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WELCOME NEW LEADERS
We welcome the following new members of the ACDA-MN leadership team to their new positions of service and support to our community:
DISTRICT CHAIRS
Metro East District:
Amy Johnson
Coon Rapids High School
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Northwest District:
Dwight Jilek
Bemidji State University
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Southeast District:
Michael Jeffrey
Pine Island Public Schools & Northfield Youth Chorus
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STATE SECRETARY
Sarah Abelsen
Minnewashta Elementary School, Minnetonka Public Schools
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STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Lindsay Marketon
Bemidji State University
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REPERTOIRE & RESOURCE (R&R) COORDINATORS AND CHAIRS
Middle School/Junior High School Chair: Sheila Shusterich, Ordean-East Middle School, Duluth
Collegiate Choirs Coordinator: Michael McGaghie, Macalester College
Music in Worship Chair: Mark Hemingway, Trinity Lutheran Church, Long Lake
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HONOR CHOIR CO-CHAIRS
State 9-10 TBB: Jim Cox, Eagan High School
State 9-10 SATB: Chad Garrels, Mahtomedi High School
State 4-5-6 Girls’ Assistant Chair: Julie Conzemius, Mahtomedi Middle School
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STAR OF THE NORTH EDITORIAL TEAM
Associate Editors:
Peter Durow
Maple Grove
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Cory Westgard
Blaine High School
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STATE CONFERENCE PLANNING TEAM
Choir Performances: Brandon Berger, St. Michael-Albertville High School
Choir Performances: Jonah Heinen, Faribault High School
Interest Sessions: Wyatt Steinke, Concordia College-Moorhead
Interest Sessions: Shawn Neisen, Battle Lake Public Schools
Interest Sessions: Alex Ferderer, Open World Learning Community
Interest Sessions: Scott Perau, Red Wing High School
Award Luncheon: Sue Gilsdorf, Stillwater Middle School
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[toggle expand=0 title=’NEW HONOR CHOIR SEASON’]
NEW HONOR CHOIR SEASON
The website has been updated for the 2018-19 honor choir season providing all of the details for auditioning students for any of the ACDA-MN seven honor choirs. New this are the following items:
- Addition of a new 9-10 TBB Honor Choir
- Reduction in audition fee cost to $16.00 per audition
- Music packets for selected students and directors will be sent to the schools via the music vendor
- Signed Student Behavior Contracts will be utilized for the first time
- Distribution of parent honor choir tickets to directors and students will be discontinued. Parents will now need to purchase tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets or at the door.
2018-19 HONOR CHOIR SCHEDULE
Please note the due dates for receive applications for the needs-based scholarship program offered from the FMC Endowment Fund Committee.
STATE 7-8 TTB & SSA HONOR CHOIRS
- Auditions Due: Friday, September 28
- Director Notification: Tuesday, October 9
- Scholarship Applications Due: Friday, October 19
- Scholarship Notification: Monday, October 22
- Payment and Registration Forms Due: Wednesday, October 31
- Honor Choir Day: Saturday, November 17
- Rehearsals – Mahtomedi High School; Performance – St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church
Guest Conductors:
TTB: Daniel Gutierrez
Reed Academy, Springfield MO
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SSA: Kari Lace
Jackson Middle School (ret), Champlin MN
STATE 9-10 TBB, SSAA, & SATB HONOR CHOIRS
- Auditions Due: Friday, November 2
- Director Notification: Tuesday, November 13
- Scholarship Applications Due: Friday, November 23
- Scholarship Notification: Monday, November 26
- Payment and Registration Forms Due: Wednesday, December 5
- Honor Choir Day: Thursday, February 14
- Rehearsals – Westminster Presbyterian Church; Performance – Central Lutheran Church
Guest Conductors:
TBB: Mark Johnson
Minnesota Boychoir
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SSAA: Erynn Millard
Minnesota State University-Moorheah
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TTBB: Bradley Miller
University of Minnesota-Morris
STATE 4-5-6 BOYS’ & GIRLS’ HONOR CHOIRS
- Auditions Due: Friday, February 22
- Director Notification: Tuesday, March 5
- Scholarship Applications Due: Friday, March 15
- Scholarship Notification: Monday, March 18
- Payment and Registration Forms Due: Wednesday, March 27
- Honor Choir Day: Saturday, May 4
- Rehearsals and Performance – St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi
Guest Conductors:
Boys: Rachel Lucius
Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs
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Girls: Kari Werdahl
Bayview Elementary School, Waconia
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[toggle expand=0 title=’STUDENT MEMBER CAMPAIGN’]
STUDENT MEMBER CAMPAIGN
ACDA-MN will sponsor a special student member campaign in association with the ACDA national office. NEW students will pay a discounted membership fee of $5, while both the state and national office will kick in a total of $30 for each student. The membership drive will run officially from September 4 through October 19. Please note that the deadline is firm.
Interested students should go directly to the ACDA national website to complete the online application form and receive instructions to submit their $5 credit card payment at: www.acda.org
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[toggle expand=0 title=’2018 STATE CONFERENCE’]
ACDA-MN State Conference: All Are Welcome!
November 16 & 17, 2018
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church • Mahtomedi
20 choirs • 1300 Singers • 2 State Honor Choirs • 2 Special Concert Events • 22 Interest Sessions
REGISTRATION DEADLINES
On-line registration for the 2018 State Conference opened on Monday, September 10. Registration deadlines are as follows:
- Early Registration Discounted fees available until October 1
Regular registration fees available until November 1
Late registration fees available after November 1 and on-site
Go to: stateconferencemn.info
SELECTED CHOIRS
- 7th and 8th Grade Choir – Forestview Middle School, Baxter – Marcus Aulie and Lucy Swanson, conductors
- A Cappella Choir – Bemidji High School – Christopher Fettig, conductor
- Cantemus – Lake Superior Youth Choirs – Bret Amundson, conductor
- Concert Choir – Hawley High School – Carly Grandner, conductor
- Concert Choir – Worthington High School – Kerry Johnson, conductor
- Freshman Choir – Kasson-Mantorville High School – Andrew Faller, conductor
- From Age to Age – Twin Cities – Peter Durow, conductor
- Hearts In Harmony Elementary Chorus – Parkview Center School, Roseville – Carrie Uwadiae, conductor
- Middle School Choir – Ordean-East Middle School, Duluth – Sheila Shusterich, conductor
- Schola Cantorum – Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis – Teri Larson, conductor
FRIDAY FESTIVAL CONCERT – 8:00 pm
- A Minnesota Choral Tapestry – Angela Broeker, coordinator
- African Music Ensemble – Macalester College – Sowah Mensah, conductor
- The Cameroon Choir – St. Paul – Julie Waindim & Brendan Banteh, conductors
- Mila Vocal Ensemble – St. Paul – Marie Rivers Rule, conductor
- Hmong College Prep Academy Concert Choir – St. Paul – Cindy Pierce, conductor
SATURDAY FESTIVAL CONCERT – 1:30 pm
- Sing On! Celebrating the Choral Legacy of David C. Dickau — Composer • Conductor • Teacher • Leader – Timothy Sawyer, coordinator
- Belle Chanter – Stillwater High School – Katelyn Larson, conductor
- Cantori – Robbinsdale Armstrong High School – Stephanie Trump, conductor
- Magnum Chorum – Twin Cities – Dwight Jilek, conductor
- Musicorum – Mankato – Brandon Dean, conductor
- Northwestern Choir – University of Northwestern, St. Paul – Timothy Sawyer, conductor
- Robin Hughes, Mankato East High School, narrator
Admission to all concerts is free to ACDA-MN State Conference registrants. Ticket sales to other ACDA-MN members and for the general public are available at the door or through Brown Paper Tickets.
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[toggle expand=0 title=’FMC SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES’]
FMC SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES
Deadlines for scholarship offered by the FMC Endowment Fund Committee are as follows for 2018-19:
Honor Choir Needs-Based Scholarships
- 7-8 Honor Choirs: Friday, October 19
- 9-10 Honor Choirs: Friday, November 23
- 4-5-6 Honor Choirs: Friday, March 15
ACDA National Conference Scholarship
- Saturday, December 1
Graduate Study & Alice T. Larsen Memorial Scholarship
- Monday, April 1
Summer Dialogue Scholarships
- Saturday, June 1
Respective announcements and other relevant information will be posted via The Weekly Pulse
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[toggle expand=0 title=’ACDA-MN ANNUAL AWARDS’]
The ACDA-MN Board of Directors has recently conferred these coveted annual awards on these recipients nominated by their ACDA-MN colleagues:
OUTSTANDING YOUNG DIRECTOR AWARD
Brandon Nordhues
Sartell High School
Lukas Warren
Hastings High School
MINNESOTA CHORAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Lisa Lozito
Southview Elementary School, Waconia
Kari Werdahl
Bayview Elementary School, Waconia
FMC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Kenneth Hodgson
University of Minnesota-Morris (ret.)
CREATIVE PROGRAMMING AWARD
(sponsored by VocalEssence)
Peter J. Durow
Peter Durow
From Age to Age
These award recipients will be honored at the State Conference Award Luncheon on Saturday, November 17, at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi.
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[toggle expand=0 title=’CHANGE OF ADDRESS’]
If you have recently changed home or work locations, please contact the ACDA national membership coordinator and update your personal profile. It’s important for our state office activities that your information is current and available. Phone: 405.232.8161
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[toggle expand=0 title=’COMMISSION APPLICATIONS’]
ACDA-MN will be accepting applications for the next round of commissioning projects for the MMEA All-State Choir and the ACDA-MN Honor Choir programs with due date on October 15.
Minnesota (only) composers will be considered for two upcoming treble choir commissions:
- 2020 ACDA-MN State 9-10 SSAA Honor Choir (grades 9 & 10)
- 2020-21 MMEA All-State SA Choir (grades 11 & 12)
Composers will be directed to complete an online personal profile application, and upload/submit the following items:
- Three scores with corresponding mp3 recording files. Treble choir scores preferred.
For more information contact: Bruce Becker at: execdirector@acda-mn.org
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