world Our conference returns to San Jose exactly 40 years after holding past conferences all around our 5 states!
Forty years ago, I was just embarking on this journey as a choral director, and I had no knowledge of ACDA Meanwhile, approximately 150 miles north of where I lived, the ACDA Western board was hosting a conference in San Jose on February 13-15, 1986 at the LeBaron Hotel. There were SIX region state presidents involved as California ACDA was split into two regions: northern and southern. Most of the sessions that year were held in the hotel ballroom, and the San Jose State University Choraliers, conducted by Dr. Charlene Archibeque, opened the conference after a welcome by president Sister Sharon Breden. I am grateful to Sister Sharon’s sister and Western ACDA past-president Mary Breden for sharing a copy of the program from that conference with me If you were in attendance and want to share a memory or two with me to share with our membership, please email me at: jdana@acdawestern org, I would love to hear from you
Watch for more fun historical information about that 1986 Western event in San Jose on our social media and email blasts as we return, stronger than ever, to San Jose, California on March 4-7, 2026 for A Tapestry of Voices! We are looking forward to welcoming you!
WACDA Honor Choir Auditions
BY MARC MCGHEE & VIVIAN SANTOS
We invite you to audition for one of our four honor choirs with esteemed guest conductors from around the country Honor Choir Applications will be accepted digitally through the ACDA Membership Portal Please visit the Western ACDA website to access audition information
HONOR CHOIR DETAILS
Youth Unchanged Voices (4th-8th Grades) – Conductor: Liana Salinas
SATB (7th-9th Grades) – Conductor: Judith Herrington
SATB (10th-12th Grades) – Conductor: Jason Max Ferdinand
SSAA (9th-12th Grades) – Conductor: Lynnel Joy Jenkins
TIMELINE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
July 21, 2025: Audition procedures and protocols will be released
September 2–October 22, 2025: Applications can be uploaded to the ACDA Application System
November 3–19, 2025: Adjudication period
November 21, 2025: Sponsors and applicants notified of acceptance
November 21–December 12, 2025: Medical liability forms and payment available on the ACDA Application System.
December 17, 2025: Music and rehearsal tracks distributed to those who have turned in forms and fees.
March 5–7, 2026: Honor Choir rehearsals and performance in San Jose, CA
For further inquiries, please contact Marc McGhee (mmcghee@luhsd k12 ca us) or Vivian Santos (vsantos@hjuhsd k12 ca us)
Staying
College Fair Save the Date
BY SCOTT GLYSSON & ALEC SCHUMACKER, COLLEGE FAIR CO-CHAIRS
Dear Colleagues,
Western Region ACDA will once again host a College Fair at our conference, A Tapestry of Voices, March 4-7, 2026 in San Jose, CA. We are delighted to offer Colleges and Universities the opportunity to reserve a table for the one-day College Fair. This year, we are excited to announce the addition of a Graduate School fair option. Universities will have the option to choose a presence at the undergraduate event, the graduate event, or both!
The undergraduate event is designed specifically for High School Honor Choir students and their teachers/parents. Please note this is different from the normal exhibit space and is a unique opportunity for direct recruitment of the finest future undergraduate singers in the Western Region!
This year ’ s new graduate event will be an opportunity for those interested in learning more about our region’s amazing masters and doctoral programs in choral music.
We plan to hold the undergraduate fair during the lunch break on Friday, March 6 and to offer lunch to the students as well. The graduate fair will be held later the same day, so that universities that wish to have presence at both can do so. We anticipate the cost of a booth will be $200 for one fair, or $350 for both. Further details will be sent in the coming months. There may also be opportunities to purchase packages that could include the College Fair, booth, and program advertising options. Those details will come in the coming months
Please mark your calendars now and plan to be a part of College Fair 2026 at the ACDA Western Region Conference in San Jose! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email sglysson@calpoly.edu. We look forward to seeing you in San Jose Have an amazing summer!
Community Festival Choir
BY ALLAN PETKER, COMMUNITY CHOIRS CHAIR
Thank you to all those who responded to the Community Festival Choir survey While we received some energetic responses the overall reaction did not provide sufficient support for us to proceed with development of the project for our 2026 conference We will continue to search for ways to bring more relevance in what ACDA has to offer for community choir conductors and singers.
Lifelong Choirs
BY RENEE WILSON-WICKER, LIFELONG CHOIRS COORDINATOR
Hello everyone and welcome to the beginning of a new academic year! I’m your newly appointed Lifelong Choirs Coordinator, Renee Wilson-Wicker, and am delighted to join my new colleagues here in the West. I taught high school chorus just outside of Atlanta for the grand majority of my 30 year career “Retiring” in May of 2023, we moved to Arizona to be closer to our four grandchildren, and have been figuring out what life is and could be for a retired choral educator who has transplanted from the Southern Division to a place where I can meet new people who share my passion. A big part of that discernment is discovering how to still be involved in my art while providing service to further choral music initiatives and participation. If you want to see more about me, you can check out my website www DivaNotesMusic com
If you ’ re like me, you ’ re content to not have the day-today demands of a choral music program in a school setting, but are still feeling like you have more to offer and experience. That is the summation of my focus as your Lifelong Chair for WACDA as well as for AzACDA. We have so much expertise to offer - mentoring, encouraging, casual and formal listening and adjudication, conducting, organizing, volunteering, and more! I’d love to learn more about ways you feel our special group of choral musicians can be helpful and impactful When you see requests for information or completing a survey appear in your email, please don’t hit delete Let’s take our collective knowledge and experience to propel our art into the future for the betterment of our colleagues, students, and the world.
I look forward to meeting you in the coming months and joining forces in pursuit of musical joy and service!
2026 Western ACDA Conducting Master Class Overview Call for Applications
BY MARCELA MOLINA
Western ACDA announces three conducting master classes at our regional conference (March 4-7, 2026, San Jose, CA), led by exceptional conductor-teachers within our region As part of our mission to foster the growth of choral leaders at various stages of their conducting careers, each master class is open to attendees based on experience. The 2026 master classes are non-competitive: although the selection process is by audition, there is not a competitive element to the master classes
Conducting Master Class Categories
1. Conference Attendee: this category is open to all attendees, including graduate students.
2. Undergraduate Student: this category includes students enrolled in collegiate programs at the post-secondary level of bachelor’s or associate's degrees.
3. Teachers & Emerging Conductors: this category is open to conductors with 5 years or less of conducting experience (including the current 2025-2026 year).
Conducting Master Class Ensembles
Three performing choirs at the region conference will serve as master class ensembles, representing a variety of ages and settings. They may include adult community chorus, high school chorus, children’s community chorus, and collegiate chorus
Conducting Master Class Clinicians
1 Conference Attendee Clinician: Dr Craig Jessop
2. Undergraduate Student Master Class Clinician: Dr. Edith Copley
3 New and Emerging Conductors Clinician: Nola Nāhulu
Important Dates
Applications Due: October 31, 2025 11:59 pm PST
Video Verification Due: October 31, 2025 11:59 pm PST
Applicant Notification: November 15, 2025
Questions? Contact the coordinator, Dr. Marcela Molina: mmolina@tucsongirlschorus.org
2026 Application Form
Applications Due: October 31, 2025 11:59 pm PST
Video Verification Due: October 31, 2025 11:59 pm PST
Clinicians Biographies
2026 Western ACDA Conducting Master Class Clinicians
Dr. Craig Jessop is Professor of Music and Coordinator of the Master’s in Conducting Program (Choral Emphasis) at Utah State University. From 2010 to 2019, he served as the inaugural Dean of USU’s Caine College of the Arts, following his distinguished tenure as Music Director of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square and Head of USU’s Department of Music.
Founder and Music Director of the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra, now in its 18th season, Dr Jessop has served as Music Director of the Carnegie Hall National High School Choral Festival and, for the past 15 years, the National Memorial Day Choral Festival at the Kennedy Center Under his leadership, the Tabernacle Choir received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts, and recorded over 15 CDs on the Telarc and MTC labels, earning a Grammy nomination in 2008.
Dr. Edith A. Copley is a Regents’ Professor Emerita at Northern Arizona University During her 31year tenure in Flagstaff, she conducted the Shrine of the Ages Choir and taught courses in undergraduate and graduate conducting and graduate choral literature Prior to her NAU appointment, Copley taught secondary choral music for seven years in Iowa and four years at the American International School in Vienna, Austria. She has contributed articles and chapters for several publications and has conducted all-state choirs in over 30 states and international festivals in Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Luxembourg, Tasmania, England, Australia, China, Oman, Turkey, Ireland, Austria, and France. Copley has served ACDA in various leadership roles and is currently National President.
“Ma o nā keiki e mau ai ka ‘ike ku‘una o ka lāhui”
“Through our children, we perpetuate our knowledge and heritage”
As choral directors, we share with our singers the history and stories of diverse cultures It is our kuleana (responsibility) to ensure this knowledge grows by passing it to future generations Through choral singing, we help students “bring out” their best, gaining lifelong skills and experiences in literature, history, and music. Daughter of Thomas K. Nahulu and Chiyoko Nozaki Nāhulu, Ms. Nāhulu is a native of Mākaha, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. She attended Wai‘anae Elementary School, Kamehameha Schools, Whitman College (B.A. Psychology), and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (M.A. Music Education, Choral). Ms. Nāhulu has been deeply involved in Hawai‘i’s choral community for decades, serving as Artistic Director for HYOC & Kawaiolaonāpūkanileo, Choral Director for Kawaiaha‘o Church & Hawai‘i Opera Theatre Chorus & Director of the Hawaiian Chorus at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
NURTURING OUR ROOTS:
WHEN: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 • 1–5pm
BY NICKY MANLOVE
WHO: Elementary-level teachers/conductors and music education students
WHERE: San Jose McEnery Convention Center
WHAT: Nurturing Our Roots emerges from a desire to attend carefully to the beginning of all of our choir programs -- the unique needs of our youngest singers. Facilitated by the Tucson Girls Chorus, this workshop will supplement the elementary-level offerings already planned at ACDA Western Division conference
This interactive workshop will share strategies for building engaging choral music programs for K-5 singers, focusing on techniques for building comprehensive music literacy, movement-based strategies to increase singer engagement and reinforce musical concepts, exciting and accessible repertoire, incorporating play, and singer-led strategies such as composition and student leadership Participants will leave this workshop with both practical ideas to apply to their teaching right away, and pedagogical tools to deepen their approach to teaching elementary-level musicians.
REGISTRATION:
ACDA non-members register at tucsongirlschorus org/nurturing-our-roots
Connecting Online: How Music Educators Can Tap Into Social Media
BY LAURA RAMIREZ
Choral educators value community, and we pride ourselves with a deep drive to further our professional development. However, we also know attending conferences or making time to visit classrooms to observe other educators can be complicated. It takes time, money, and resources, to invest in our choral program ’ s growth which can feel discouraging. There is one way we can build our skills without worrying about time, money, resources, and, leaving the couch: Social Media I know, social media can be a frustrating place, but it can also be a place of inspiration and guidance if you ’ re looking in the right places There are so many wonderful educators with an online platform, uploading examples of their skills to the World Wide Web, especially TikTok and Instagram. Why? Because short video format is easy to engage with. As a viewer, you can observe pedagogy happening in real time. I like to think of this as a mini-professional development Within a matter of a minute, I can see the process of an educator leading a warm-up or teaching a new game. I have over 200 videos saved on my TikTok account all related to music and choral education I was asked by a colleague “where do you get all these new ideas?” I simply replied “ on TikTok”. The resources that we so desperately look for are there in the palm of our hand. All you need to do is slow down, get out a notebook, and start learning. Could we convince our administrators that scrolling on TikTok for a whole workday counts as professional development? Probably not But maybe you can turn mindless scrolling into mindful scrolling, or even create a TikTok or Instagram account specifically for professional learning
I have created a short list of some of my favorite creators and videos that inspire me. Some educators have specific pages for their music educator careers while some have their education content mixed in with personal content. Because TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes user engagement, some videos are unfortunately only accessible and viewable with a TikTok account If you are able to access the QR code, I encourage you to continue exploring social media for more engaging and inspiring content For those without accounts, I have included brief descriptions of 3 videos and the user profiles and handles from which they originate.
As an avid social media user, I have come to appreciate how much I can learn from strangers on the internet. So go ahead, give yourself permission for that scroll break to use social media to inspire you and your choral educator journey!
Anola Douglas (@choirwithanola)
Anola Douglas has a fabulous video posted on her page demonstrating her singing with her beginning tenor and bass choir using kazoos Anola is featured modeling a call and response with “Hot Cross Buns” Anola sings this tune through the kazoo and has students echo her with their kazoos. First, kazoos are fun, so this video immediately caught my attention! In the caption, Anola shares the students were having a hard time matching pitch and teaching was becoming frustrating. She also states that, using kazoos, the students were able to make adjustments and have better awareness of pitch. This was such an “ah-ha” moment for me that I commented on her video (she even liked my response!) My comment focused on how singing with kazoos takes away the pressure, the seriousness and vulnerability when learning how to sing. I have my bag of kazoos ready for this school year and I can’t wait to use this for beginning singers and for singers who just need a brain break.
Mr. Finn
If you ’ re on social media you most likely have already seen his videos pop up Mr Finn has countless videos of him teaching pop songs by rote. He makes it even more accessible by showing what section is singing and the solfege is being sung. The songs he chooses are relevant, musically engaging, and fun to sing. If you scroll in the comments of his videos, you might find students saying they wished their choir director did stuff like this. You could easily teach any song from his page to your students, or this could be a great opportunity for one of your students to learn a song of their choice and teach it to their peers
This educator caught my attention with her “First 15 Minutes of Class” video. She begins by physically walking through the classroom the way her students would. She describes where students drop off their bags, grab their folders and pencils, and finally to their seat for their written warm-up She then shows off her TV screen where she is displaying the prompt of the day which has a digital clock that shows students have 5minutes to complete their written work After, she explains she moves on to stretches and vocal warm-ups and then begins her rehearsal on music. As a teacher building a program from the bottom up, this was extremely insightful. I loved how I was able to see the walk through of what a student would see as they entered their classroom. It helped me conceptualize the flow needed to set up a clear and easy routine for students
Laura Ramirez is a Latina Music Educator based in Sanger, CA She currently teaches choir at Sanger West High and John F Kennedy Middle School. She grew up in the music programs of Sanger and is dedicated to building choral programs in the district. Laura is passionate and determined to cultivate a love of the choral arts to young singers and the community Beyond the classroom, Laura is committed to her own growth and actively seeks out opportunities to build her knowledge and skills in music education and the choral arts She prides herself on continuing to build community between choral educators in the central valley. Outside of the choral world, Laura enjoys reading, making homemade meals, and hosting friends.
@TrebleTeacher
Creating OPERAtunities for Your Choirs: A Practical Guide to Programming and Performing
Opera in Choral Concerts
BY JOSHUA CHISM
My earliest exposure to the vibrant opera genre didn’t involve a gilded theater, a velvet curtain, or even a single character dressed in a Viking helmet. It happened on faded yellow carpet, with an obnoxiously full bowl of sugary cereal balanced on my knee, in front of the glowing screen of the wooden Zenith TV set on a Saturday morning in southwest Missouri My tutor in the operatic arts was, of course, Bugs Bunny.
For many of us, our first encounter with this powerful musical repertoire came not from a high-brow cultural outing, but from a seven-minute cartoon I imagine countless others like me were unknowingly first introduced to the legendary composers through the exploits of a clever rabbit and an unfortunate hunter We learned about the tragic majesty of Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung” as Elmer Fudd donned a horned helmet and spear, bellowing “Kill the wabbit!” to the tune of “Ride of the Valkyries ” The dramatic weight of the music, meant to accompany gods and heroes, was instead the soundtrack to a rabbit’s playful torment of a character in a costume
The “Rabbit of Seville” is a particularly cherished memory for me an iconic masterpiece that brilliantly melded high-culture opera with classic Looney Tunes slapstick This was my first encounter with Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” though I had no idea of the musical reference and was far more focused on Bugs Bunny’s antics than the musical score The clever use of music to punctuate every action, from the shaving cream to the hair tonic, made the cartoon an unforgettable and hilarious introduction to the world of opera
This opera primer was in many ways perfect. The cartoon stripped away the intimidation factor, the stuffiness, and the unspoken rules that often surround the world of opera. As a child, I didn’t know I was being educated But deep in my subconscious, a seed was planted. A love for the sheer power and ridiculous beauty of the music took root, ready to blossom years later when I would finally encounter the genuine article in all its glory My own path to a love of opera music (and sung music in general) was paved not with gold, but with the anvil-dropping, cross-dressing antics of a cartoon rabbit
No longer a child, and as a choral professional, I still see the immense value in the opera canon Singing opera choruses with a choir is a practice of immense value, enriching both the performers and the audience This repertoire provides rewarding vocal challenges for
singers, tremendous aesthetic fulfillment, and a direct link to the rich history of Western music. However, it may be challenging for many K-12 educators and choral conductors to know how best to incorporate opera repertoire into their programs (it certainly was for me)
In this article, I provide a practical guide for choral conductors looking to incorporate the opera canon into their regular repertoire I will provide a list of literature recommendations that have worked in my experience; offer practical advice on the programming, creative, and logistical process; and address key musical, vocal, and rehearsal considerations By demystifying the process, this guide aims to empower conductors to confidently lead their choirs with this dynamic and expressive repertoire.
Repertoire and Literature
In my experience, the most challenging component of successfully integrating opera literature into my choral program is locating and discerning quality literature With a background in choral music education, my music literature courses as an undergrad and graduate student very rarely overlapped the opera genre. Quite frankly, when I was interested in incorporating opera works into my curriculum, I didn’t know where to start
My initial investigation (through the mighty world of Google) gave me some ideas I also spoke with friends and colleagues who were active in the opera field. And of course, I spent time putting the titles of notable operas into our favorite music distributor’s website, searching for matches. This shotgun approach proved to be timeconsuming, messy, and labor intensive However, it was very informative–it was easy to see that I wasn’t the only choir director who was looking for opera chorus literature. My initial efforts did reveal that much of the opera chorus literature had significant pragmatic limitations making them, at best, clunky for the classroom, and, at worst, unsuitable for a standard SATB choir. Such challenges included hard to read engravings, significant divisi, extreme technical demands, extensive solo integration, lack of English translation (not necessarily a problem), and extremely difficult or nonexistent piano reductions It became clear early on that I would need to include newer arrangements or editions of opera choruses. After much research, the following nonexhaustive list of works and arrangements have proven to be exactly what I needed visually clean, playable, singable, and accessible for an average school or community choir without significantly losing the musical or theatrical punch of the original published choruses:
A wonderful place to start was with John Rutter’s Opera Choruses anthology. In this collection, Rutter provides clean engraving, translations, fresh piano reductions, information for orchestral parts, and program notes for each of the choruses. Many of the titles in this 35-piece anthology are also published on their own. Accessible conversational English translations are provided This book is a treasure trove of what has been collated and edited specifically for the non-opera chorus choir. While the specific contents of the anthology may be found on the web listing for the book itself, for me, the following pieces from the anthology have proved to be successful for my groups:
Octavos (listed by voicing)
Many effective octavo arrangements and editions have been published recently that have proven to be quite effective:
Programming Considerations
Concerning programming, creative concert planning, and logistics, I have found a variety of approaches to be successful One approach for incorporating opera repertoire into your regular programming is the “slow and steady” approach. Take one single piece of opera chorus repertoire and put it into a regular concert lineup. As conductors, we are always aiming to provide a “well balanced diet” to our singers – a concert repertoire set of a variety of genres, styles, and musical challenges by a variety of composers Initially, I found it exceedingly easy to pick a single opera chorus and simply plug it into my regular concert programming In this way, I was able to learn about the genre slowly over the course of a year or two
Perhaps one could wish to program a larger selection of operatic pieces. In my situation as the Artistic Director for a large community chorus, I found it necessary to create an entire concert program around the genre. With the choir I currently conduct, we present four large-scale concerts per season Each concert is themed differently under a general theme for the season The last concert of our season has traditionally been material that is a little “lighter ” Creating a concert program around opera works was a great fit for us – it was an opportunity to dive into some familiar tunes, meet our community expectations, and feature some of our highest achieving singers as soloists.
Programming an entire concert around the opera genre can be challenging. Keep the following considerations in mind:
1 Availability of accessible and clean scores. Search for new engraving and editions that are up to date
2 Technical ability level of your group and the demands of the music. In my experience, many opera choruses are extremely demanding. A full program of this will exhaust your choir. It’s imperative to have a few “softball” pieces to help balance out the load.
3.Consider the keyboard. Full orchestral piano reductions can be quite exhaustive for your collaborative pianist Be mindful of the demand you place on your collaborative pianist
4 Instrumental needs and cost of score rental (if you choose to use). In my experience, I have rarely had the right instrumentation or budget to include additional instrumentalists in these types of performances. I have found it ultimately easier to only use the piano reductions. The rental scores are a fabulous resource for those willing and able.
5.Consider the variety of opera repertoire programmed. It is quite easy to fill a program full of choruses by Verdi and other Romantic period opera composers
programmed It is quite easy to fill a program full of choruses by Verdi and other Romantic period opera This opera era is well-known, notable, and programs easily This is a perfectly fine programming trajectory, but consider works from a variety of time periods and opera traditions. Keep in mind that opera is still an active and developing genre, with many relatively contemporary works available.
6.Consider soloists, duets, and small ensembles. In my community group, I was able to simply put out an “all call” for choristers to submit solo auditions Many of my community singers have musical theater and classical voice training Many of them already knew works that would fit in with our theme I listened to all their auditions and selected the ones that were best fit for the program. I also had several singers come to me specifically with duets, trios, and quartets from the genre that they wanted to work up independently. While the specifics of this process will look different for every ensemble, there are almost assuredly a few singers in your ensemble that could “swing the bat” for a solo or duet You could consider programming your solo and small ensemble experiences for students, with an awareness that you may also include them in your large-scale concert experience.
7.Audience and choir fatigue. Be mindful of the “buy in” from your choir and audience base. Does your choir want an entire 90-minute performance of opera repertoire? Will your audience show up to hear it? Too much of anything is not great Consider pairing opera repertoire with another style or genre A pairing of music “for the stage” can be successful – opera and musical theater Another pairing of “sinners and saints” may prove to be effective –sacred repertoire paired with our “spicier” opera works. In my experience, I have found this to be the most successful programming consideration.
Musical, Vocal, and Rehearsal Considerations
When considering musical, vocal, and rehearsal elements, it’s important to remember that our primary responsibility is to protect and preserve the healthy vocalism of our singers We have a privilege to conduct and lead them, and it is our responsibility to ensure healthy vocal practices – regardless of the music we program. Singing and learning opera repertoire is not much different from anything else. The following points may be beneficial as you rehearse and learn this repertoire. Many of the following points are just best practice for all choral music.
1 Consider range. Many opera works do explore the extreme ranges It’s OK to sing exceptionally high and low but consider how much is demanded of your singers and feel free to adjust accordingly For instance, I rarely have all my sopranos singing the
1 high note at the end I utilize octave doubling lavishly to ensure that my singers are not overextending beyond their technical limitations
2.Consider the variety of treble and tenor/bass repertoire. In my experience, programming an SA and/or TB piece allows us to dive deeper into the repertoire, provide texture to the experience, and feature our ensemble in a way that is additionally edifying I can also then rehearse two pieces simultaneously by utilizing assistant conductors and section leaders
3 Consider your sound ideal. Every director has in their mind’s ear the “perfect choral sound ” While healthy vocalism is always the goal, the timbre of the choir can (and in my opinion should) change based on the repertoire that you ’ re singing. Country music and musical theater have a different color palette. Renaissance motets and opera courses have a different color palette When preparing opera chorus, it is OK to allow your choir to have a little fuller, thicker, richer, or bulky or sound That is part of the musical aesthetic In my experience, if I am ensuring, correct body alignment, appropriate breathing practices, and healthy vocalism, my choirs really enjoyed the opportunity to “sound more like an opera singer.” It was also a wonderful opportunity to expand the timbral palate of the singers.
4.Flexible solo lines. Many opera courseses have solo lines built in Feel free to have either individual singers, small groups of singers, or entire sections cover these lines It’s not necessary to have them come out of the larger ensemble Early on in my process, I eliminated repertoire because it had too much solo integration. I regret that and wish I had found a way to have groups of singers cover the solo lines within the chorus piece itself.
5.In your rehearsal, consider the pacing. Many opera choruses are chosen because they are dramatic, big, impressive, or bombastic in some nature. In rehearsal, this becomes one series of heavy-hitting teaching sequences after another Consider a variety of bombastic and lyrical pieces to provide the typical variety we would want for our choirs and audience This will ensure that your rehearsal segments are varied to ensure that the singers can remain viable and attentive throughout the rehearsal process.
6.Save the voice. I often have singers “mark,” “sing easy, ” or sing down the octave during the rehearsal process. There’s no need to work intricate parts at the highest extreme of the range If your singers are told to “sing easy, ” they will often equate this to poor posture, alignment and breathing practices This leads to an inefficient vocalism and potential vocal harm When you are allowing your singers to “sing easy, ” ensure that they are still fully physically engaged.
7.Consider staging, blocking, and costumes. While each conductor has their own tastes and dramatic flair, the opera genre is a performative stage-based musical powerhouse It is completely appropriate to consider how your singers may dress, how they may move, and what dramatic elements can be utilized to enhance the overall performance. In my experience even the smallest elements (e.g., ties, a hat, a rose, a dramatic gasp) can add texture, dimension, humor, and variety to your program. And if you can find a real blacksmith anvil for the Anvil Chorus – all the better.
Sing On!
The emotional intensity and dramatic flair of opera continues to captivate audiences with its dynamic vocal range, color, and musical storytelling Singing opera choruses is a valuable and rewarding experience for any choir, from high school through adults. Because opera presents unique challenges that require thoughtful preparation and specific resources, this article provides a practical guide for choral conductors looking to incorporate the opera canon into their concert selections By demystifying the process, this guide aims to empower conductors to confidently lead their choirs through this dynamic and expressive genre Ultimately, programming opera choruses in choral concert programs ensures the preservation of a vital musical tradition while simultaneously teaching skills and expressiveness in ensemble singing.
Link to Joshua’s “Set the Stage” concert featuring musical theater and opera pairings:
Joshua Chism (b. 1987) is currently an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK At OBU, Joshua advises music students; teaches private voice, Vocal Diction, and Vocal Pedagogy; and conducts the OBU Chorale, Bisonette Glee Club, and Golden Bison Vocal Jazz Ensemble. He is also the conductor for the Community Chorale and is Artistic Director for the Sine Nomine Choral Society
Joshua holds a PhD in Music Education with an emphasis in Conducting and Choral Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma in Norman (2022), a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri–Columbia (2019), and a Bachelor of Music Education degree and Bachelor of Music Composition degree from Missouri State University in Springfield (2010). Additionally, he holds Kodály Level I, II, and III certification
Joshua currently serves as Minister of Music at Meadowood Baptist Church (Midwest City, OK) where he conducts the adult worship choir and orchestra in addition to leading congregational singing
His research interests include the impact of servicelearning internships, music assessment, MUED curriculum content, and community music. Joshua has recently presented original research at the Collegiate Musicological Society, National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, and Society for Music Teacher Education conferences
Student
Chapter: Kilohana at the University of Hawai‘i ACDA
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY
ALINA TANIGUCHI ‘28, MUSIC EDUCATION
INTERVIEWEE: RINA ROBIN ‘25, MUSIC EDUCATION
KUHACDA is the Kilohana University of Hawai‘i American Choral Directors Association Student Chapter Kilohana means excellence, prestige, or to observe in a meaningful way in ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language) We are the UH Mānoa student ACDA chapter that serves the UH Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.
As an organization, we strive to promote excellence in choral music, support and encourage the activities of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Music Department, and make every member of the UH Choirs feel seen and heard We are involved with both undergraduate and graduate students across campus, along with the larger ACDA community across our islands.
AT: What is KUHACDA and what makes the community special?
RR: KUHACDA is the Kilohana UH ACDA student chapter Kilohana means excellence, prestige, or to observe in a meaningful way. At UH, we serve as the choir board, connecting our chapter to HI-ACDA Students are both undergraduate and graduate students who come from a variety of majors, not just music As a group, we all work together to support each other and make choir welcoming for everyone. KUHACDA and the UH Choirs are special since we are ‘ohana (family) We’re all different, but when we sing, we are one. The music we make together always brings joy to us and our community.
How has KUHACDA impacted the UH choral program and local community?
KUHACDA started off this year by representing the choirs at UH events welcoming new students for recruitment. Both choirs have grown a lot in just two semesters. We also collaborate with HI-ACDA and organizations at UH such as the UHM NAfME chapter (National Association for Music Education). NAfME and KUHACDA work together every year to host Voice Bridge Day. This is an event where high school students visit the music department to experience what it is like to major in voice and music education. They get to meet the faculty, sing with us in choir, and tour the campus. We also emphasize that they can study anything and still be in choir. We volunteer at choral festivals hosted by HI-ACDA This year, we helped out at Nā Leo Hou, the
high school festival, where we also performed for the students with UH Chamber Singers. This semester, members from both choirs volunteered at Ka Papa Lo‘i o Kānewai, the taro patch at UH. This was a great opportunity to serve our community and learn to mālama i ka ‘āina (take care of the land)
What motivated you to be involved with KUHACDA?
Choir was the first place where I felt like I belonged when I started college It’s where I made some of my closest friends, and the teachers there were part of what inspired me to pursue music education Being part of something bigger than myself and being able to make music with others made me happy when I was struggling. As I continued singing in choir, I noticed KUHACDA members helping out during class and with choral festivals I joined this community so I could give back to the people who lifted me up and learn more about choir in Hawai‘i
KUHACDA AND UH CHOIRS MEMBERS
AT KA PAPA LO‘I O KĀNEWAI, THE LO‘I KALO (TARO PATCH) AT UH MĀNOA BESIDES GROWING TARO, A LO‘I KALO IS A SACRED PLACE OF TRADITION,
Have there been any challenges with KUHACDA?
Yes, especially when I was starting out as president. While I could easily ask students to complete tasks in a classroom, I found it most challenging to ask the same of my peers I wanted to respect them and their time, but I realized that it was important to share the responsibilities with my board. Balancing KUHACDA and my classes was another challenge that tested my time management, communication, and event organization/planning skills.
PICTURED:
VOLUNTEERING
SUSTAINABILIT Y, AND CARING FOR THE LAND HERE IN HAWAI‘I
(L) RINA ROBIN, (R) ALINA TANIGUCHI
PICTURED: KUHACDA AND UH CHOIRS MEMBERS
ASSISTING AT NĀ LEO HOU, HAWAI‘I’S HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL FESTIVAL
PICTURED: KUHACDA, UH CHOIRS, AND NAFME MEMBERS ASSISTING AT VOICE BRIDGE DAY
How has being president of KUHACDA has shaped your philosophy of music education?
As a future music educator, my philosophy focuses on embracing diversity, belonging, inclusion, and welcoming every student into my classroom to learn and make music together Music allows students to express themselves and share their ideas. Being a part of KUHACDA taught me how to put this in action For example, we would do piko (center), which was when we created questions for the choirs to discuss, usually about what a piece of music we were singing meant to them. Helping out at the festivals also showed me how to get involved and get to know the community, just like I will with my future students and school.
How do students perceive ACDA and how can the organization better support students?
I think many students here aren’t very familiar with ACDA unless they study music education or are in KUHACDA Most students only hear about it at choral festivals, and they aren’t exposed to its benefits or how it can serve them in their local communities One way ACDA could support students is to bring opportunities to us in Hawai‘i during the school year We have PD day once a year, but it also would be great to have other choral workshops for students going into music education or those interested in learning more about choir.
What are your thoughts on how KUHACDA has changed over your undergraduate years?
KUHACDA has changed a lot. We’ve grown to include
many more board members and the way we select them is different This year, we had an election for new members that gave everyone in the choirs a say instead of just the board Overall, it’s been great to see so many of our choir members step up and join our chapter in leadership positions. Throughout my time in choir and KUHACDA, I’m so grateful we were all able to work hard together and make our ideas come to life. Our support for each other strengthened our sense of community and commitment as a choir.
What steps did you take to assist in setting up the BYU–Hawai‘i ACDA Chapter?
A few KUHACDA members and I had a chance to talk to Dr Glenn and some of her students from BYUH at HIACDA Professional Development Day last fall. We had a great conversation about what we do as a chapter and some of the events we volunteered for such as choral festivals. Although BYUH has different steps for setting up student organizations, we shared our KUHACDA constitution and our roles as board members as an example of how they might structure their chapter When they set up their chapter, we shared responsibilities. Students from each school (UH, BYUH, and HPU) volunteered at one of the three choral festivals (elementary, middle, and high school).
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT BACK ROW: DR ALEC SCHUMACKER, DENNIS, ASHLEE, RINA, LORELEI, AUDREY, ROB FRONT ROW: ERIN, NIKKI, JASPER
What advice could you give to future presidents?
Number one is don’t be afraid to ask for help Your board is there to support you, and it’s a team effort. Sharing the responsibility gives everyone a chance to contribute and feel valued It also gives your board opportunities to take initiative and share their awesome ideas. Next is to stay organized The reminders app, schedule send, and writing things down as soon as you think of them will help you immensely when life gets busy Finally, there will be times when it’s very challenging to keep up with everything, but it’s important to remember why you joined KUHACDA and the difference you get to make for the choirs Enjoy being a part of it!
High School R&R
BY KEVIN TISON
Howdy esteemed colleagues! I hope you have had a tremendous summer break filled with lots of personal R & R - rest & relaxation! As the summer sun fades away, if you ’ re like me, we now frantically pack up our shorts, flip flops, sunscreen, and party hats to replace them with our hard-soled shoes, polos, hair product, and school badge lanyards! Our focus also begins to shift from personal R & R to our professional R & R’s... Repertoire & Resources! This year I am honored to serve as one of your High School R & R Co-Chairs, and I would like to offer a few thoughts as we prepare for another year of creating beautiful music with our singers and audiences!
In this beautiful world of choral music, we walk daily through situations that create unique circumstances for each of us! These range from the school size to district and site administrative support, booster programs, singer skill levels, financial limitations... the list goes on and on We are truly a profession where one size does NOT fit all However, even in our differences, we share some wonderful similarities! We love to see our students grow and succeed Making great music is our passion Then there’s the immense joy we receive as we continue to impact lives (including our own) through music
With all of this in mind, it is also vital to ensure that as we enter a new school year, our curriculum choices are aligned well with our circumstances Here are a few ideas to consider:
1. Teacher – Student Connection!
As an educator, it’s vital to understand the “starting point” of each student’s abilities so you can program effectively for your ensembles. When you learn how each student piece of the puzzle fits, you will more fully understand the bigger puzzle. Ideally, we place our students in choirs (levels) where they can best grow without overwhelming them. This will yield greater educational success in each student, as well as protecting the integrity and level of each ensemble. Invest the time to get to know each of your singers their story, their instrument, their strengths and weaknesses and, most importantly, their goals for the upcoming school year!
2. Programming that Inspires and Challenges
Set your singers and ensembles up for success by selecting repertoire that is both challenging and achievable. Make sure that repertoire choices agree with the size of your ensembles and even individual sections Consider the amount of divisi in each piece, the vocal ranges, and the “forces” that are needed For example,
if you have 27 sopranos and altos, 1 tenor and 3 basses, you probably don’t want to consider programming Moses Hogan’s My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord even though you may love the piece! Position your singers/ensembles for performance success with appropriate and challenging, yet ATTAINABLE repertoire choices!
3. A Well-Balanced Meal For The Win
Variety. Let’s say it together, and louder for the folks in the back of the room! Make rep choices that provide a strong variation of languages, styles, colors, levels of difficulty, technical requirements, etc. Variety keeps life, and REHEARSALS, interesting for both singers and conductor. This will also go a long way in keeping your singers engaged and invested in the process, even in the mundane parts of rehearsal. If every piece feels and sounds the same (because that’s what you know and like, or what you ’ re comfortable with), then you are turning your singers into “ one trick ponies”. This quickly leads to a huge educational injustice (borderline criminal offense)! Think of it as preparing a delicious 5-course meal Each course should look, smell, and taste distinctly different from the others, even though there can be a bit of cohesion...keep it interesting! This year, commit to serving well-balanced and highly nutritious meals. Translation: create diverse, inspired, substantive, and captivating concert programs.
4. Dig Deep!
Find the hidden gems! There’s a treasure trove of fabulous music out there, and much of it WAS composed well before 2000! While supporting living composers is crucial, don’t miss out on the powerful choral masterpieces that have withstood for centuries much of which remains “buried” and never gets discovered on our concert programs I challenge you to explore pieces that may not be performed often but are still deeply beautiful and educationally substantive. In upcoming articles, we'll share tools to help you on your search In the meantime, grab your shovel and start unearthing some gems for this year! (feel free to share your treasures so we can all celebrate them together)
5. Your Obligation/Opportunity to the Other Side of the Conversation
A few years ago, I taught a choral music programming class for music education students at a local university. It was an amazing experience, and some of the most thought-provoking discussions we had was about the choral music AUDIENCE While our primary focus should always be on inspiring, challenging, and developing our
singers, we should never neglect the ears on the receiving end! Our audiences have given of their time, money (tickets) and enthusiastic support to our programs We therefore should not merely strive to tickle their ears with beautiful sounds, but engage them in a rich, moving and powerful experience. They deserve to be challenged as well with relevant, thoughtprovoking lyrics and a wide array of styles, cultures, and sounds. We have an obligation to BOTH our singers and our audience (sit on that for a second) Consider what will move and stir your listeners whether it’s laughter, tears, or moments of deep beauty on their listening journey They ARE a part of the conversation! Remember, each member of your audience will have a different “take away” from your concert Curate your program with care, knowing that one size doesn't fit all!
Having formally taught high school choral music these past twenty-three years, these points are just some considerations based on my own experiences as a musician and educator
They will likely require that you move a bit beyond what is your “ norm ” or what is comfortable for you! Commit to pushing outside the bounds a bit this year as you, along with your students, learn, grow, and make great art together!
Lastly, if I can be of service to you, or if you have repertoire or resource recommendations that I can share with our colleagues, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can learn so much from each other, and I would love to connect with you (email below) I wish you the best start of the year And cheers to some exceptional music-making with your students!
Until next time,
Kevin Tison, High School R & R Co-Chair ACDA Western Region ktison@hbuhsd.edu
A Central Louisiana native, Kevin Tison began his musical education with piano study at the age of thirteen After becoming his church’s pianist just one year later, it became apparent that piano was going to be a lifelong passion! Over the past thirty years, his professional
work in music has spanned various roles as a conductor, educator, pianist, arranger, adjudicator, and vocalist. He is in his twenty-fourth-year teaching high school choral music – with the past twenty-one years at Fountain Valley High School in Orange County, California
Mr Tison earned his Bachelor of Music from Northwestern State University of Louisiana and a Master of Music from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, both in piano performance. Mr. Tison’s choirs have performed and received the highest acclaim at regional, state and national levels, from Hawai‘i’s Pearl Harbor to New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Salt Mines or Salzburg to the Sydney Opera House
Mr Tison loves spending time with friends while enjoying the ocean, mountains, and deserts of Southern California He is an avid pilot, triathlete, diver, hiker, and national park enthusiast - always packed and ready for the next adventure.
WACDA State Highlights
The 2025–2026 fiscal year marks a significant moment for the Hawaiʻi Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. This year honors five decades of choral excellence, leadership, and community across our islands. We began our celebrations this past Labor Day weekend with a special visit from ACDA National President Dr. Edith Copley and Western Region President Julie Dana The weekend opened with a President’s Luncheon, where members of our choral community gathered to honor the legacy of our past presidents and reflect on the chapter’s history We were honored to have Dr. Copley lead a conducting workshop, providing invaluable mentorship to our local conductors. The weekend concluded with our annual Professional Development Day, featuring sessions focused on repertoire, recruitment, and program development.
As we continue our anniversary year, we look ahead to our annual choral festivals: the 2026 Nā Leo Hou High School Choral Festival (February 13–14, 2026), the 2026 Nā Leo Pili Mai Middle School Choral Festival (February 21, 2026), and the 2026 E Mele Kākou Elementary Choral Festival (April 18, 2026)
For more information about our chapter and upcoming events, please visit wwwhawaiiacda org
BY CHRISTOPHER SERRANO PRESIDENT, HAWAI‘I ACDA
California Choral Directors Association (CCDA) had a wonderful summer! With the start of a new 2-year term we welcomed many new members to our Board of Directors and Advisory Council, including brand new positions to focus on Communications and a Liaison to Past Leadership to foster connections to our previous ACDA and CCDA leaders. We would like to thank the wonderful leaders who are stepping away from the board and advisory council: Dr. Christopher Peterson, Dr Iris Levine, Albert Mabeza, Dr Zanaida Robles, Dr Buddy James, and Dr. Daniel Afonso, Jr.; thank you for your service to CCDA!
We welcomed over 150 people to Oakhurst, CA for the 39th Summer Conference with headliner Dr. Andrea Ramsey Dr Ramsey’s presentations included valuable information on changing voices, repertoire for all levels and choirs, and self-care for choral directors facing burnout. Thank you to Jeffe Huls for his thoughtful and organized planning of the conference, Heather Bishop for her dedicated assistance at the piano, and all of the interest session presenters for their contributions.
Also at the conference, we awarded the Howard Swan award to Dr. Lynn Bielefelt. This was the first posthumous award since the award’s inception in 1985 A handful of Lynn’s students and colleagues came together to create a beautiful presentation in her honor
You can learn more about the award on our website: https://www.calcda.org/howard-swan-award-about.html
In addition to our event at ECCO, we hosted local meetups for conductors to connect, and kicked off the fall with conferences in SoCal at Trinity Presbyterian in Santa Ana, and NorCal at Carlmont High School in Belmont Looking forward, we are excited to host our Central and Coastal region honor choirs in November with conductors Dr. Matthew Hazzard, Dr. Anna Hamre, Dr Arian Khaefi, Mr Bruce Rogers, Dr Wei Cheng, and Dr. Lynn Atkins. In early 2026 at CASMEC (California AllState Music Educators Conference) in Sacramento, we will host our All-State Honor Choirs with conductors Dr. Sandra Snow, Dr Erin Plisco, Dr David Morrow, Dr Alyssa Cossey, and Dr. Sandra Babb. We look forward to connecting with all of our region colleagues at Western ACDA in San Jose in March 2026!
BY KRISTINA NAKAGAWA PRESIDENT, CCDA
WACDA State Highlights
I just returned home from 23 days of traveling with my family to Alaska, spending some time at Lake Tahoe, and attending summer camp for choir directors sponsored by CCDA Our presenter, Andrea Ramsey, shared her term “Big Feeling Creative”* with us as
teachers of choral music. I’m refreshed and now ready to buckle down planning for the school year. Being able to spend time with colleagues and friends for several days fed my soul. That’s what ACDA has done for me in the 20+ years of teaching people to be the best humans possible with choral music as the tool ACDA has provided workshops and events that have connected me with people facing the same joys and challenges as me all across our country Hiking, waterskiing, baseball games, reading, and camping are other things that feed my soul. Dr. Ramsey’s time with us opened my heart and mind to the value of recreation – making sure I take time to fill my cup with things that bring me joy and peace that I can pass along to my singers So, take this as a nudge, in our demanding jobs, to take a second to think about what you are doing to feed your soul Do you make time in your schedule to take care of you? Do you have friends and colleagues you can turn to when you need support, a listening ear, a sounding board? Engage with them. Make time for them and for you. Make a weekly email group with colleagues where you can share some HighLow-Buffalo type events (buffalo – something neat that surprised me!). Have coffee with a friend to brainstorm about what’s working (or not) in your classroom/choir room And, know that if you need support, ACDA is here for you Reach out to your state’s (or our region’s) R&R chair for your area or another leader in your state/region, when you need help or are stuck We are here to serve you in your capacity as a BFC!
BY JENNIFER TIBBEN PRESIDENT, NEVADA ACDA
AzACDA hosted a dynamic and inspiring summer conference in Phoenix While the weather outside was blazing, choral directors from across Arizona gathered to share in learning, music-making, and fellowship. The event featured outstanding reading sessions, interest
sessions, and roundtables, with highlights that included headliner Bruce Rogers leading plenary sessions, a Collegiate/Retiree Honor Choir, a commissioned piece by Emily Drum, Trivia Night, Beer Choir, and even the thrill of singing the national anthem at a Diamondbacks game Special thanks go to Katie Gerrich, now PastPresident, and Lindsay Decoste for their tireless leadership in making the conference a success despite last-minute venue challenges.
Looking ahead, our Northern Arizona University student chapter is preparing a college symposium for regional ACDA student chapters on October 3–4, headlined by Chris Maunu, as well as a large Cantaremos honor choir festival for grades 5–9 in November We’re also excited for a strong Arizona presence at the upcoming San Jose conference!
BY RYAN HOLDER PRESIDENT, ARIZONA ACDA
Greetings from Utah. As we begin a new year filled with conversations about legislation and artificial intelligence, I hope we all find comfort in the enduring beauty of choral music Nothing replaces the experience of standing shoulder to
shoulder, singing together, and feeling the vibrations resonate within our souls I’ve found that AI can be a powerful ally, creating tools that give us more time for what we love I’m developing several applications to streamline administrative tasks such as creating and formatting programs and taking attendance and an onstage performance tool that tracks movement to enhance the concert experience. Creativity sustains us as choral musicians, and sometimes the most creative act is to embrace new possibilities. May we continue to be inventive problem-solvers, building tools that let us spend more time teaching and making music.
BY ROGER HALE PRESIDENT, UTAH ACDA
Including Community Singers in Collegiate Ensembles
BY AARON HUMBLE
In 2022, when I moved from Minnesota to California, there were many things that surprised me Very few people actually park their cars in the garage (perhaps it was the snow that motivate us in Minnesota), highway speed limits are suggestions, people have very strong opinions about tacos spots, and many collegiate ensembles include community members. With demographic changes starting to affect college enrollment, more choral directors might consider a broader idea of recruitment for their collegiate ensembles While there are certainly universities and colleges in all regions of the country that include community singers in their ensembles, it does seem more prevalent in the west. To learn more about this tradition, I created a survey In this article, I will share highlights from the results of that survey and share the wisdom of those directors who have been successful in creating an ensemble that blends collegiate and community talent. My sincere gratitude for those who took time from their summers to respond to the survey
Potential Barriers
Rehearsal Time: If your target community singer is retired, daytime rehearsals might work well If not, evenings would be best; and seem to be the most common choice for a blended ensemble
Rehearsal Frequency: Most conductors prefer to see students multiple times a week Many choral schools have ensembles that meet daily, or at least four days a week Obviously, that would be a lot to ask from a community member, so once a week is probably the best model to welcome in community singers Some report having success with rehearsing twice weekly, but that seems to be more plausible for welcoming in members of the university community (staff, faculty outside music, etc). If your students are not accustomed to a 2-3 hour once weekly rehearsal, it can be a big adjustment for college students.
Ease of Access: Does your campus have adequate parking, and is the rehearsal space close? Do visitors have to pay to park on campus? Is paying for parking only available through a smart phone or app and is it user friendly?
Registration Requirements: Does your school welcome community members to audit classes? Is the school associated with The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)?
How do we remove as many of these barriers as possible to encourage community participation? It is common knowledge that parking is expensive and challenging on most UC and CSU campuses, so if functional public transit is not an option something as basic as parking challenges could be a significant barrier to community participation
Intergenerational Singing
For the purpose of this article and based on the responses of survey participants, the assumption is that the majority of collegiate singers are under the age of 30 while the majority of community members are over 30. Of course, there are recent graduates who may decide to stick around and sing for a few years, but most community singers (singers who are not enrolled in any other classes or are not degree seeking) are usually several decades older than the age of a typical college student Conductors seeking to include community singers into a collegiate ensemble must also recognize that doing so will change the dynamic in the rehearsal room Having an intergenerational choral experience can be absolutely wonderful, but it is a different experience Here are a few responses from conductors who enjoy this dynamic:
Learning from each other Singing together creates a unique environment of appreciation.
The community singers are better at giving service to the organization than the student singers are.
Recently we have had senior members of our choir start or restart their journey as music majors The dynamics of our courses involving all age groups becomes more genuine and welcoming to our students.
I love seeing the family and neighborhood connections In one combined rehearsal, I had three generations of the same family participate It helps extend the feeling of community and unity Community members are there for the enjoyment of making music This rubs off on the student participants
Seeing the interactions between community members and students about our communal music and their experiences with it Seeing partnerships and passions shared - more than once, community members have hired student singers for jobs based on discussions that started in choir!
The same conductors also offered wisdom on the challenges of intergenerational ensembles:
Different learning speeds and memory challenges. Students who want to “do all the things” in a smaller college means rehearsal conflicts.
One must really understand both the training of young singers and the training of old singers--and the vocal pedagogy and problems therein--to be successful
Musically - vocal range and tone issues, which mostly has to do with repertoire selection Culturally, the biggest challenge is often setting expectations for the ensemble, its goals, and mission
Achieving a unified tone, maintaining nimble and flexible technique
Recruitment
When asked about recruitment, the participants identified three approaches that were the most successful with community singers:
1. Emails/word of mouth to local church and temple choirs, or other choral community
2.Marketing through Community Education or a similar department on campus
3.Postcards/Flyers
Some conductors did acknowledge that the tradition was established on campus before their arrival, so a pipeline was already in place
Repertoire
In my experience in the Midwest, when community singers were included in an ensemble it was almost always the large ensemble that would sing masterworks and/or symphonic works I was interested to learn that this is not necessarily the case in our region. Nearly three times as many participants responded that they have had more success with small forms When asked about small forms from the “ canon ” or standard repertoire verses music by living composers, twice as many participants identified new music as the preference It is tempting to assume that older singers may be less interested in singing unfamiliar or newer literature, but this does seem to be the experience of those who participated in this survey
Conclusion
There are many reasons that a program may wish to reach out to the community to recruit singers While it may be tempting to think of it as an opportunity to fill
seats when student engagement and participation may be waning, that is not the ideal reason to engage with community singers. Those who have succeeded in building intergenerational ensembles that include students and community singers have done so with the heart to serve both constituents equally. With this genuine goal, proper preparation from the conductor, patience from all singers, and cooperation from the institution to eliminate barriers it can provide a rich opportunity that truly builds a greater community
AARON HUMBLE, D MUS
4 YEAR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY R&R CHAIR
WESTERN ACDA
Open the Doors! An Interview with Jeremy Fox
BY JOHN KNUTSON
The renowned arranger and director Dr. Jeremy Fox and I became friends in the mid-1990s while studying with Phil Mattson at the School for Music Vocations in Iowa I have always regarded Jeremy as a deep thinker, a spiritually connected human who shares generously with his students. Dr. Fox currently teaches at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. He is a prolific arranger, composer and renowned vocal jazz director
My initial goal for this interview was to learn how he recruits for his program, but the conversation meandered to perhaps a more important topic how to open doors for our students, our programs, and our community I hope you enjoy this discussion Jeremy and I had on a warm sunny beach in Santa Barbara in April 2025.
JK: How much importance do you put on the “dog and pony” show aspect of recruiting? To put it another way, how important are the social media posts, the school visits, the emails, phone calls, versus having a quality programandhavingthatspeakforitself.
JF: Well, I think one is filled with substance, and the other is not If you neglect one of those two approaches, focus on the quality of education and music with your students. However, the recruiting efforts you mention aboveareanecessarysecond
It’snotazerosumgame,isit.
No, it’s not. I’ve seen some programs that have their students do a good portion of the outreach, especially with social media That seems to me to be more effective in recruiting their peers And don’t forget your alumni. That’s critical. Your alumni are doing things in the community, artistic endeavors, they have businesses and careers and also may have kids someday That’s playingthelonggame Theverylonggame!
Some people might think of recruiting in the reverse way It has to start with having something that you ’ re really proud of, that you 100% believe in – that your program is a place where a student can grow in ways thateventhatstudentcouldn’timagine.
Yes! That gives you the volition to go and recruit. Otherwise recruiting must be awkward and fake. And this goes back to the first thought, you have to feel you arefocusingonqualityinyourprogram.
Yes And I have a strong opinion of what vocal music education should be Most teachers are focused on getting their students to do one thing really well, and that’s never been my philosophy
Is that because of your study and work with Phil Mattson?
Yes, most certainly But had I not run into Phil, I still think I would have had this outlook. My own life was such that I unfortunately didn’t excel at any one thing in music. I loved so many different types of music, various instruments and singing, that it was impossible to choose in college And of course there are musicians who have figured out how to make a living with just one aspect of music But most of our friends and colleagues make a living with music by doing a lot of different things And I admire musicians who look outside of their boundaries in terms of genre and style
So, back to your idea that it is almost impossible to recruit unless you think you have integrity in your program. What has worked for you so far at Mt. San Antonio College?
Let’s start off with how lucky it is to have a good colleague who you see eye to eye with Dr Matthew Hazzard is proving to be an intangible part of our success. He’s hosted multiple festivals at our college this year, and most importantly he’s opening the door literally his choir room door is open when his choirs rehearse This speaks volumes about his desire to reach people outside of the choir room walls. We have welcomed maybe a dozen high schools to visit and do exchanges, where each choir sings for the other, and they share openly about beautiful moments and places for growth It’s a community he’s building – it’s a beautiful thing to see! Matt is a conduit for connection All of this to say that if you have a colleague that you are happy to be on the journey with, it’s the frame of the puzzle, the outer edges of the puzzle. The rest is then easy to fill in
Absolutely you had that in Iowa too, with Phil Mattson and Jason Smith at the School for Music Vocations. You’ve been fortunate.
Absolutely, I feel grateful to have been colleagues with Phil, and with Jason, and to have learned immensely from each of them! Also, Matt Hazzard is a composer and I am a composer-arranger, and I try to write something for each vocal group each semester, so they have a voice in bringing new music to life It also allows my students to see that I’m taking risks, and that I’m moving forward with
something I’m passionate about. It’s important for my students to see that I had a high school director who wrote arrangements of Mahler and Saint-Saëns for our marching band! That was pivotal for me to see my teacher crafting music for us I remember thinking, “Wow! I want to be like that someday.”
Pivotal because you were witnessing joy and passion? And that made you want to aspire to be a director?
Absolutely! We have to program things that we are passionate about. When you write music, everything you write is personal I’m not going to say it’s all inspired, but it hopefully comes from an inspired place
I can see now what we’re talking about could be a retention piece, but are you saying it could help with recruiting too?
I think it’s everything It’s retention, and recruiting
How is it recruiting?
Because the students who are singing your brand new piece feel as if they are receiving a gift. I have to imagine it’s the same feeling another ensemble gets if they sing a commission I wrote them The students feel the personal connection too. To me the link to recruiting and retaining students – inspired students – is strong.
This probably goes back to the whole recurring impetus coming from integrity, excitement, progress and joy.
Yes. I don’t want to think about the exact “metrics” of what is an effective recruiting tool My goal is to instill in my students a sense of magic and extra-ordinariness. That they feel like they are creating something that is worthwhile and unique to them. This doesn’t have to be done by your commissioning a piece or by your writing a piece for your students, but no doubt it helps!
I think our job as directors should also be to bring our students to festivals when possible – and to nudge our students to summer camps! Otherwise we are unfortunately teaching our students that musical growth is only confined to your classroom, can only come from you as their director And run the risk of our students possibly thinking of themselves as musicians only 8 months per year
Some high school directors could create their own local camps, and connect with their local district or county middle school students. Even a day camp would be terrific, like Matt Falker’s Vocal Jazz Academy.
Absolutely! I’ve been running my vocal jazz summer camp for 20 years all around the United States and Canada, patterned after Phil’s camps. This shouldn’t be an exclusive club Anyone can host a summer camp or educational opportunity Even if you don’t want to teach during the summer, your simply hosting a camp at your school (like Matt Falker’s Vocal Jazz Academy) would undoubtedly be a huge boost for your school, for your program
Back to the recruiting ideas. Is there a list of good tips and ideas?
OK going down the recruiting list now: of course tours are huge, as is singing at conferences. . . and we should encourage our hungrier students to attend conferences even if they are not performing. It is a gift for a student to have their eyes opened at a conference by hearing ensembles they wouldn’t have otherwise heard – so much inspiration can come from that. Also, I believe that student recitals are huge We abandoned the idea of doing juries at Mt. SAC. Students performing for a few faculty members in a sterile room should be a thing of the past. And we in music education should retire that terrible “jury” word that seems to strike fear in most music students Shouldn’t we be trying to give our students less limited experiences? More open-door performance experiences where their friends and families are invited to witness their musical progress. Even if a student performs just a basic etude, or a snare drum exercise or a beginning bassist walks a bass line with a trio, the goal should be to simply demonstrate quality, and to honor the progress a music student has worked hard to achieve
And to take pride in that, even if it’s basic: the point is the progress, the improvement.
The headline of this whole interview, is that: recruiting takes care of itself if your students are feeling healthy progress, and if they are able to demonstrate it in an open way to the world, not just to their instructors. That is “attractive.” Attracting. At Mt. SAC, we just started giving opportunities for our students to perform mini recitals –20 to 30 minute recitals – each and every semester.
Would that be one instrument, or more than one?
I’m a big believer in breadth rather than depth It’s true of course we have some students who live only to sing art songs or arias, or some who likes only to sing Jazz But there are also many music students who – like I was when I was 18 – may not have been exposed to other genres or instruments, and who get excited by anything and everything in music. Our recitals at Mt. SAC may feature a student who wants to perform a variety of disciplines and
musical skills. They might sing a classical aria, then pick up a mic and sing a swing tune, and then maybe invite their friends to the stage to sing something they arranged or wrote And they might show off their newlyacquired skills on the piano by accompanying themselves or a classmate. In my opinion, a recital with that kind of breadth of demonstrated skills is a recital that would not only be hugely educational for the student, but also entertaining to perform and for an audience to watch.
I want to move on to the nurturing. Retention. We have been discussing good ideas instilling pride, integrity. Feeling special and unique. What about the magic recipe the line between the carrot and the stick. How do you know you have the right balance?
You can never be sure of that line, because you can never be inside your students’ heads. But the answer for me starts with empathy. Empathy is not coddling, it is putting yourself in your students’ shoes, to the best that we can. Trying to see a future for each student that they might not yet see for themselves
So a fine-tuned, individualized carrot and stick?
It is The really outstanding teachers are the ones who are so finely attuned to what each individual student needs. . . unfortunately it’s more than a 9 to 5 job. The time and inspiration to figure out what our students need tends to happen when we give ourselves a chance to exhale, when we leave our campuses each day There are so many teachers that do this, who are “in tune” with their students, who are so giving that they spend their off time thinking about these things Meditating about these things.
What about the teachers that don’t want to, or can’t think about their students in their off-time?
It’s totally fine to turn off when we need to
There’s a whole other interview we could do about selfcare!
We should stay vigilant about balancing empathy for our students and listening to our own self-care needs.
A lot of your recruiting is empathy, from what I’ve witnessed over the decades, Jeremy. Is there anything else in closing, Jeremy?
Well, we all know that one of the main parts of nurturing our programs, and our students, is making sure we truly see them and hear them as much and as
often as possible That we encourage their interests and their goals, even and especially when it might not fit the exact mold of our programs And that our students’ eyes are opened to new paths they wouldn’t have otherwise seen without us. Our job is to open the door to a new and bigger future for each of our students – and then open the door to the community, so their friends and families might regularly see and celebrate their progress. There’s your recruiting in a nutshell.
John Knutson is Director of Choral Studies at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA. He is a former member of the professional vocal jazz ensemble Vocalogy, formed by Phil Mattson in 1998. Before moving to California, John taught at Southwestern Community College in Iowa While at Southwestern, he performed all over the US and Europe with the awardwinning vocal jazz group VoicesIowa Prior to that John lived in New York City, where he taught vocal music at JHS #263 in Brooklyn, and performed with the a cappella cabaret group, The QuintEssentials.
The Cuesta College ensembles John directs have performed at multiple Jazz Education Network. They have been headliners at the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival headlined the 2009 California Music Educators Convention His classical choir received 2ndplace at the Vokal Total Festival in Austria against professional choirs from Europe and Asia Under his direction, the Cuesta Chamber Singers performed at the Festival International Choral en Provence in five times since 2008. Other prestigious performances include the American Choral Directors Association National Convention in Los Angeles, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the International Association for Jazz Education Convention in Toronto He directed the California and Arizona All-State Vocal Jazz Choirs, and was named Cuesta College’s Teacher of the Year
John has served as a clinician at jazz and choral festivals in 18 states, and in five Canadian provinces John has numerous choral compositions; his vocal jazz arrangements are available through UNC Jazz Press and Anchor Music Publications. John holds a Masters in Conducting degree from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelors in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota
Three Community Choir Recommendations
BY ALLAN PETKER
Gabriel’s Oboe
Words and music by Ennio Morricone
arr. Craig Hella Johnson
SATB with oboe and cello
Most people already know this gorgeous melody from the 1986 film THE MISSION. Craig knows a beautiful song and how to bring it into the choral artistry no matter the genre or style. This is not a difficult piece for the choir, and they get the experience of serving as the accompaniment for the instruments
If the River Leaves Without Me
Words and music by Reena Esmail SSATB (and soprano solo) a cappella
Reena Esmail says, “this piece is about that moment of deciding to embrace an unknown path…” It has been given a medium difficulty level, and the notes and rhythms are not hard to learn But do not be misled To sing it beautifully and carry the long phrases appropriately requires careful attention As with all her music, it communicates superbly and is worth the effort.
Lo dello: the dance
Music by Hannah Cohoon arr Jennifer Lucy Cook SATB a cappella
The tune by Hannah Cohoon comes from the early 19th century and is reminiscent of a madrigal yet sparkles with a folksong dance feel. Arranger, Jennifer Lucy Cook, brings it into our current time by providing a movie script that tracks the development of the piece Altogether it creates a delightful choral experience that can fit into almost any program.
Standing on their Shoulders: Words from the Wise
BY CHRIS SERRANO
In this continuing section of Tactus, the voices of our retired/long-time colleagues are featured Ms Wanda Gereben was interviewed by Hawai‘i ACDA State President, Christopher Serrano, for this article
As the Hawai‘i Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association celebrates 50 years of choral excellence, we pause to reflect on the foundation upon which our organization was built. The ‘ōlelo no ‘ eau (Hawaiian proverb) “i ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope” (the future is in the past) reminds us that we move forward by learning from those who came before us
Few individuals represent that guiding spirit more than Ms. Wanda Gereben. A co-founder of the Hawai‘i chapter in 1975 and a lifelong advocate for choral music, Ms. Gereben has spent more than five decades shaping music education and performance in our islands. Her leadership as a two-time state president, long-serving Treasurer, and passionate mentor has left a lasting legacy on generations of singers and educators.
Ms. Gereben reflects on what first inspired her journey, shares pivotal moments from HI-ACDA’s history, and offers her hopes and words of wisdom for the future of our choral community, here in Hawai‘i and beyond.
CS: How long have you been a member of ACDA, and what was your main area of conducting?
WG: I became a life member of ACDA in 1975 when Robert Hines, then choral director at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and I co-founded the Hawai‘i Chapter At that time I was teaching K–12 music at St Andrew’s Priory, directing a church choir, and was the Artistic Director of the Honolulu Chorale, a 125-voice community chorus. For a period, I conducted the Hawai‘i Opera Children’s Chorus and later I founded the Hawai‘i Children’s Chorus
Who or what inspired you to become a choral director?
I am fortunate to have been born and lived in a Texas community that offered music education in public schools and I belonged to a church that sponsored a children’s choir Starting in the fourth grade I was hooked on singing in choirs My first concert was the thrilling experience of singing in the Houston All-City Mass Children’s Chorus conducted by Noble Cain As a three-year member of the Texas All-State Choir, I was introduced to exceptional choral directors; my many teachers and mentors have been paramount to the success of my career Some are still there for me today
As a founding member of the Hawai‘i Chapter of ACDA, you’ve witnessed 50 years of growth and transformation.
When I stepped off the plane in Hawai‘i in the early 60s, I had the instant overwhelming feeling that I was “home.” I said to my husband, “I think I’m here to stay ” In the 60+ years I have lived in these islands, that feeling has never changed. I discovered a diverse community and a rich singing culture characterized by various music and cultural practices. It has greatly enriched my life and profession
I have had many professional colleagues and opportunities that have profoundly expanded my musical world. In Hawai‘i, fellow ACDA members Dale Noble at Kamehameha Schools, John McCreary at St Andrew’s Cathedral and ‘Iolani School, Roy and Nyle Hallman at Central Union Church, and the founders of the Honolulu Boy Choir, colleague Nola Nāhulu with the Hawai‘i Youth Opera Chorus and many, many others greatly influenced our choral community in Hawai‘i.
Over the years our ACDA Chapter has developed, produced, or sponsored many choral festivals: established an All-State Honor Choir; High School Choral Festival; sponsored Church Choir Festival; Women’s Chorus Festival; Middle School Choral Festival; and Elementary Choral Festival. Annually, our chapter presents Professional Development workshops and activities. Throughout these past 50 years we have hosted many of the most renowned choral directors and clinicians to conduct our festivals Each has helped to raise the skills and standards of our members and their singers.
What moments stand out to you as defining milestones, and what insights have stayed with you through the years?
Without question the highlight of my career was the creation and production of the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival. With the help and collaboration of many of my local ACDA colleagues and the abundant cultural resources available in Hawai‘i, we were able to present to visiting choruses an authentic experience of our Pacific Rim cultures
It was apparent from the directors and singers who participated over the decade that there was a huge interest in the cultural practices of Hawai‘i and other Pacific Rim cultures The personal interaction with the various ethnic groups that make up the Hawai‘i population created meaningful lifelong memories
As we look to the next 50 years, what hopes or visions do you carry for the future of HI-ACDA and its place within the larger ACDA community?
What is most lacking in our state school system is a required music education program provided to all our public schools. Indeed there are bright spots in several areas but the overall lack of standard choral education opportunities is very sad to me. The Hawai‘i ACDA chapter has made numerous efforts to increase the number of music teacher positions and has continued to encourage our state legislators and school principals to support a music curriculum and choral programs being made available in every school. My hope is to see our choral community grow and provide an ACDA member present in every Hawai‘i school to serve as a resource to their school community
What reflections or words of wisdom would you offer to our Western Region members as we celebrate this milestone together?
When I see and encounter former students out and about in my community, I often ask them if they are still singing. To my great joy many say yes, and then often relay some memory of our concerts, tours and times together. This affirms my motto that in addition to our music teaching, we are in the business of making memories, meaningful connections and lifelong skills And above all else: BE KIND TO YOUR SINGERS, THEY WILL SING BETTER!
Closing
As we celebrate this 50th anniversary milestone, Ms. Wanda Gereben’s reflections not only offer a look back, they call us to carry forward the values that have sustained our choral community across generations Through her work, and the work of so many others, HI-ACDA continues to build a future grounded in connection, creativity, and care for our singers Her legacy continues to inspire the next generation of choral leaders throughout Hawai‘i and across the Western Region
Wanda Gereben has served the choral and music education community in Hawai‘i for over five decades. She was Chair of the Music Department at St. Andrew’s Priory for 25 years where she developed a comprehensive K–12 curriculum encompassing choral, band, orchestra, and general music A founding member of the Hawai‘i Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association in 1975, she has served twice as State President and has been Treasurer since 2007. She served on the ACDA’s National Standing Committee on Children’s Choruses. Ms. Gereben founded the Hawai‘i Children’s Chorus, directed the Honolulu Chorale, and established the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival. She has published arrangements with Hal Leonard and has held leadership roles with numerous organizations supporting the performing arts Her work continues to shape the choral landscape of Hawai‘i and beyond
Made in Hong Kong: A Comprehensive Guide to Exploring Choral Music from Hong Kong
BY ELAINE KONG
Skyscrapers Bustling traffic Double-decker buses Fast-paced pedestrians. Ferries are crossing the scenic harbor Delicious fragrance of freshly baked buns and tarts You are walking down the streets of one of the world’s most dazzling travel destinations – Hong Kong. Growing up in this city, I have always known that there is something special about this place. The city’s colonial history left us a legacy of a fusion culture as one of Asia’s busiest trading hubs: almost everyone is bilingual if not trilingual; unique cuisine and street food combines the flavours of the West and East; and even celebrities bringing cultural exports like martial arts to Hollywood screens (salute to Bruce Lee and Jacky Chan) I grew up with memories of my parents’ close friends traveling from other countries, praising this city as one of a kind Cultural exchange happens in every aspect of our lives as Hongkongers
When I came to California for college as a music major, I was enthusiastic about introducing myself as a “Hongkonger,” especially since my last name is also Kong – it has a nice ring to it. I was proud of my roots. However, I began to encounter questions from my friends of other ethnicities, like “What is your music?”, and I was unsure how to answer It was not until I was studying for my master’s degree at USC that I began to delve deeper into this question. Our choral music education was based on a Western model, focusing on repertoire, ensembles, and individual musicians from Europe There seems to be a gap that has yet to be filled.
What is the music of Hong Kong, the sound of “East meets West?”
Brief History: Origins of choral music traced British colonial rule in 1841.
To answer this question, we first need to look back: Hong Kong, which means “the fragrant harbor,” was only a tiny village located in Southern China until the British claimed it as their colony in 1841.
The British claimed this developing fishing village to be part of their empire on January 25, 1841. The domain of the colony eventually expanded to the present territory when the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories were acquired in 1860 and 1898 respectively As the British settlers moved to this newly occupied region in the late 1800s, the Protestant and Catholic missionaries organized choirs for their respective churches and schools The Protestant missionaries translated Western hymns into Cantonese, Teochew, and Hakka (the other two mainstream spoken languages in the southern China region) as part of the effort to evangelize to the locals. Although the records indicated choral activities began as soon as the colonial era started, choral music was mostly only a part of the everyday life of the British, Europeans, and the elite class of Chinese, instead of the general Chinese population who made up over 90% of the population Cantonese opera was the popular vocal music among the locals in the late 1800s to early 1900s It was a foreign music genre to the British ears, to which Alfred Weatherhead, a British Government clerk serving between 1856 and 1859, commented as “most monotonous, dreary and inexplicable noises. The whole matter of Chinese music, to Western ears and notions, is a perfect mystery ” The colonial mindset firmly dismissed cultures they did not understand
To educate the locals about Western music, the British attempted to build a music curriculum in schools The British government imported its education system and set up English-speaking schools in Hong Kong as more settlers came. However, there were not enough students enrolled in these schools, hence there was not enough reason to set up music-related resources such as music rooms and purchase instruments. The primary goal of the education system under colonial rule was to raise a generation of Hongkongers to assist with British rule The English language was the most important subject, as it determined an individual’s ability to communicate with British authorities The cultural aspects of education,
JohnM Carroll AConciseHistoryofHongKong(HongKong:HongKongUniversityPress 2007) 1 Carroll,AConciseHistoryofHongKong 1 YeeYanMichelleKwok,“CantoneseChoralWorks:Development,LearningDictionwithJyutping,and PerformanceSuggestions”(Doctoraldissertation,IndianaUniversity,2025) 6 Ching-chihLiu劉靖之,Xianggangyinyueshilun:wenhuazhengce,yinyuejiaoyu
育 [HongKongMusicHistory:CulturalPolicy,MusicEducation] HongKong:CommercialPress(Hong Kong),2014 186 AlfredWeatherhead,LifeinHongKong1856-1859(HongKong:UniversityofHongKong,1972) 29-31 Liu,Xianggangyinyueshilun,189
HONG KONG VICTORIA HARBOR
such as music and art, did not matter as it does not affect the students’ ability to learn English Thus, the resources for music were mainly limited to singing
1 QUEEN’S COLLEGE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL) WAS FOUNDED IN 1862 IT WAS THE FIRST GOVERNMENT SCHOOL ESTABLISHED BY THE BRITISH-HONG KONG GOVERNMENT 8
Fast forward to the Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, choral activities started catching the ChineseHongkongers' attention In 1939, the Wuhan Chorus, led by Xia Zhiqiu (夏之秋), performed in Hong Kong. Their patriotic performance sparked interest in singing amongst the Chinese population in the city. The Chorus sang mainly in four-part harmony, which influenced the new choirs in Hong Kong at that time to follow this artistic trend. Soon choral music became part of the mainstream music of the Chinese population in Hong Kong As more local Chinese choirs were formed, the increasing interest accelerated the development of vocal music Numerous fundraising concerts were held as part of the anti-Japanese movement effort, and choristers from all walks of life participated in these performances. Unfortunately, the rapidly growing enthusiasm was quenched when the Japanese eventually invaded Hong Kong in 1941.
(1945-1970s) Post-war Hong Kong: Colonial rule continued, seeds of music are sown.
After three years and eight months of Japanese occupation, the British resumed governance in Hong Kong as Japan surrendered on August 15th, 1945 In the post-war era, two main organizations contributed greatly to the development of music education in Hong Kong in 1949: The Hong Kong Schools Music and Speech Association (HKSMSA) and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Examinations (ABRSM). The former began hosting annual music festivals in 1949, where students from different schools competed in solo or ensemble competitions Among all competition
categories, the standards of piano, violin, and choral performances of the participants often receive particularly high acclaim from the adjudicating panel The ABRSM provided a syllabus of music performance and theory exams structured into different levels, helping students to demonstrate their musical aptitude and skills systematically. Both platforms encouraged the development of music education among the schools and were the driving forces of nurturing generations of local musicians to come
To trace back the reason for the increasingly vibrant choral culture the city has now, it is worthwhile to mention the establishment of the Hong Kong Children’s Choir (HKCC), founded in 1969 by Dr Wai-Hong Yip (1930-2024). Regarded as the “Father of Children’s Choir,” or “Grandpa Yip,” as his students would endearingly call him, Dr. Yip dedicated himself to music education by creating this platform for children to receive an all-rounded musical training through choral singing. Among his pupils were concert pianists, violinists, and even internationally acclaimed conductors – one of whom is his daughter, Ms Wing-sie Yip, who is now the Music Director Emeritus of the Hong Kong Sinfonetta as well as
Liu,Xianggangyinyueshilun,200
JosiahNg 12oftheOldestSchoolsinHongKong TimeOutHongKong November4 2018 https://wwwtimeoutcom/hong-kong/things-to-do/12-of-the-oldest-schools-in-hong-kong Ng,“12oftheOldestSchoolsinHongKong,”2018 KoiHinSamuelKwok, ThelifeandchoralworksoftheHongKongcomposerLinSheng-shih(1914-1991) (Doctoraldissertation,TheUniversityofIowa,2018) 8 Liu,Xianggangyinyueshilun,196 HouYue 候越 andChenMingzhi 陳明志,Xianggangshengyuefazhangailun ⾹港聲樂發展概論 [Introduction toHongKongVocalDevelopment] HongKong:Yuetongmeng 樂同盟 2004 10-13 HKSMSAHistory,”HongKongSchoolsMusicandSpeechAssociation,accessedJuly20,2025, https://wwwhksmsaorghk/en/about-hksmsa/hksmsa-history/ Ibid Kwok,“CantoneseChoralWorks”10 Wing-MeiChan,“Yehuikang:yongaiyuyinyuexianshenxiayidai 葉惠康: ⽤愛與⾳樂獻⾝下 代 [Wai-HongYip: InheritingLoveandMusictotheNextGeneration],”WonderfulGrace 奇妙恩典,September21,2021, https://webarchiveorg/web/20210921003821/http://wwwgratefulheartorg/WonderfulGrace/contentphp?article=2230 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
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IMAGE 2 BELILIOS PUBLIC SCHOOL (FORMERLY KNOWN AS CENTRAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS) WAS THE ALL-GIRLS’ COUNTERPART OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE FOUNDED IN 1890, IT WAS THE FIRST BILINGUAL SCHOOL IN HONG KONG 9
a former Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra The vigorous training of the children’s choir gained international recognition and was invited to Singapore and Malaysia as their first overseas tour in 1972. Since then, the choir has toured to countries in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, giving performances as the flagship children’s choir of Hong Kong. With over 5,000 members, the HKCC is currently one of the largest children’s choirs in the world Now an internationally recognized ensemble, under the direction of Ms Kathy Fok, the HKCC served as an Ambassador of the International Federation of Choral Music (IFCM) between 2013 and 2015
The Beginning of a Golden Era: The current choral scene in Hong Kong and beyond
The success of HKCC inspired the development of other children’s choirs in different districts across Hong Kong, and paved the way for other choirs to blossom. The benefits of music education in children’s development were becoming evident More schools began to invest resources into their music programs Higher education institutes in Hong Kong also created music departments starting in the 1960s Between the 70s and the 80s, the British-Hong Kong government invested significantly in the cultural sector of Hong Kong by creating organizations, such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival (1973), and built recreational infrastructures mainly for concert purposes. The musical atmosphere in the city was enriching Below are the categories of choirs that are mainstream in Hong Kong I have divided them into four categories: (1) school choirs, (2) university choirs, (3) community choirs (choirs made up of mainly amateur singers), and (4) semi-professional choirs. The following lists highlight some of the highly achieving choirs in Hong Kong, arranged in chronological order according to the founding year of the organizations.
YipWing-Sie HKAPA accessedJuly20 2025 https://wwwhkapaedu/honorary-awardee/fellow/yip-wingsie 1 Unknown,“MingshiDuitan–Yeyongshi‘yue’guojie 名⼠對談 – 葉詠詩「樂」過界 [Interviewwiththe Famous:Wing-SieYip“Crossing”theBoundary],”SingtaoDaily,March20,2016, https://hknewsyahoocom/%E5%90%8D%E5%A3%AB%E5%B0%8D%E8%AB%87%E8%91%89%E8%A9%A0%E8%A9%A9-%E6%A8%82-%E9%81%8E%E7%95%8C-215524283html? guccounter=1&guce referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly96aC53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnLw&guce referrer sig=AQAAAAc3w a 6Z mWKatobBpy8g6zqEj0gAanA0GgN7MpfBPOpuX-JNSy6xS35aKwvGs3FCFpyXoyqSMn6m yCrYdp AyGxLeNeND7ZrDoy3 8BBz5N2EldhNYFtXZbQUWS9IsZwmggoqc FM7ukgOtshRYTdJavFwUlAN6LokaDMcMU Kwok CantoneseChoralWorks 15 “Overview,”Xianggangertonghechangtuan ⾹港兒童合唱團 (HongKongChildren’sChoir),accessedJuly20, 2025 https://wwwhkcchoirorghk/en/overview Overview,HongKongChildren’sChoir Kwok,“CantoneseChoralWorks”15 “AboutUs:CUHKMusic”DepartmentofMusic-TheChineseUniversityofHongKong accessedJuly20 2025,https://wwwartscuhkeduhk/ music/department-of-music Kwok “CantoneseChoralWorks”13
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Our International Talents: Some of the names you may be familiar with are “Made in Hong Kong”
Now you have an idea of what choirs to listen to in your next search or visit to an international choir festival. While those choirs may be foreign to you, the names I am about to mention may ring a bell.
Most of the sources I read about the history of Hong Kong music development mentioned the “lack-ofs” – lack of resources, knowledge, attention, institutions, etc Yet, we have a new generation of internationally acclaimed musicians emerging, garnering applause from one international stage to another For a small city like ours, the number of talents produced here is quite striking compared to those in surrounding countries.
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This is only a small list of talented musicians with roots in Hong Kong As I am drafting this article, the most recent news about Hong Kongers making a mark in the international music scene is that Hong Kongborn pianist Aristo Sham won the Gold Medal at the renowned Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. All of these are to exhibit the extraordinary musical talents this city has to offer to the world.
An intriguing common thread among the musicians mentioned is that most of them had extensive choral training as their stepping stone Elim Chan mentioned that the children’s chorus training she received in her adolescence was one of the cornerstones of her musical journey to become a conductor. Both Jenny Wong and Jaco Wong hold degrees in Choral Conducting as part of their conductor training. This further proves that the choral training in Hong Kong has served as a greenhouse for nurturing the next generation of musical talents
The choral repertoire output in English or Latin is rather limited as of now The other language that most Hong Kong composers would write in is Mandarin Individual composers may have some works in English and/or Latin in their catalogues, and are accessible on their websites.
Guide to Choral Works from Hong Kong: Now I've got you interested!
Here are the features of choral music from Hong Kong:
1. Most of the choral works from Hong Kong are in Cantonese. Cantonese is the most spoken Chinese dialect in the city Around 94% of the people who live in Hong Kong use Cantonese as their everyday language. It is the oral language widely spoken in the southern China region, such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In writing, it shares the same written system as Mandarin, except the characters used in Hong Kong are generally Traditional Characters (also used in Taiwan and Macau) instead of the Simplified Characters (also used in mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia) Cantonese is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn It is a tonal language that consists of six or nine tones, depending on which romanization system (e g , IPA, Yale, Jyutping), on three pitch levels (high, mid, and low). Each syllable is formed by an initial and a final. It may seem daunting to learn to sing in this language, but since it is such a melodious language, most composers took care of the tones for you in the melodies they wrote The seemingly complex syllables sometimes make the language more rhythmic than one imagines The marriage between the two main linguistic features of Cantonese makes it an extraordinary language to sing
2. Our composers are very much alive and accessible! The Renaissance of Hong Kong choral compositions began in the 2000s when there was a sudden surge of output by locally born composers Dr Kai-Young Chan, a composition professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), created a database of Cantonese choral compositions to record as much Cantonese choral repertoire as possible. The Hong Kong Virtuoso Chorus has commissioned local composers annually since 2022 as part of the effort to encourage creatives across the city to contribute their music to the ever-growing choral tapestry. Some other notable publishers are the Hong Kong Children’s Choir, publishing primarily treble voice (Soprano-Alto/Two-to-Three-Part) works; and the Chinese University Chorus (CU Chorus), publishing mainly SATB choral compositions with some SopranoAlto or Tenor-Bass repertoire in the catalogue Apart from these domains, composers tend to sell their works individually through their websites. In my personal experience, they are all ready to chat about their music to interested parties! I have selected 5 composers with their works available on their websites.
RTHK “TheWorks：SaiKungHoiArtsFestival,JapanesePrints@HKUMAG&InterviewwithConductor ElimChan,”YouTube,December5,2024,https://wwwyoutubecom/watch? v dcaHWtluzgM&ab channel RTHK%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E9%9B%BB%E5%8F%B0 “HongKong-BornOrchestraConductorDefiesStereotypes,”YouTube,December8,2024, https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v Xk764 Ry87k&ab channel SouthChinaMorningPost Ming-HonHsu 許名翰, “Lunyueyuzaixianggangfaluzhongdediwei 論粵語在⾹港法律中的地位 (Discussionof theLegalStatusofCantoneseintheLawofHongKong)”CurrentResearchinChineseLinguistics102 no 1 (January2023),https://doiorg/1029499/CrCL202301 102(1)0008 113 1 “IntroductiontoChineseCharacters”BridgingE-learningPutonghuaSchemeforNon-ChineseSpeaking StudentsinHongKong(BEPTH),TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity,2025, https://wwwpolyueduhk/bepth/introduction-to-chinese-characters/?sc lang=en Kwok “CantoneseChoralWorks”33 Kwok,“CantoneseChoralWorks”27 “CantoChoralDatabase 廣東話合唱資
,”DecodingCantoneseCreativity
,accessed July20 2025 https://wwwcantonesecompositioncom/canto-choraldatabase2429126481354412151221809360392600924235html “CommissionedWorks&Premieres,”HongKongInter-SchoolChoralFestival ⾹港校際合
accessedJuly20 2025 https://hkicfcom/
Kai-Young
Chan
Seeking Searching 聲聲慢 (2015/2023)
Cantonese
SATB divisi
The text is a poem from the Song Dynasty (A D 9601279) by Li Qingzhao (李清照), one of the few female poets of the time. This sorrowful, uneasy yet sonorous piece describes the unbearable loneliness of being displaced from home and losing a spouse. This work is also recorded in “Constraints / Creativity: Cantonese
Choral Works by Kai-Young Chan” Streaming is available on all major streaming platforms Full catalogue is available at https://www chankaiyoung com/
Psalm 23 詩篇23 (2015, 2019)
Cantonese
SSA, piano (2015); SATB, organ (2019)
A very familiar Biblical text, but sung in the beautiful Cantonese language. Chan’s interpretation of Psalm 23 fuses the Western lyricism and Chinese pentatonic sound together, making this a great place to start for any choir that would like to try their hands at Cantonese for the first time.
The World is but a Dream 西江⽉ 世事 場⼤夢(2019)
English
SATB
Performed by Choral Arts Initiative & Brandon Elliot
This is another text from the Song Dynasty Written by the famous poet, Su Shi ( 蘇 軾 ), Chan translated the melancholic Chinese text into English. The canonic imitations of each voice come in one by one until it becomes a poly-tempo chaos –“ as if the real world and the dream worlds are unfolding in different timelines.” 60
Steve Ho
Love is Patient (1998)
English
SATB
A lyrical, expressive interpretation of the familiar Biblical text from 1 Corinthians 13.
Jasmine 茉莉花 (2010)
Mandarin
SSA/SATB, piano
A pop-jazzy take on the well-known Chinese folk song, this piece is a fusion rendition of the Western and Chinese musical traditions. Based on the traditional Chinese folksong “Molihua” (Jasmine flower).
Street Maze of Hong Kong ⾹港街道謎宮 (1994)
Cantonese
SSSAA
Featuring the names of different corners of Hong Kong, Ho explored using the fugue form to depict the maze-like streets in the city Full catalogue is available at https://stevehomusic.sellfy.store/.
In One Accord 只有和聲 (2001)
Cantonese
SSA/SATB, piano
With the original text by the composer, this gorgeous piece speaks of the sincere wish to unite nations and peoples with only harmony, musically and metaphorically. Performed by Azusa Pacific University (APU) Chamber Singers in 2019
Yik-Long Lau
Alleluia (2020, rev. 2021)
Latin
SATB
A lively sacred anthem with irregular meters interchanging throughout the piece Full catalogue is available at https://www lauyiklongmusic com/
Te Deum (2022)
Latin
SATB divisi, organ
This is a 10-minute sacred proclamation that is filled with colorful harmony. A perfect example of the Anglican influences in the sacred music sector in Hong Kong.
The Night Watch ⻑夜星光
Cantonese
SATB, organ, chamber orchestra
Christmas-themed Cantonese choral work with chamber orchestra. Suitable for Christmas Eve services. Premiered by St. John’s Cathedral Choir, Hong Kong at the Midnight Mass of Nativity 2024.
Alex Tam
Plum Blossom 剪梅 (2011) Mandarin SSAA/TTBB, piano
An interpretation of another poem by the Song Dynasty poet Li Qingzhao The two different voicings describe a different perspective of one ’ s love and thoughts of a beloved spouse. These works can be purchased at CU Chorus website https://www.cuchorus.org.hk/.
The Correct Pronunciation of Bach (2015) English SSA, piano
This original composition is a fun and educational way to introduce the musical giant Bach to children. Commissioned by HK SingFest for the BACH330 celebration in 2015.
No Woundless World 沒有沒有傷⼝的宇宙 (2018, 2022) Cantonese
SSA (2018) /SATB (2022), piano
A heartfelt piece about friendship and perseverance. SSA version commissioned by Marymount Secondary School Choir (HK). SATB version commissioned by CU Chorus.
Austin Yip
Cik Cuk Ding Ding ⼻亍叮叮 (2014) Cantonese
This rhythmically challenging piece describes the scenery of Hong Kong Island Full catalogue is available at https://austinyip com/
Says Yasi 也斯說 (2018) Cantonese
Based on the texts by the renowned Hong Kong author Leung Ping-Kwan (pen name: Yesi), this threemovement choral work highlights the everyday life of living in Hong Kong.
Black ⿊ (2019) Cantonese
By employing the rhythmic sound of “black” in Cantonese (“hak”), this piece addresses the damage humans have done to nature Commissioned by HKCC for the Hong Kong Choral Conducting Competition and Choral Summit in 2019
3. IPA may not be so helpful for you to learn the Cantonese pronunciation, but Jyutping is! In my senior year of college, I had the opportunity to prepare the advanced choir I sang with a Cantonese work for our Hong Kong & China tour. The composer, Dr. Steve Ho, generously prepared a score with Cantonese transliteration for us, but it was not a standardized romanization of the language despite the effort. Given that this choir was very well-versed in IPA, I transcribed each character to IPA for my fellow singers and the conductor The result was phenomenal – Dr Ho was in attendance at the concert we gave in Hong Kong and was marveled at the choir’s pristine pronunciation However, as the transcriber, I found it difficult to capture all the sounds in the language with the IPA symbols that are familiar to general learners. Even with the IPA, the choir still found it difficult to get the right pronunciation without the intensive and constant language coaching (a.k.a. drilling) from me and another native speaker member In other words, IPA may not be the best tool to make Cantonese accessible to the wider choral community
This is a simple comparison of IPA and Jyutping. Jyutping (literal translation: “Cantonese phonics”) is a romanization system that is gaining recognition for its accessibility and linguistic accuracy. This is a system that standardized the initials, vowels, and coda (ending consonants) with numbers to indicate the tone of each character There are certain sounds in the language that are not common in the pan-European languages, which the IPA might complicate the user ’ s understanding Jyutping simplifies these issues into Roman letters that would be phonetically sensible to Cantonese learners. With the right language-learning tool, performing Cantonese choral works would be less of a mission impossible but more of a rewarding challenge to take on.
Conclusion: Why does all of this matter to you?
Although “Hong Kong” has been a word in the English language that insinuates somewhere oriental, foreign, “Far East,” the from this city has more in common with the Western musical traditions than you think. Apart from the language, the notation, tonality, and harmony, most of the musical elements are influenced by the European foundations. Along with the increasing attention to the choral repertoire from other Asian countries, I hope this article can offer you a glimpse of the music from this tiny city for your library 61
6Kwok,“CantoneseChoralWorks”26 1
Additionally, be on the lookout for the talents from Hong Kong! Our choirs’ pursuit of excellence in terms of performance earns us a spot on the international stages These choirs are often the nurturing soil for leaders in the music industry, not only for the local scene, but they are also gaining wider recognition as they seek platforms beyond the borders. The new generation of Hong Kong music professionals is making profound impacts with major ensembles around the world – they are surely a force to be reckoned with Last, representation matters In recent decades, there have been several migration waves of people moving out of the city to find new lives in different countries North America has been one of the hotspots that Hongkongers chose as a settlement due to the large Hongkong-Chinese communities in some major cities, such as San Francisco and New York City in the US, as well as Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. The descendants of these Hong Kong immigrants may be minorities in their classrooms, schools, or communities I was once an international student studying abroad in Los Angeles for years, and nothing brought me more joy than knowing that someone who shares my roots is making animpact, even though we are far from home The opportunity to share the music that I love and the language I speak with my fellow choir members was a memory that would last a lifetime. Some of my fellow conductors share the same vision. They have also been programming Cantonese choral works in their concerts or when hosting workshops, while the others are touring with their choir from Hong Kong to festivals and conferences with an all-Cantonese program
I hope this article will serve as a starting point for the public's interest in choral music from Hong Kong
As an aspiring choral musician who has benefited from the generosity of all the Californian mentors and friends I have met during my time studying in Los Angeles, my wish is to give back to the community by celebrating diversity, the very reason I felt included when I was far from home. To do so, I would love to share the music from my home with you as an effort to build bridges in a time when division, hatred, and separatism seem to have taken the upper hand Music is, and will always be, the answer to our differences
A native of Hong Kong, Elaine Kong is a conductor, singer, and music educator Outside of Hong Kong, she has performed on international stages in China, Italy, Taiwan, and the US She has conducted multiple ensembles spanning from primary school to university choruses. As an active choral musician in Hong Kong, she has performed with SingFest and Fluente Chorus. Currently, she is serving as the conductor of the Hong Kong Pui Ching Middle School Choir and the Hong Kong Inter-School Choir (Junior Secondary)
Additionally, Elaine is dedicated to promoting choral music from Hong Kong to the international community She directed non-Chinese speaking choirs to perform choral works in Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese. She has also been invited to contribute to publications by GIA Publications, Inc., and the American Choral Directors Association (Western) on choral music and composers from Hong Kong.
Elaine graduated with a Master’s Degree of Music in Choral Music from University of Southern California Thornton School of Music under the tutelage of Dr Cristian Grases, Dr Tram Sparks, Dr Lucinda Carver, and Prof Sharon Lavery She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Azusa Pacific University (California, USA) under the direction of Ms. Angela Balsi.
