Massachusetts ACDA

Serving Massachusetts choral directors with workshops and clinics, festivals, conferences, publications, repertoire lists, networking opportunities, and advocacy to promote excellence in choral music throughout the Commonwealth.

Happy summer, I hope that this note finds both you, your family, and students in good health!  It’s hard to believe that it has been a year and a half since we began dealing with the repercussions of the COVID 19 pandemic.  As more and more of the country moves from a virtual reality to a safe in person existence, the summer conference committee has been busy navigating the best options for our upcoming conference.   
During the first week of May, I reached out to the Massachusetts membership with a survey asking for feedback on conference format; specifically, the possibility of in-person, verses hybrid, verses a virtual experience.  The decision has been made, MassACDA will provide a 2-Day Virtual Summer Conference in 2021.  This decision was made after careful consideration of the survey results, concerns by the membership and clinicians on in person attendance, as well as considering venue challenges, as Smith College as well as other area universities will not be open to hosting events until fall of 2021.   
This year’s 2-Day Virtual Summer Conference will be held on Monday & Tuesday, July 12-13th.  Our daily schedule will be held between 9:00 am and 3:00pm, divided into 50-minute sessions.   The conference will showcase a variety of events including interest sessions, reading sessions, and concert sessions.  We are excited to bring knowledgeable researchers and clinicians from across our state to present sessions on the following topics:  “Real Talk” in the Choral Rehearsal, Introducing Gospel Music into your Choral Program, Rounds Make the World Go Love!, Marginalized Masterpieces: Works by BIPOC Composers Before 1800 That We Should All Know, A Conducting Review, and Feldenkrais as Self-Care for Conductors and Singers.  We also will have two reading sessions featuring SSA & TTBB music and K-12 Literature; as well as two concerts featuring area youth and advanced ensembles from Massachusetts.  All sessions will be recorded and links will be provided to all attendees.  
 
Click here to register for the conference! 
 
The cost is $35 for ACDA members, $10 for collegiate members and $50 for non-members.  We are excited to offer these professional development opportunities to our membership and hope that you will be able to join us in July! 
Sincerely, 
Dr. Felicia Barber, MassACDA President 

Click here for the February edition of Mass Sings

The Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association is committed to several initiatives in regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion as it pertains to the following areas of our organization:

  • Membership: We are committed to increasing our membership to include more teachers, conductors and singers of color and from areas of our state less represented in our organization to date. 

  • Mentorship/networking: We are committed to creating a network of teachers, conductors, and singers willing to volunteer their time to serve as mentors for new teachers and collegiate students.

  • Events: We are committed to re-imagining our regular events while also encouraging participation from more teachers, conductors, and singers of color leading us to learn about and hear various experiences and perspectives. 

  • Resources: We are committed to providing resources for our membership regarding diversity, equity and inclusion comprising of: 

    • Repertoire lists including a number of works from composers of diverse backgrounds and works beyond those of the Western classical idiom.

    • Databases to explore music of composers of diverse backgrounds.

    • Media such as articles, blogs, podcasts, interviews, books, and virtual events on the subject of diversity in the choral realm.

Click here for the January letter from MassACDA President Felicia Barber

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