A Message from the President-Elect

Friends,

As another academic year is underway, I send out my heartfelt wishes for a year of growth, of beautiful music making, of changing lives through music, (be it your singers, your compositions or the people who are blessed to hear them), and most of all I send you peace. Be kind to yourself as you navigate a time that no one has had to work through in our lifetime! This year is the beginning of a new awareness for the world. Thank you all for the work you are doing to elevate the choral art in our recovering world!

Ten years into teaching secondary choral music (and Spanish, and coaching volleyball, and more), some friends encouraged me to look into ACDA's educational resources. Little did I know that joining this organization would open doors to amazing choral experiences, friends, and colleagues. At my first National ACDA, I watched high-caliber performances (Robert Shaw conducted, Henry Leck’s Indianapolis Children’s Choir brought me to tears, and a session by Charlotte Adams opened my eyes, ears and mind to new ways of approaching sound and beauty in my ensembles) that rocked my world and my vision so deeply as an educator. I also came away with an awareness of who I was not, how much I didn’t know, how much better everyone else was than me, and how much I needed to learn if I were to continue as a choral music educator.

Our insecurities and egos can get in the way of our learning. One lesson I learned was correcting the thought that I could not “approach” the ‘big guns’ . My inner voice asked, “Who are YOU to talk to Paul Salamunovich and ask him how to make up for your lost time as a choral educator?” Or Lynn Bielefelt, Jane Hardester, or Ron Staehli? I thought I was just a little blip on the screen of choral music education. One educator I asked for help was Maestro Salamunovich. He did not brush me off or send me to ask someone else; instead, he offered his time, thoughts, and encouraged me to continue asking colleagues for help. My fear of being ignored for not being an elite choral musician was diminished that day. From that day, I have allowed myself to be vulnerable, acknowledge my deficiencies, and to seek help. This mindset led me to have private conducting lessons with Lynn, join a UCI graduate conducting seminar with Joe Huszti, and spend a week learning from Rodney Eichenberger and Charlene Archibeque. I continue to learn from our incredible choral community and am so very excited to see such amazing, talented choral musicians sharing their expertise with all of us! I realize that we don’t all have the ability to leave our personal lives for a week due to financial considerations and familial obligations. HOWEVER, I do know that the conversations I have had with wonderful colleagues over the years saved my bacon, ESPECIALLY teaching during the pandemic. Being a part of ACDA has been instrumental in helping me navigate a 38-year career. I have sought out help and reached out when my ensembles needed something I had no idea how to give them. I brought these “choral elites” to my festivals as clinicians/adjudicators and was able to call them colleagues. At conferences and conventions, I spoke with them even if it was simply to thank them for their inspiration. I attended their concerts, rehearsals, helped with honor choirs that my students participated in, and always took away small things to incorporate into my rehearsals. My students enjoyed the camaraderie I had with other directors at our festival performances. We are teaching them about having treasured relationships, as well, aren’t we? Sometimes it is the only positive example of relationships some of them have.

And when California ACDA (CCDA) asked me to serve, I was overjoyed to spend time with people who gave so selflessly of their time and expertise for our choral family. I’ve had the honor of serving on more ACDA and SCVA board meetings than I can count since that day in the mid-1990’s when I joined ACDA. Individuals on these boards have incredible hearts for service and want to help you succeed! Have you reached out to any of your local or state board members? Are your students participating in the opportunities available in your area, state or region? Are you encouraging non-member colleagues to consider joining and sharing ways that you have been blessed by your membership? If not, it is time to open that door to more learning, to collegial camaraderie, to nurturing and growing your skill set AND to helping others expand theirs. This is “the way” of ACDA!

THIS, my friends, is the purpose of ACDA for me. I would be nowhere without all of the many colleagues who have encouraged and taught me and my singers over the years. I am humbled and honored to have been added to the Western Region ACDA presidential leadership team of Lou De La Rosa and Mike Short. Lou and his team performed one of the most miraculous comebacks in modern time in Long Beach at the Western Region Conference! What a joyful and beautiful way to begin our return to live choral performances and conferences! Mike, thank you for encouraging me to join ACDA and for the subsequent journey of service. Your heart for service is larger than anyone I know and I am honored to be a part of your 2024 Conference planning team in this new and wonderful opportunity for service!

I look forward to working with you to continue to gift

the world beautiful choral opportunities and experiences. Please reach out to us and your state boards - we are here for you! I offer a poem as you begin a new choral journey this fall: …. You are a child of the universe, No less than the trees and the stars; You have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, Whatever you conceive Him to be, And whatever your labors and aspirations, In the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. excerpt from "Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann ….

Wishing you peace and beautiful music making! Carpe diem, Julie Dana Julie is the President-Elect of WACDA. She has been dedicated to serving the choral education music community as a board member of the California Choral Directors Association (CCDA), as state conference chair for the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC), and as Conference Chair for 4 regional conferences. She is past President of CCDA and executive board member of the Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA). Julie lives in Fresno with her husband Mike, a jazz music educator. Both are recently retired from Fresno City College where they worked to foster an appreciation of the arts.

B I O A N D P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C A L C D A . O R G