Milestone: UA Chamber Choir first University of Akron Ensemble to Perform at ACDA

By Isabella Anderson, Contributor

“If it wasn’t apparent to the students who are a part of it, or if there are people in our city or our university that don’t know: our choral program is special,” said Bucoy-Calavan.

OnFeb. 24, 2023, The University of Akron Chamber Choir was one of five (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass) SATB collegiate ensembles selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference.

This opportunity made the Chamber Choir the first ensemble in The University of Akron School of Music to perform at a national conference.

The ACDA National Conference took place in Cincinnati, OH. The University of Akron students were given the chance to attend a variety of lectures, workshops, masterclasses and performances; all following the theme of the 2023 conference: A Place of Belonging.

The Chamber Choir’s program was titled Finding Home and explained the familial environment of the ensemble and dedicated their performance to those who are unable to find comfort or safety where they are. The description in the program read, “Home is not always a place, but it is a people.” Showing personal strength through Abbie Betinis’ Be Like the Bird and Like Moons and Like Suns, I’ll Rise by UA alum by Mickey McGroarty

Finding security in coming home with Brahms’ An Die Heimat.

Searching for refuge with Saunder Choi’s The New Colossus.

Experiencing togetherness with Sydney Guillaume’s Ranpono.

“Part of what sells our choir is that we perform like a family on stage,” Dr. Marie Bucoy-Calavan, Director of Choral Studies at The University of Akron, said.

Bucoy-Calavan says that one of the reasons attendees of ACDA were electric over the Chamber Choir’s performance is because they were able to successfully portray the feeling of belonging that is often discussed during rehearsals.

Community and togetherness are values that are important to the choral program at UA.

“Today was extraordinary,” says Dr. Robert Istad, conference attendee and Director of Choral Studies at California State, Fullerton. “It was musical, you were all so vulnerable, and committed to the message for the audience. I was just so proud of you and Dr. Bucoy-Calavan.”

“It was an exciting journey for everybody,” Dr. Matthew Swanson, Associate Director of Choruses, the Director of the Youth Chorus, and the Director of Special Projects for the over the years.

Cincinnati May Festival, said. “Opening with a beautiful cannon, all the way through colors and complexities, ending with a vocal celebration… Congratulations to you all.” In addition to the positive feedback given to the university singers, their performances were also attended by three of the four living composers of the Chamber Choir set.

“They took my piece to the next level,” Sydney Guillaume said.

In October, UA Choirs were allowed to workshop with Guillaume on his pieces Ranpono and This Too Shall Pass.

“Dr. Bucoy-Calavan was absolutely amazing to work with and has given me ideas to incorporate with other choirs,” Guillaume said.

In addition to workshops, the Chamber Choir virtually workshopped the performed piece The New Colossus with its composer, Saunder Choi.

“I am still shocked by the amount of care that was put into every single note of that performance; it was astounding,” McGroarty said.

After the Chamber Choir’s first performance, well-known conductor for the St. Olaf Choir, Anton Armstrong provided his contact information to connect and potentially discuss McGroarty’s piece.

“I was not expecting Anton Armstrong… If there was a dream of whom that could have happened with – that would never, ever happen – it would be Anton Armstrong,” Dr. Bucoy-Calavan said. “I could not have been happier about the reaction he got.”

Bucoy-Calavan had a goal to guide McGroarty toward success as a composer. She values his intelligence, skill set, humility and consistency of learning.

“He could stand to be one of the next generations of composer-conductors for our choral world,” said Bucoy-Calavan.

She explained that his palpable compositions involve a steep understanding of musical greats such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.

The choral program at UA could not be prouder of McGroarty.

The experience at ACDA wasn’t just exhilarating for McGroarty. Singers from the Chamber Choir describe ACDA and the journey to the conference as an incredible learning experience.

“The program was great. It was cohesive and told a story. It was wonderful to hear the segue from Brahms into The New Colossus. Awesome performance,” Choi said.

The University of Akron’s choral program takes pride in building its legacy. In addition to performing at their first national conference, the choral program was also proud to premiere ‘Like Moons and Like Suns, I’ll Rise.’

A choral work, with text that follows Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise, Like Moons and Like Suns, I’ll Rise was composed by choral alum Mickey McGroarty.

Throughout the past six years, McGroarty has worked alongside Bucoy-Calavan and Jake Runestad with both choral ensembles and has edited the score for his piece multiple times

To prepare for the conference performance, the ensemble needed to memorize the twentyminute set of music. In doing so, they had to know not only the words, but the meanings, the rhythms, breathing, dynamics and musicality.

They rehearsed their music from the beginning of the fall 2022 semester and then moved to instilling the importance of memorization for concerts and clinics before the conference.

Aside from their performances, the Chamber Choir was also able to attend concerts of The Crossing, Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, Young People’s Chorus of New York City and Cincinnati May Festival Chorus and Orchestra.

“If it wasn’t apparent to the students who are a part of it, or if there are people in our city

Choir after their first performance or our university that don’t know: our choral program is special,” said Bucoy-Calavan.

She explains that usually when a choir goes to a national conference, the community and the university are already aware and supportive.

“Our community isn’t yet aware that they have a nationally recognized program,” BucoyCalavan said. She is proud of her students and their accomplishments. “This is a quality, excellent choral program to be a part of.”

She hopes UA being selected to perform at ACDA calls attention to the choral program.

“We performed on the same stage as ensembles for whom it was their 15th time performing at a national conference,” said Bucoy-Calavan.

She hopes that the national conference becomes an instigator for people, resources, the university and community understanding—to then support and invest in the program.

Members of the choral program are thankful for their experience at ACDA, and they are grateful for Dr. Bucoy-Calavan.

“The encouragement of having a familylike environment is not something you get anywhere else at The University,” singer Josephine Wright said. “That’s all her.”

Swanson describes Bucoy-Calavan as someone passionate about singing as well as people. The two directors met over ten years ago as students.

“I had no doubt she would be a success at Akron,” he said. “She’s proven that time and time again, not just today.”

Moving forward after ACDA, The University of Akron Chamber Choir went on a concert tour in California during their 2023 Spring Break.

The choral program will perform Mozart’s Requiem in April.

Bucoy-Calavan is on a mission to produce more recordings to be able to share the program here at UA with the campus and community.

The Buchtelite staff wishes a warm Congratulations to the UA Chamber Choir!