TEXAS SINGS! VOLUME 28 NUMBER 2

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF TEXAS CHORAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

C O M E

T O

SPRING 2012

T H E

57th Annual Convention J U L Y 2 3 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 2 S A N A N T O N I O , T X TEXAS CHORAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

Address Service Requested Texas Choral Directors Association 7900 Centre Park Drive, Suite A Austin, TX 78754

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PA I D AUSTIN, TX PERMIT NO. 789

executive director notes so what else is new... I have so many wonderful things to share with you. Lots of changes are taking place to improve our Association. My first TCDA Convention in 2011 amazed me in so many ways, and I know your Board of Directors has planned another great Convention for 2012. The planning meetings have been nothing short of electric with all of the excitement over the many upcoming workshops and reading sessions. Considering the huge increase we have faced in convention center expense, as well as the overall rise in the cost of every detail of putting on our Convention, we want you to be aware that we have spent a great deal of time discussing how best to handle the financial realities. While there are some increases, we know the TCDA Convention is still the absolute best value in the nation. This year’s BBQ is definitely one you will not want to miss. The Grammy award-winning group Brave Combo will be entertaining us, and yes, there will dancing. You won’t be able to stay in your chair. And we have a new caterer who understands the importance of dessert! There will be a slight increase in the ticket price, but we’ll also offer a cheaper ticket for children 12 and younger. Honestly – where else can you get dinner and award-winning entertainment for only $20? TCDA will continue to offer child care for members at the cost of $25 per day, per child. We want to offer this service for those who need it even though most Associations have discontinued it due to cost. Here at the office in Austin, we are cutting costs significantly in order to keep membership and Convention fees as low as possible. By using more on-line services, we save on postage and printing. Choral Notes, TCDA’s on-line newsletter, has received very positive feedback and generates ad income for TCDA. It also allows us to stay in touch with you, while reducing the frequency of our print publication, Texas Sings! This will save us thousands of dollars. We are also working with students from the University of Texas College of Business in the redesign of the website and ongoing technical enhancements. We are obtaining bids and changing vendors for services provided to us, and by doing so have obtained better services at lower costs to TCDA. Our biggest change this year has been with the website and the membership renewal process. If you have not renewed your membership or registered for the Convention yet, you will find it rather easy at www.tcda.net on the home page under CHORAL DIRECTORS. Simply follow the instructions in Items 1 and 2. Call us at 512-474-2801 if you need assistance. I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to work with you. Please don’t be shy about letting me hear from you. Email me at Sharon@tcda.net, or call anytime.

Sharon Lutz TCDA Executive Director

TEXAS SINGS! Volume 28 Number 2 | Spring 2012

contents

officers

4 candidates

president

Jeff Rice, Waco

Read the bios of candidates for the TCDA Board of Directors.

past president

7 president’s page

college/community vp

A job well done.

9 convention schedule 12 pull-outs Pre-register for the Convention.

15 exhibitor page We appreciate you so much!

16 officer comments See what your Board of Directors is planning for you this July 23-26.

Amy Allibon, Fort Worth Pam Elrod, Dallas high school vp

Mark Rohwer, Flower Mound middle school vp

Kari Gilbertson, Richardson elementary vp

Phyllis King, Killeen church vp

Greg Shapley, Hurst secretary/treasurer

Karen Gonzalez, Rowlett executive director

Sharon Lutz, Austin editor/art director

Jeanne Kuhn

TCDA Members Online Watch your email for TCDA’s informative electronic newsletter – Choral Notes. It is filled with carefully selected articles and stories specifically related to choral music. Official Publication of the Texas Choral Directors Association 7900 Centre Park Drive, Suite A | Austin, TX 78754 | 512-474-2801

cover art Kristine Loubris

Copyright 2012 by Texas Choral Directors Association. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the Executive Director. TCDA is an affiliate of ACDA.

candidates

for the TCDA Board of Directors P R E S I D E N T

E L E C T

Betty Devine has had a long and joyful career making music. Her musical academic background includes a BM from Texas Tech, a MM from the University of Houston and a DMA from the University of Texas. Her teaching career began at Groves JH in Port Neches, continued at Houston’s Kinkaid School, and at Houston Community College, where she became Fine Arts Department head and developed an associate degree in vocational conducting specifically designed for church choir directors. During her teaching career, Betty received an international award for excellence in 1996, and is listed in Notable Women in Texas. Her church music career has included both Methodist and Presbyterian churches and has involved organizing and conducting numerous choral ensembles, concerts and tours. In 1985, Betty became music minister at Foundry UMC, where she was ordained in 1996, and now serves as worship pastor, conducting services for Foundry’s 5,000 member congregation. She has pit-conducted for church and community college musicals and was assistant conductor for the Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s annual operas for 10 years. In 1980, Betty formed a professional chorus, The Houston Chamber Singers. She founded and has been the conductor of the Houston Choral Society for 24 years, conducting all of the major requiems (except Berlioz), and major works, such as Carmina Burana. She has taken the Houston Choral Society on four international tours to Europe, where she has conducted in major cathedrals. Betty has served on TCDA’s Board as Church and Community VP, and on ACDA’s Southwest Division Board. She serves as a clinician and adjudicator and is listed in Who’s Who in International Music.

vote

Betty Devine Sharon Paul Billy Talley

Sharon Paul is in her 31st year of teaching choral music in Texas and currently in her 15th year as head choral director at Cypress Creek HS in the Cy-Fair ISD. The choirs of Cypress Creek have earned consistent UIL sweepstakes, outstanding performance awards at contests throughout the state, and performed in Florida, California, New York, and the Vatican. Prior to Cypress Creek, she taught in the Klein ISD at Wunderlich MS. Under her direction, the Wunderlich Advanced Girls were invited to perform for the 1990 TMEA Convention. Sharon has served TCDA, TMEA and TMAA in numerous capacities at the region and state levels. She was honored to have recently served TCDA as the High School Division VP, 2009-11. She also served TMAA as Vocal Division VP from 2005-08. Additionally, Sharon has served TMEA as All-State Treble Choir Organizer, All-State Mixed Section Leader, Region 27 Secretary 2006-11, Region 23 Vocal Division Chair, and Region 9 MS Vocal Division Chair. She has also served UIL as Sight-reading Committee Chair. Sharon is presently Secondary Choral Facilitator for Cypress Fairbanks ISD, and the Fine Arts Department Chair at Cypress Creek. Sharon was named to Who’s Who for America’s Teachers, 2005-06, and was honored as Spotlight Teacher of the Year from Cypress-Creek HS in 2001. She has also been nominated for Texas Teacher of the Year. Sharon holds a MM from Sam Houston State University and a BME from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

For complete bios, and “if elected . . .” statements, please go to our website www.TCDA.net.

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P R E S I D E N T

E L E C T (continued)

Billy Talley has served as choral director at Tascosa HS for twenty-eight years. He earned a BME and a MM from West Texas State University in Canyon, where he was mentored by Dr Hugh Sanders. Before coming to Tascosa, he taught at Dickinson HS and Pampa HS. His Tascosa HS choirs performed for the TMEA Convention in 1991, 1995, and 2002. His THS Women’s Choir performed for the 2009 National ACDA Convention in Oklahoma City. He has served as an adjudicator and clinician for UIL Contests, choral festivals, and region choirs in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Missouri. In 2010, Billy was selected to prepare and direct the Oklahoma All-State Women’s Choir. He has served in a number of capacities at the region and state levels, including Region Vocal Chair, Area Audition Chair, UIL Sightreading Committee, All-State Choir Section Leader, TMEA Region 1 President, and TMEA Facilities Team. He served as High School VP on the TCDA Board from 2007-09. Three times he has been named Teacher of the Year at Tascosa HS. In 2003, a readers’ poll for the Amarillo Globe-News selected him as the city’s Outstanding Teacher. He was the founding director of the Amarillo Boychoir. He has been Music Director at St Paul UMC for the past thirteen years.

candidates

for the TCDA Board of Directors C O L L E G E / C O M M U N I T Y

V P

Dr Vicki D Baker is Assistant Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Education at Texas Woman’s University. She received a PhD in Music Education from Texas Tech University and her MA from Texas Woman’s University. Prior to entering higher education, Vicki taught elementary and secondary choral music in Texas public schools for 13 years, receiving numerous teaching awards including Most Influential Educator and Teacher of the Year for her school district. During her 24 years of membership, Vicki has presented at annual TCDA Conventions, served on the Hospitality Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Ballot Committee, and has written articles for Texas Sings! She has also published research in the Journal of Music Teacher Education, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, ChorTeach, Texas Music Education Research, and Southwestern Musician. Vicki serves as a choral clinician and adjudicator and conducts choral workshops throughout Texas. Her choral works are published by BriLee Music, Shawnee Press, RBC, and Southern Music Company, and she composes music for the Texas University Interscholastic League Choral Sight Reading Contest.

vote

Vicki Baker Richard Bjella Randy Hooper

Richard Bjella became full professor and Director of Choral Studies at Texas Tech University in September, 2009. The highly acclaimed University Choir made its Carnegie performance debut on May 2, 2010, to rave reviews and were proud to sing at the 2012 TMEA Convention. Previous to 2009, he was the Director of Choral Studies at Lawrence University, Conservatory of Music. The Concert Choir most recently performed for the 2009 National ACDA Convention in Oklahoma City. Bjella has conducted outside the United States in Europe and Asia and has guest conducted over 350 festivals and workshops in 28 states. Last year he was honored to conduct the Arizona All-State, the All Northwest State MENC All-State (Seattle), and the Collegiate All-State Choir in Wisconsin. Richard has served as President of the Wisconsin CDA, has been a part of the CMP leadership team for Wisconsin Music Educators Association, and various state and regional leadership positions with ACDA and WMEA as well. In 2007, he was awarded the Lawrence Excellence in Teaching Award. This season Richard is conducting the National OAKE HS Choir in Arizona, and presenting workshops and guest conducting in Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, Washington, Texas, Colorado, and Connecticut.

For complete bios, and “if elected . . .” statements, please go to our website www.TCDA.net.

Spring 2012

5

C O L L E G E / C O M M U N I T Y

V P

(continued)

Dr Randall Hooper is the Director of Vocal Activities at Texas A&M University-Commerce. He conducts the University Chorale, Men’s Choir, University Singers and Chamber Singers while overseeing the master’s program in choral conducting and teaching undergraduate courses in conducting and music education. Randall earned a BME from Texas State University, a MM from Baylor University where he studied with Donald Bailey, and a DMA from LSU where he studied with Kenneth Fulton. Prior to his current position, Randall held similar positions at Tennessee Tech University, Georgia State University and, for eleven years, taught high school choral music at East Central HS in San Antonio, LBJ HS in Austin, and Garland HS. Choirs under Dr Hooper’s leadership have performed by invitation for SWACDA, Tennessee MEA, Georgia MEA and for the International Anthony Burgess Foundation Symposium in Liverpool, England along with touring Germany, Austria, England and France. His paper “The Choral Music of Anthony Burgess” was delivered at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation Symposium in Manchester, England and published in Anthony Burgess and Modernity. Randall is also actively involved with church music. He has served as the director of music for churches in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia. He is currently the Director of Music of Kavanaugh UMC in Greenville and conducts the Northeast Texas Girl’s Chorus, a community choir for girls in the 7th through 12th grades.

candidates

for the TCDA Board of Directors C H U R C H

V P

Stephen T Carrell is in his 20th year as Associate Pastor of Worship and Music for the 150-year-old First Baptist Church of San Antonio. His ministerial and musical pursuits have been committed to the teaching and equipping of children, youth and adults in the choral and vocal arts and to the unification and edification of the church through a shared language of multi-generational worship. He is a graduate of Baylor University where he earned BM and MM degrees. He has appeared as tenor soloist with the San Antonio Symphony in performances of Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Bach’s Cantata No. 172, and with the Austin Symphony in performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Stephen has appeared in “Three Tenors” concerts with the Boca Symphonic Pops in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is also the former Minister of Music with the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, where he was a featured conductor for the Florida Philharmonic and New World Symphonies. His youth and adult choirs have appeared in concert for Church Music Conferences at the local, state, and national levels. In July, 2007, his youth choir The Chapel Singers, performed for the “Alleluia” Conference hosted by the Center for Christian Music Studies at Baylor University, and they appeared for TCDA in 2009. In addition, the Chapel Singers tour nationally every summer. His adult choir, The Sanctuary Choir, and auditioned ensemble Chamber Singers have appeared in recent performances for TCDA within the Church and Community division. The Sanctuary Choir was also featured at the 2009 National Assembly for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Houston, and have been featured at Baylor University for the “Alleluia” Conference.

Candidates for TCDA Board of Directors continued on page 8. >

For complete bios, and “if elected . . .” statements, please go to our website www.TCDA.net.

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Spring 2012

president’s page a job well done by Jeff Rice It was my privilege to attend the Southwest American Choral Directors Association conference in Dallas in early March. As president of TCDA, I was there to represent the choral directors of Texas, but also, I enjoyed meeting new people while attending workshops, reading sessions, and concert performances. Congratulations to the many Texas groups and their conductors who represented us well with fantastic performances. A highlight was the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Chorus concert featuring the Berlioz Te Deum. They were joined by the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas. What a colossal work! Complete with full Romantic period orchestra, pipe organ, mixed chorus, and children’s chorus, the Meyerson was utilized to its potential. Thank you to Margie Camp, SWACDA President, and Stan McGill, SWACDA Conference Program Chair for a job well done! Please mark March 13-16, 2013 on your calendar, when ACDA will return to Dallas for the National Conference. Let’s represent our state with a strong presence at ACDA 2013. Best wishes to each of you who will be submitting applications for your choir to perform! We look forward to hearing from many Texas choirs and directors. We are blessed to be choral directors in Texas! Although there are many world class ensembles and institutions in the surrounding states, I am astonished at the number of high caliber choral programs and conductors in our state. The integral support we enjoy from organizations like TMEA and TCDA has provided stability in our music education programs for decades. Texas choral music programs are the envy of many of our colleagues across the nation. Let us never take for granted the privilege we have to live and work in a state where music education is highly valued! This summer we will all gather for the 57th Annual TCDA Convention and New Music Reading Clinic in San Antonio. If you have not done so, please take time this week to renew your TCDA membership and pre-register for the Convention. Go to www.tcda.net to get started. I would personally like to encourage you to invite your colleagues to attend the TCDA Convention this summer. Share with them the importance of the personal touch of attending workshops and reading sessions alongside colleagues. Seeing each other face to face, sharing ideas, reading new music, networking, learning new teaching methods/technologies, attending a refresher course, tried and proven repertoire, great performances, great BBQ memories...all will happen this summer at TCDA!

Spring 2012

I sincerely hope you will make TCDA a priority when making your summer plans. The TCDA Board has been working all year planning a fantastic Convention that is sure to be a winner. Names like Craig Hella Johnson, Z Randall Stroope, Cynthia Nott, Ken Medema, and Mary Goetze will, hopefully, attract our regular TCDA members, but also entice some new members to join our great Association. There will also be practical workshops for all divisions presented by many of our own TCDA members. These, along with performances by the TCDA Elementary Honor Choir, San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, and Project Eve, will inspire and recharge us to start a new school year. Please join us July 23-26 in San Antonio for a fantastic time together! Remember, the days are Monday-Thursday this year.

Texas choral music programs are the envy of many of our colleagues across the nation. Best wishes to all of you as the school year comes to an end. Hopefully, as we look back on the last nine months we will see a job well done. But...how do we know if we have done a good job? I suppose we could look at our teacher evaluations, or UIL ratings, or how many students made region or state. We could call the year a success if all our concerts went smoothly and our numbers look good for next year. Some may call it a good year if they still have job security for the coming year! These are all specific measurements that represent a tremendous amount of time and effort. If you have been successful at all of these then you have, mostly likely, done a good job this year! However, we all have other moments or experiences that let us know we have been successful. For me, one of these moments is directing my choir at graduation. All faces are looking intently at me knowing it is the last time this group will sing together. No words are spoken, only loving looks and bittersweet tears, knowing we have experienced something special together. We are part of a wonderfully rewarding profession that allows us to influence the lives of countless young people. We are a mentor to every child we teach. Continue to embrace that role and strive to leave a positive and lasting impression on each life you touch.

7

C H U R C H

V P

(continued)

Chris Crook serves as Minister of Music and Worship at the 6000-member St Andrew UMC of Plano. When he arrived at St Andrew in 1998, just after graduating from Baylor University, the church had 2800 members and around 150 people involved in its music ministry. Today, over 400 singers and instrumentalists rehearse and lead worship weekly. Nearly 100 students study piano, violin, guitar, voice, organ, flute, and viola in the St Andrew Academy of Music. Chris earned an undergraduate degree in church music from Mississippi College in Clinton. At Baylor, he studied with Donald Bailey and obtained a MM. While on a four-month sabbatical leave in 2009, Chris studied with Donald Neuen and Ronald Staheli, and remains involved in ongoing study with both of these professors. He has studied private voice with Madeline Sanders of Dallas for nearly 10 years. He maintains a small voice studio of his own. He is a current and founding advisory board member of the Center for Christian Music Studies at Baylor University. At St Andrew, his responsibilities include worship planning and directing the youth and adult choirs. The St Andrew youth choir has 75 members and tours annually across the country. The 100-member Chancel Choir has received recognition in North Texas and abroad. Members of the choir are currently preparing for a 2012 trip to Italy. They’ve sung in cathedrals across Europe, Carnegie Hall, the Meyerson Symphony Center and at the “Alleluia” Conference at Baylor University in 2009. The Chancel Choir performs major works annually with professional orchestra and community concert favorites such as A St Andrew Christmas and A Salute to America. Each year, the choir enjoys the experience of working with outstanding choral clinicians, and this year’s clinician is Ronald Staheli of Brigham Young University.

vote

Stephen Carrell Chris Crook Gary Mabry

Dr Gary Mabry has been serving as a worship leader and church choir director for 40 years. He is now in his 21st year on the music faculty of the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he teaches voice, conducting, and directs both the UTSA Women’s Choir and the UTSA Men’s Chorus. He has served ACDA as Women’s Choir Repertoire and Standards Chair and was a conducting mentor for the first edition of this student event at the ACDA Convention. He currently serves as Music Director at Travis Park UMC of San Antonio, serving as a site coordinator for the 2010 Convention worship service that featured the music of John Rutter. For two years he conducted the River City Ringers handbell ensemble. Gary served as Artistic Director and Conductor of the San Antonio Choral Society (1993-2006) that performed at the 2004 TCDA Convention. For several years he served as Chorus Master for the San Antonio Opera. He enjoys frequent engagements as a guest conductor and clinician for area middle school, high school and church choirs and conducted the Region XI SSA choir in November, 2011. A graduate of Abilene Christian University, Gary continues his involvement there as Conductor of ACU Alumni Chorus. He earned his MM from Hardin-Simmons University and received a DMA in 1987 from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Candidates for TCDA Board of Directors continued on page 10. >

For complete bios, and “if elected . . .” statements, please go to our website www.TCDA.net.

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Spring 2012

Texas Choral Directors Association

57th Annual Convention & New Music Reading Clinic • July 23 - 26, 2012 — San Antonio Tentative Schedule (Times and locations are subject to change)

Monday, July 23 9:30am 2:00-8:00pm 2:00-6:00pm 2:00-7:00pm 3:00-7:00pm 5:00-6:30pm 4:15-6:15pm 6:30-8:30pm

Golf Tournament, B Talley, Organizer Child Care Available Elementary Honor Choir Registration/Rehearsal/Sectionals Registration Open Exhibits Open College Student Welcome Meeting TMAA Vocal Workshop TCDA Soiree

7:00am-6:00pm 7:30am-9:00pm 8:00-11:00am 8:00-9:00am

Registration Open Child Care Available El Honor Choir Rehearsal/Techniques, C Nott ColCm — Conducting Masterclass, B Cook Weber Reading Session 1: Pop/Jazz, C Brown Reading Session 2: Sacred U/2-Pt, J Perales Exhibits Open HS – Being a 3A Director in a 5A World, B Green, M Matlock, J Sneed Ch — The Perfect Blend: Music for Worship Beyond the Traditional El — TBD, H Klossner Reading Session 3: MS/JH Boys, B Kerley Festival Chorus Rehearsal Reading Session 4: HS SATB, R Brockway-Nichols Reading Session 5: Unison/SA, K Boltz Flowers Festival Church Chorus Rehearsal MS/JH — Tried and Proven, Shirah, Moses, Barrick El Honor Choir Rehearsal/Techniques, C Nott Reading Session 6: HS/Coll, K Kenaston-French Ch — A Child Shall Lead Them, T Preskitt-Brown Reading Session 6: Advanced JH/HS Training, K Pope El — Classroom Collections, P Moreno ColCm — Hearing the call to be Artist/teacher, CH Johnson Ch — Empower the Youth, S Davis MS/JH – Girls! Can’t Teach with them; Can’t Teach without them!, J Price Performance: San Antonio Mastersingers, J Silantien Worship Service Featuring K Medema

The Quarry Rooms 209, 211 Room 214 Exhibit Hall C Exhibit Hall C Room 207 Room 213 A Marriott Riverwalk

Tuesday, July 24

9:00am-6:00pm 9:15-10:15am

10:00am-3:00pm 10:30-11:30 am 11:00am-4:00pm 12:30-1:30pm 12:30-4:00pm 12:30-1:30pm 1:45-2:45pm

3:00-4:00pm 4:15-5:15pm 7:00pm

Exhibit Hall C Rooms 209, 211 Room 214 Room 206 Ballroom C Room 217 Exhibit Hall C Room 205 Room 207 Room 206 Ballroom C First Baptist Church Sanctuary Ballroom C Room 217 First Baptist Church Sanctuary Room 217 Room 214 Ballroom C Room 207 Ballroom C Room 206 Room 217 Room 207 Room 217 Ballroom C First Baptist Church Sanctuary

Wednesday, July 25 7:30am-6:00pm 7:30am-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am 8:00-10:00am 9:00-4:00 9:15-10:15am

9:30am-3:15pm 10:30-11:30am 10:30-11:30am

Child Care Available Registration Open Reading Session 8: TMEA All-State Music, J Overstreet-Goode Reading Session 9: MS/JH Treble, K Ahrens El Honor Choir Rehearsal/Techniques, C Nott Exhibits Open ColCm — Choirs are from Mars; Orchestras are from Venus, M Bartley MS/JH — A Place in the Choir, C Horton El — Structure of Singing Schools in Hungary, L Duranik HS — Follow the Leaders, H Orr Ch – From Memory to Imagination, K Medema High School Student Day TMEA Region Meetings MS/JH Honor Choir Closed Rehearsal

Rooms 209, 211 Exhibit Hall C Ballroom C Room 217 Room 214 Exhibit Hall C Room 206 Room 217 Room 207 Room 217 Ballroom C Ballroom C3 various rooms Ballroom C

Please visit our website to see more! www.TCDA.net

Spring 2012

9

candidates

for the TCDA Board of Directors E L E M E N T A R Y

V P

James Green attended South Garland HS where he studied under the direction of Carroll Barnes until he graduated in 1982. From there, he attended Richland College and studied with Jim Henderson. Then on to Southwest Texas State, and finally East Texas State University where he studied with William Gorham. James has 25 years of teaching experience in elementary music having taught pre-kindergarten to 6th Grades. He currently teaches music and directs the Sewell Singing SeaHawks at Sewell El in Sachse. He has been named Teacher of the Month three times and was nominated for Teacher of the Year by the Sachse Chamber of Commerce. James has focused on ways to make teaching music more efficient through the use of technology. He has used computer programs to encourage reading skills through music to improve reading fluency, resulting in marked improvement in the musical skills of his students. He is currently the Webmaster for Sewell and provides technological assistance to the music teachers of Garland ISD. He has presented technology workshops at the district level, at TMEA, TCDA, and TAHPERD Summer Conference. James holds a BME from East Texas State University, a MA in Educational Administration from Texas A&M-Commerce, and a DME from the College of St Mary’s. He also holds both Kodaly and Orff Certifications.

vote

James Green Laura Rachita

Laura Rachita holds a BME from Baldwin-Wallace College and Conservatory outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and a MA in Counseling from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Throughout the past 19 years, she has been a classroom music teacher and choir director in grades PK-8, a private lesson instructor for flute and piccolo, as well as a counselor at the intermediate level. She has taught 8 years in Pasadena ISD and 7 years in Friendswood ISD, where she is currently the music teacher at Westwood El (grades K-3). During her tenure at Westwood, Laura has received the Teacher of the Year Award and the FISD Making a Difference Award. She also has served as mentor to 5 student teachers. Laura was privileged to present “Turn Your Recorder Woes into Recorder Whoas!” at the 2008 TMEA convention. Laura has been an active part of the music ministry at Friendswood UMC since 1995, as a Youth Choir director, Children’s Choir director and accompanist, member of the Festival Orchestra, and singer with the Contemporary Praise Band. She has also been Orchestra & Vocal Director for several United Players Community Theatre Productions, including Sound of Music, Hello Dolly! & Annie! Laura is humbled by the fact that she has the opportunity to make a difference in over 700 children’s lives during a week. Character Education is a driving force of the atmosphere in her classroom, as she integrates the Capturing Kids Hearts model of classroom management. In 2009, Laura was part of a team from FISD to present at the 16th Annual National Forum on Character Education in Washington, DC. Providing leadership opportunities for all students (yes, even K) is a priority in the planning of her lessons. She enjoys looking at her curriculum as a 4-year program with an ultimate goal of “What do I want them to know by the time they leave 3rd grade?” She is the proud director of the Westwood 3rd Grade Treble Makers Choir, a group that involves nearly half of the 3rd grade students on a weekly basis.

Voting will take place during the Convention. Please be sure your ballot has been placed in the box in the registration area before 2:00 pm on Wednesday, July 25th. For complete bios, and “if elected . . .” statements, please go to our website www.TCDA.net.

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Spring 2012

2012-2013 Membership/2012 Convention Pre-Registration ter egis ! R Pre e $20 Sav

An Affiliate of CDA

Annual Convention July 23 - 26 | San Antonio Convention Center Membership Year | April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013 Registration at the door will be $130. Pre-registration deadline is July 1, 2012

Date: ___________________ Name: ________________________________________________________________________________ Home Address: ________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________ State: _______ Zip: _______________ Place of Employment (school for students): _______________________________________________

Email: (required)

Home or Cell Phone:

Work Phone and FAX:

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________ State: _______ Zip: _______________ Area(s) of Employment: Student ❑ Church/Syn ❑ Elem ❑ JH/MS ❑ HS ❑ College ❑ Admin ❑ Comm ❑ Private ❑

Membership Category / Convention Pre-registration Member Category

TCDA Dues

ACDA Dues

Convention Pre-Registration Fee

$110.00

Active

$50.00

$95.00

Retired Registration Fee

$35.00

$50.00

$95.00

Out-of-state Pre-Registration Fee

$110.00

Student Registration Fee

$25.00

$20.00

$35.00

$25.00

$45.00

Teacher, director, consultant, supervisor

Associate Interested in TCDA objectives: do not meet Active requirements

Student Currently full-time student at Jr College,College, or University

Retired

Family/Guest Badges @ $15.00 each: (13 yrs & older) Guest Names:

Retired and interested in TCDA objectives

Texas residents must be current TCDA members to attend the Convention. Out-of-State ACDA members pay registration fees only.

Total for Family/Guest Badges

ACDA member #_______________________ (required).

$

T-Shirt(s) @ $15

$

Golf Tournament @ $75

$

Polo(s) @ $25

$

Child's Plate @ $10 – (12 yrs or younger)

$

Coffee Mug(s) @ $5

$

Day Care @ $25 per child, per day – (10 yrs or younger)

$

BBQ @ $20

$

Please consider a donation to one of the TCDA Scholarships

$

Where do you prefer to get your mail? Will this be your first TCDA Convention?

❑ Home ❑ Work ❑ Yes ❑ No

TOTAL: $ __________________________

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM WITH YOUR PAYMENT TO: TCDA | 7900 Centre Park Drive | Austin, Texas | 78754

Membership dues paid to TCDA are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes; however, dues payments may be deductible as ordinary and necessary business expense. Monetary gifts to TCDA and to the TCDA Scholarship Fund are tax-deductible.

4-color sponsor ad

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Spring 2012

exhibitors We are expecting this year’s Convention to be a great success due in large part to you, our fabulous Exhibitors and Sponsors. We thank you for being part of our team every year! You will find exhibiting information at the TCDA website. TCDA offers your company visibility, as well as great exposure for your products and services, while allowing you to support the arts. And, of course, we hope you will choose more than one way to be involved!

Advertising

Sponsorship

Door Prizes

Convention Registration

We are planning a brand new look for our printed Program. To advertise, and reach approximately 2,000 TCDA members attending the Convention, please see the Advertising Rates found on our website and return it to our office no later than May 20th.

TCDA offers numerous possibilities for sponsorship. Examples include our Soiree and the very popular Annual Barbecue. Please see the Opportunity for Sponsorship Form found on our website to select the event you wish to sponsor, and return by May 20th.

For forms go to: www.tcda.net

For forms go to: www.tcda.net

Our Convention is known for great door prizes, and this year will be no exception. Door prizes are another way to gain exposure for your company, so please consider a door prize with a value of $25 or more (up to three items). Please inform us of your donation(s) no later than June 15th. Send to Sharon Lutz at Sharon@tcda.net.

If you have not yet registered for the 2012 TCDA/TODA Convention, you may access our new online system at www.tcda.net. Please complete your Sustaining Membership first, then your Convention registration where you will make your booth selections. The website also contains important Convention information, including housing and travel discounts. Questions about registration? Call us at 512/474-2801.

Thank you in advance for your valuable support. We are looking forward to seeing you in San Antonio, July 23rd – 26th.

We wish to express our great appreciation to the early-bird Exhibitors who are sponsoring events at the 2012 Convention. The TCDA Soiree is being sponsored in part by Alfred Music. The Annual BBQ is being sponsored by JW Pepper & Sons, ACIS, Carl Fischer Music, Romeo Music, Encore Enterprises. Spring 2012

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officer comments high school student day by Amy Allibon When the right kids are in place to serve a program and set an example for others, the trickle-down effect is powerful. Years ago, I followed the advice of a colleague and began hiring my officers rather than holding elections. Through an application, recommendation, and interview process, I am able to select the students who I know will serve and set a strong example for the other students rather than suffer through students who were elected because of their popularity, not necessarily for their leadership. This has made an immeasurable difference in the assistance I receive from my student leaders and in the positive leadership I expect from those students. There is much to be said for gathering these student leaders prior to school beginning and planting seeds for what it actually means to be a student leader. In my early years, I was often frustrated when an officer did not intuitively know what it meant to lead. Why aren’t they stopping by the choir room to help after school? Why are they groaning when I announce an extra rehearsal? As with any aspect of teaching students, when we as educators set expectations clearly and positively, students will tend to follow, because they do truly want to please us. Setting expectations for officers, defining their roles, training them, and inspiring them are key components to having successful student leaders. TCDA is proud to offer the 3rd Annual High School Student Day on July 25 for the leaders of your program. While we are cognizant that the distance to San Antonio makes this more practical for some than others, we hope those within a few hours driving distance will consider investing in this fabulous day where the curriculum is inspiring, entertaining, and yes, practical. This year’s line-up includes practical, hands-on, inspiring training for your leaders. The day begins with a two-hour leadership training session (9:30-11:30 am) with Jeremy Spicer, owner and founder of Solutions and Specialized Innovations, an organizational improvement group dedicated to developing student leaders. Following a break for lunch, the afternoon will resume at 1:00 pm with a session led by 30-year veteran teacher, youth director, and club sponsor Connie Sanchez. Connie is an absolute magician

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with high school-aged students, and she will spend an hour playing team-building games the students can take and implement at their own schools. Finally, the day ends with Z Randall Stroope in a music reading and rehearsal setting. Dr Stroope has chosen music for the students to read and rehearse, and he will show them ways in which they can be better leaders during the rehearsal process. He never fails to inspire and motivate his audience. I hope you will take advantage of TCDA’s High School Student Day this year and submit the single application for all of your students found at www.tcda.net along with $15 per student (what a bargain!) by the application deadline of June 8. While the students must be sponsored by you, the TCDA member, you do not have any chaperoning duties associated with this event. Parents or booster club

There is no bigger bang for the buck than attending our very reasonably priced Convention... chaperones may attend the sessions with the students and be completely responsible for the students throughout the day. You may choose to see your students or not – it’s up to you! I also hope all of our TCDA membership will realize word of mouth is the strongest marketing tool. Why not invite all of the high schools in your region to join together to attend High School Student Day? Why not charter a bus for the day if the drive is more than a couple of hours? The more of an event you can make of the day, the more special the day becomes for your leaders. Along this same line, I would ask you to encourage all of your colleagues to join and attend our Convention. There is no bigger bang for the buck than attending our very reasonably priced Convention, where the workshops are amazing and the reading sessions provide hundreds of pieces of music that have been chosen by your Board as “the best” of the new publications from the publishers that participate. TCDA remains an incredible Convention for a shockingly low price tag. See you in July!

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convention highlights Calling Ken Medema a blind pianist is like calling Michelangelo an interior decorator. From the time he was born, Ken Medema has been limited to distinguishing between light and darkness, and seeing only outlines of major objects. “As a kid I was not widely accepted,” he says, “and I spent a lot of time by myself. Because I have lived with some degree of being different all my life, I have sympathy for people who have been disenfranchised, whether they have been disabled or politically oppressed.” In his twenty two years of musical experience, this blind musician has used his creative insight to entertain and touch millions of people all over the world. He has dreamed dreams and imagined things that have not entered the minds of many sighted people. Medema brings these dreams into his music, singing songs that challenge his listeners to nurture their imagination. He challenges us to be authentic and truthful in everything we do. And to leave our comfort zones and minister to those who are outcasts.

BRAVE COMBO

2 Grammy Awards & 7 Grammy Nominations “the elements...are interpreted through the high-energy filter of rock dynamics.” - Rolling Stone

“world-wise, unclassifiable music.” - Billboard Magazine

“The Grand Pooh-Bah of Denton bands, Brave Combo, is in many ways the template from which all the rest are cut: eclectic and artistically ambitious, with a high degree of musicianship and a strong DIY ethic.” - Paste Magazine Brave Combo has collected a dizzying array of descriptive musical pegs, boldly going where few bands have gone before, and even fewer could (or would) dare to venture. Succeeding in its first mission, Brave Combo is America’s premier contemporary polka band, and a Grammy winning one at that. In the same breath, to name some but hardly all

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of the colors found on Brave Combo’s musical palette, one can describe them as a groundbreaking world music act, a hot jazz quintet, a rollicking rock’n’roll bar band, a Tex-Mex conjunto, a sizzling blues band, a saucy cocktail combo, a deadly serious novelty act, a Latin orchestra, and one of America’s dance bands par excellence.

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officer comments bring your no doze... by Pam Elrod ...because you are not going to want to miss a minute of the 2012 TCDA Convention! All of the divisions have assembled an unbelievably rich four days of concerts, interest sessions, food, and fun. And the College/Community Division is no exception. Take a look. 2012 Headliner We had a brief but profound visit with Craig Hella Johnson (artistic director, Conspirare) during last year’s Convention. Consider that your amuse bouche for the gourmet feast he will be offering us this year as the 2012 Headliner. His three-part series of sessions, Hearing The Call To Be An Artist-Teacher, will emphasize inspiration (literally: “to breathe life into…”) and will bring focus to the notion that every participant is an artist-teacher. Some of the topics will include: • Self care for the artist teacher • Back to basics (pitch, rhythm, vowel, dynamic, intention) • Inspired, authentic leadership • Creative programming • Inspiring the sounds you want to hear If at all possible, we strongly encourage a commitment to all three sessions. Use this as a time apart – a gift of renewal – a retreat – before the hectic pace of the school year and concert season begins. Featured Choirs Two exciting performances await you at this year’s Convention. On Tuesday, July 24, the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, under the direction of Dr John Silantien, will present a powerful program entitled Dona Nobis Pacem: Songs of War and Peace. The concert will feature excerpts from Haydn’s Paukenmesse and Bernstein’s Mass, along with music from the Civil War, WWI and the Holocaust.

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Our closing concert on July 26 will be presented by Project Eve, a women’s choir based in Dallas/Ft Worth. Under the artistic direction of Caitlin Wells, this ensemble has quickly established a reputation for innovative programs that bring together artistic elements from a variety of genres, including music, dance, and the visual arts. You won’t want to miss what will surely be an enriching and soul-satisfying capstone event to the 2012 Convention. Student Conductors One of the most important services provided by TCDA is its commitment to future music educators. And one of the most valuable experiences we provide for these talented young conductors is the opportunity to work with seasoned conductors in one-on-one coaching sessions, as they prepare to conduct a piece during the HS Treble/Men Reading Session. That popular tradition continues this year with conducting coaches Betsy Cook Weber (University of Houston) and Alan Raines (Baylor University). Eighteen students from all over the state will be selected to work with these gifted teachers – the students will then lead the reading session on Tuesday, July 24. Interest Sessions The Conducting Masterclass has also become a popular tradition at the TCDA Conventions, so we’re happy to be able to offer it again this year. For the masterclass, three participants will

be selected to work with Betsy Cook Weber on Debussy’s Trois Chansons. If you are interested in refreshing and enhancing your conducting skills, please contact me at your earliest convenience by emailing me at pelrod@smu.edu. In some ways, choirs and orchestras are natural collaborators - yet we can sometimes have trouble speaking each other’s language. In Choirs are from Mars, Orchestras are from Venus, Mark Bartley (orchestra director at West Texas A&M) will offer some interesting suggestions useful for both ensembles. How efficient are you with rehearsal time? Are your comments primarily constructive or negative? How many times do you say “Ummmm?” In her session, Sarah Allen (Music Education faculty, SMU) will introduce us to SCRIBE, a new video software technology that allows you to record and objectively measure the efficiency, efficacy, and progress of your own teaching in What Do you Thing You’re Doing? During the 2011 Convention, Florence Scattergood (Reicher Catholic HS, Waco) offered us an abundance of helpful advice as part of a panel discussion called What I Wish I Knew Then. This year, Florence returns with a session specifically designed for our new generation of music educators – but even the veterans among you who are embarking on a new teaching/ conducting journey will find this session quite valuable. If you are available just prior to the Soiree on July 23, make plans to enroll in First Day Boot Camp, presented during the College Student Reception. Commissioned Work Many, many of us have had the pleasure of getting to know Eric William Barnum through his evocative and thoughtful music. So we are honored to announce the 2012 Convention will feature the premier of a joint commission between TCDA and the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Eric has created a powerful setting of an original poem by Robert Bode

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officer comments (University of Missouri at Kansas City). Entitled Conflagration, the text depicts the redemptive power of peace and love over war and destruction. This very timely work will be premiered by the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers during their performance on July 24.

If you haven’t already marked your calendars for July 23 – 26, then do it right now, and get ready for four days of inspiration and renewal. And if there was ever a year to introduce our organization and our Convention to someone new, this is that year. If you know of friends

or colleagues who have not yet joined TCDA, please urge them to do so. If they need encouragement, show them this issue of Texas Sings! That should do it. Then buy them their own boxes of NoDoze. See you in July!

What does It mean to be an artist in every task, and what are the ways in which reclaiming one’s own artistry as a musician can permeate even the most ordinary, everyday tasks? – from the Craig Hella Johnson sessions

spring is here! by Mark Rohwer This summer’s High School Division workshops feature a wide array of topics to help you prepare for a new year in your rehearsal room. That means the last round of concerts, auditions, tearful—and maybe not-so-tearful—goodbyes to the graduating class of 2012. It also means it is time to begin to plan for an exciting 2012 TCDA Convention! The Convention promises master teachers, terrific new music, a chance to reconnect with old friends…and an opportunity to show off your mad polka skills! This summer’s High School Division workshops feature a wide array of topics to help you prepare for a new year in your rehearsal room. Heather Orr will present a workshop on developing leadership and ownership with your high school students. Between empowering your students to be more in charge of class to starting a TFME Chapter, Heather will have lots of ideas. A programming note; be sure to expand on this theme by bringing students to the High School Student Day! See the website, www.tcda.net, for application forms and details. In terms of technology, Jason Dove will be presenting a session entitled, iWhat? covering the uses of smartphone

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and tablet technology in the choral classroom. Jason is a passionate believer in wise uses of technology, and there are many things your current phone or tablet can do to make instruction easier or more nuanced, at a fraction of the cost of some more expensive technologies. Continuing the discussion about bridging the differences our myriad school programs face, a panel of three “small school” directors, Bethany Green, Michael Matlock, and Jason Sneed will lead a conversation entitled, Being a 3A Director in a 5A World. The panel will share ideas and success strategies from the perspective of a 3A high school. This is a wonderful opportunity for “large school” directors, too, as we all work to understand how different each person’s school day might look. I am also proud to announce the return of the High School Tried and True Literature session, led by Robin Dent, Jannifer Rice, and Dorothy Wilson. They will provide a variety of strong literature that has stood the test of time!

Of course, there will be lots of new music, too. A strong cast of conductors and accompanists will help you choose the best of the best: Robert Brewer, Christie Brown, Joshua Brown, Robin Brockway-Nichols, Christie Brown, Cara Naizer, Janwin Overstreet-Goode, and Jennifer Zaccagni. After all that educational development, you’ll need to let off some steam. And the BBQ is the place for that! This year’s entertainment will be provided by none other than the Grammy Award winning band Brave Combo! No matter what you listen to, you’ve not heard anything like them. Come, eat, and be ready to dance!

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officer comments the final countdown by Kari Gilbertson

share her insights about recruiting and building student relationships essential to any successful MS/JH choir program, along with tips about how to retain students from the elementary level all the way through their high school years.

My goal for the summer is to walk in a balance of rest and renewal.

I never count the days until the end of school. Call it work ethic or call it denial, I just want to show up until they tell me not to. But before you file that last octavo, unplug the choir office fridge, pack up your gift cards, and run to the teacher’s parking lot like you’re never coming back, may I suggest that summer should also include some time to look forward? Summer is a great time to relax and recharge. But it can also be a time to get ahead and reduce the stress of things we can’t accomplish once we are caught up in the everyday life of school next fall. Have you always wanted to write your own arrangement of a song for your choirs? Is the new technology from your district still sitting in the box because you haven’t had time to learn how to use it? Now is a great time to accomplish those tasks. My goal for the summer is to walk in a balance of rest and renewal. I know we all earned our summer break, but just as inevitable as the end of school is the start of school.... PL EASE

HEL P

After you’ve “rested,” we’ve got some amazing opportunities for renewal at the 2012 TCDA Convention. Workshops Each day of the Convention, we have practical and motivational workshops in the MS/JH Division: Girls! Can’t teach with them; can’t teach without them! It’s boys only this time! Joel Price and Terrance Jennings will be leading a session for just the men of TCDA about the unique challenges male directors face while teaching adolescent girls: how to address tone, mood, motivation, and girl drama. SmartBoard Technology in the Choral Classroom: Donna McGinnis and Laura Weidel will discuss the use of SMARTBoard in choir rehearsal and give practical and creative ideas to engage your young student musicians. A Place in the Choir: Need ideas about making your choir room the place to be at your school? Connie Horton will THE

F U TU R E

OF

CHORAL DIRECTING Give to the

TCDA SCHOLARSHIP FUND Thank You!

Go to www.TCDA.net for details.

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Honorable Mentions: Are your “tried and true’s” becoming “tired and used?” If so, then come to the session of music presented by Deborah Barrick, Debra Moses, and Bo Shirah, and accompanied by Melanie Moore, to find some new gems for your repertoire. A Teaching Master Class: And speaking of gems, one of the gems of TCDA, Linda Ice, is going to lead a Teaching Master Class for MS/JH directors. Linda brings the perspective of a lifelong teacher who has mentored countless successful teachers. She will share many of the tips and tricks developed over her wonderful career. From handouts and repertoire to UIL and sight-reading tips, you will not be disappointed! Reading Sessions One of the best ways to start your school year is by having the opportunity to hear, choose, and order new music you’ve experienced at the new music reading sessions. We’ll have three MS/JH reading sessions to start your countdown. Kim Ahrens, accompanied by Lindsey Spitsberg, will conduct new repertoire for MS/JH treble choirs. Brad Kerley will introduce us to the new tenor/bass repertoire, accompanied by Laura Taylor. And finally, Laura Taylor will again accompany as Kasey Pope conducts the music that bridges that gap in the JH/HS training session. As you can see, we have many opportunities to help you look ahead to a new and exciting year. It’s not just a Convention; it’s an essential part of looking ahead and planning ahead. So, invite a colleague to join TCDA and come along to make the 2012 Convention the “start” of your New School Year.

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officer comments tending your garden by Phyllis King Whether it’s cold, whether it’s hot, We shall have weather, whether or not!*

Old English Chant

*This is a wonderful example for compound meter, a typical upper elementary concept. This chant uses the uncommon rhythm of a single 8th followed by a quarter note on the word “weather.” All of the other phrases are the same rhythm making rhythmic form analysis: a a b a.

Spring is here. One minute the weather is beauty; the next, bluster. Flowers may bloom in the rain. The sun is shining, but the wind is blowing with such force a driver must hold tightly to the steering wheel. This sounds exactly like springtime in the music and choir class! As we enter the rhythms of spring, I’ve found I need to pay more attention to the “weather” in the classroom. One lesson will be incredible, total sunshine with huge amounts of progress; the next, thunderstorms and lightning, with slippery backslides. Time to check the news... Teachers – music meteorologists – predict an advisory with strong winds of change for the spring classroom and suggest you prepare for these changes by dressing in layers. Pay more attention to the details in your lesson plans by asking more difficult questions. Change activities often but cycle back to the main point throughout the rehearsal. Sing a smaller portion of the song score while asking for exact task focus, then move on. Prepare students to take a lead with individual music responses: singing phrases alone to demonstrate, asking opinion questions, giving choice to the tasks, practice conducting patterns. Plan plenty of active work for the students to enjoy, such as variety in the lesson, movement substitution rhymes, folk song singing games, instrument playing, action/acting songs, building body rhythms. Be prepared for the bluster and be able to layer on the beauty of a well-prepared class. Spring can be a beautiful thing!

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Remember to plant a seed with a colleague this spring about coming to the TCDA Convention, July 23 - 26! The whole Convention is blooming with interesting workshop topics and new music reading sessions. The Elementary division will feature the Honor Choir, with Cynthia Nott, director; and Mary

Goetze, as the composer for the Commissioned Work. Both will also share their insight during a featured session. Other workshop sessions include Texas master teachers Michael Chandler, Patty Moreno, Lisa Roebuck, Heather Klossner, and Susan Malone. The Unison/2pt reading session will be led by Elementary specialist, Katy Boltz Flowers. As a special treat, we also have Laszlo Duranik visiting from Hungary. He will share interesting tidbits about Hungarian music schools and choral scores. Make plans to be with us at the summer Convention for a bouquet of learning as you prepare to plant your music garden for the fall. Get ready, set, GROW!

come join us! by Greg Shapley The Convention is also about fellowship and friendship. Each year I attend, I make new connections that enrich my life.

As we look toward summer, please make plans to join us in San Antonio in July for the TCDA Convention. It’s going to be an exciting time for the church music division! Church Festival Chorus Ken Medema, Guest Artist The inaugural Festival Chorus was an incredible event last year, and so we offer this opportunity again for your church choir singers. This year we welcome Ken Medema as our special guest artist. Pianist, singer and composer Ken Medema has been a force in Christian music for over thirty years. Blind from birth, his musical gifts and deep spiritual

insight continue to amaze and inspire all who hear him. The Festival Chorus will sing several of his selections at the TCDA worship service. Details for Festival Chorus registration are available on the TCDA website. The deadline for registration is May 25.

Church Division Workshops Dr Randall Bradley from Baylor University and Ken Medema will explore the changing tides of worship music in a session called From Memory to Imagination: The Church’s Music in Continued on page 23. >

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2012 SUMMER CONVENTION Thursday, July 12 through Saturday, July 14 Ramada Convention Center - TOPEKA Multiple READING SESSIONS with Tons of Great Music! Additional INTEREST SESSIONS from some of Kansas’ Best Teachers!

CLINICIANS

PERFORMANCES

Eph Ehly Tom Shelton Kerry Marsh & Julia Dollison Kristina Caswell-MacMullen

Evensong Service Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh KCDA All-State Women’s Choir Kansas City Men’s Ensemble

Hotel information: Ramada Convention Center Downtown Topeka - 420 Southeast 6th Ave., Topeka, KS For hotel reservations call: 785-234-5400 Go to 22

w w w. k a n s a s c h o r a l . c o m for more registration information. Spring 2012

officer comments Transition. Dr Bradley will also offer practical suggestions for worship music ideas in The Perfect Blend: Music for Worship beyond the Traditional. Terrie Preskitt-Brown and Nona Schwab will present exciting suggestions for children’s music ministry in A Child Shall Lead Them: Energetic Ideas for Children’s Music Ministry. A leader in youth choir ministry, Sid Davis will lead a session entitled Empower the Youth: The Youth Choir Ministry in Today’s Church. Veteran music educators Nick Boltz and Randy Jordan will share their passion for church music ministry in From Classroom to Choir Loft: Finding Spiritual Fulfillment and Artistic Success in Church Music Ministry. As a choral director, have you ever been asked to provide leadership in a contemporary worship setting? David Angerman has some practical ideas. Reading Sessions New music reading sessions include Sacred Advanced led by Tom Dooling, accompanied by Marcus Bradford, Sacred General led by Eric Posada and accompanied by Marcus Bradford and Sacred Unison/SA led by Jerry Perales accompanied by Josh Brown. This year, why not invite a colleague from your area to join you at TCDA? There’s a wealth of knowledge and expertise at TCDA for everyone, and you can help someone else find inspiration for great work in music ministry!

looking forward to... by Karen Gonzalez

...this summer’s TCDA Convention!

If you haven’t already joined or renewed your membership, you may go to the new website, www.tcda.net. You may also pre-register for Convention, make a donation to the Scholarship fund, and buy your barbecue tickets. Pre-registering saves time and money! On-site registration this year will be automated – no more filling out triplicate forms! Sharon, Jeanne, and Beverly have been working incredibly hard to bring our wonderful organization up to date. When you see them, please let them know how much they are appreciated! TCDA has always been about reading the newest publications, buying music for the upcoming year, and doing other important business like buying jewelry and cool gadgets. Our Exhibitors spend incredible time and money to be at our Convention and it is so important to support their efforts. Each Division has time built in to visit the exhibits –

please go see them and let our vendors know how much we value them! TCDA is also about fellowship and friendship. Each year I attend, I make new connections that enrich my life. As a veteran member of TCDA, I am always encouraging new teachers to join and attend the Convention. If each one of us were to recruit just one person to join and attend, just think how wonderful it would be! This year is a stellar opportunity to increase the Elementary Division membership, thanks to the Elementary Honor Choir. Please talk to teachers in your district or other church directors and encourage them to join and try the Convention. I guarantee it will be a positive and enriching experience for them! Here’s to a wonderful end of the school year and a few weeks of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. And then we’ll see each other at the TCDA Convention!

TCDA will again offer Child Care services – provided by Fit For A King –

Child care is offered during the Convention for children 10 years and younger. This convenient, on-site service is located in the convention center close to reading session and workshop rooms. TCDA members may purchase child care tickets during pre-registration or on site in the registration area at the cost of $25 per day per child. Please look at our website www.TCDA.net for details. Fit for a King staff have over twenty years of experience and are bonded for your protection. They are trained in CPR and first aid.

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