A Message from WACDA President Michael Short

Hello fellow ACDA Members,

Thank you, Lou, for creating a way for our art! Over the last two years Lou De La Rosa has done an amazing job of communicating with and advocating for all of us! Thank you, Lou, for creating a way for our art to function in the midst of a devastating couple of years.

This year’s conference, the first since “The Shutdown” , was under the leadership of Lou De La

Rosa, Dr. Cari Earnhart, and Dr. Scot Hanna-Weir

and it was a great success. The conference brought us back to a place where we had a chance to get reacquainted with our friends and colleagues and meet new fellow choral directors from all over the Western region and beyond. We saw performances and were inspired by our colleagues who not only created amazing music but did it under the most stressful of conditions! YOU ARE AMAZING!

Thousands of volunteer hours were given by all the members of the Western Region Board and Conference committee. Your efforts were and are life changing for all of us in ACDA. The leadership didn’t just tell people to do things but got down and dirty moving chairs, risers, choral shells, and students. The hundreds /thousands of hours that people in leadership of our conferences, honor choir chairs and site chairs along with the amazing work of our performing ensembles are the real “torch bearers” of choral music in our region.

This organization, ACDA, has been a gateway for most of us to understand the impact that our profession has on the world. The friendships forged, the inspiration of the performances given and the learning from interest and reading sessions give us all the zing we need for the rest of the year! Without the encouragement, example, and support of my ACDA

First, thank you for trusting me to guide our organization for the next two years. It has been an honor to work with the amazing board members and volunteers over the last many years! Over the last two years Lou De La Rosa has done an amazing job of communicating with and advocating for all of us! family I could not have accomplished what I have in my career.

They have pushed, pulled and dragged me along the way. They have taught me that we are all in the same business - not just creating beautiful music and training musicians in the skills that lead to amazing music - but we are here to create amazing people - students who start to understand who they are and the great abilities they have.

We teach them to:

Have confidence in themselves Work as a team Listen Expand their horizons Be responsible Take direction without offense Be independent Conquer fear Do what they love Express themselves Respect everyone - even those they don’t agree with (adults still have that problem) Understand a culture or belief other than your own

This is the short list. Feel free to send me your thoughts.

In other words, we use music to teach students how to be a creative, kind and loving human being.

*Disclaimer: As a high school teacher, I know that most of my students are not going to be professional musicians. It will not be their vocation, but I hope and pray that it is their avocation.

To our Collegiate friends - your goals are the same, but the musical goals are much higher. You are teaching the tools of our trade, creating the amazing and talented future of our profession. You are training the people that will step into a classroom to shape the lives of our young people or onto the stages of the world that will inspire us for years to come.

We are all dependent on one another to continue the legacy that has been handed to us. Please remember, this profession is not only about us today, but the future generations to come. We have a great responsibility to all our singers young or old.

Over the next few years, I hope we can help each other rebuild our programs after the devastating last couple of years. All of our singers and programs have been touched. I would also like to concentrate on rebuilding relationships with all our choral community, allowing all of us to reach out, understand and accept each other and grow together musically. I am excited that with the great leadership in our region we will continue to build up and grow our membership and our music!

Attending ACDA National this school year in Cincinnati, Ohio, could be a life changing experience for all of us! Don’t miss the opportunity that could be THE MOMENT that you finally understand why you are a choral director!

Our Western Region ACDA conference for 2024 will be here before you know it. So it is time for you to tell us what you would like to see in/at the conference. It is a place for us to learn and have mountain high experiences. Please send your suggestions and comments to president@acdawestern.org. I really do want to hear what you have to say! Have an inspiring and productive year!! Michael Short

Michael Short is the current president of Western Region ACDA. For the last 43 years Michael has directed choirs from elementary, middle, high school, community college and adult community and church. He is currently the choral director and department chairman at Orange High School, founder/director of the Orange Community Master Chorale, president of the Greater Orange Community Arts Theater Foundation (GOCAT) and director of music for the First United Methodist Church all in the city of Orange, California. Michael has been married to Vicki for 40 years and they have two grown children and three very cute and smart grandchildren.

Holiday/Winter Repertoire

Head over to the WACDA website using the QR code below for repertoire suggestions curated by Saunder Choi! Featured arrangers and composers include Carlos Cordero, Michael Gilbertson, David Saldaña, and Lim Han Quan.