Here We Go: The 2014 ACDA Central Conference in Cincinnati

I am in Cincinnati (well actually I'm staying in my fave spot in Newport, KY across the river- the Newport Landing area full of restaurants, book stores and such) for the Central Divison ACDA conference. It is danged cold out- but what else is new this year in the middle of our country?

Tonight (Wednesday) there is going to be a ton of sacred music sung at one of the churches here. Looks like a gonzo event, especially for sacred musicians. I'm not up on who is doing the concert but I am pretty sure Howard Helvey and Tom Merrill are involved.

Tomorrow (Thursday) the whirlwind starts off bright and early. I'll be attending as much as I can as well as meeting old and new folks. It looks like a great conference. FYI, my new book of carols for women's voices will be on sale at the Musical Resources booth. Dennis Blubaugh will be running a $2 discount on the book. I hope those of you with women's choirs (appropriate for HS and up, as well as advanced children's choirs) will take a look at it at the booth or over the internet. Those choirs who used it this past December really felt that they enriched their programs with the carols they choose from the book.

http://paulcarey.net/carols.html

Thursday AM Pearl Shangkuan has included Summer Bounty ( the uptempo first movment of my three movement piece "Play with your Food"- one of my bestsellers) in the Intercollegiate Reading Session. This is a great event  (two different sessions)- a large, very talented pool of central division university singers performing music that Pearl has chosen to be featured.

Pearl Shangkuan

 The singers get their packet about an hour before the session- so for them they are on the spot! Summer's Bounty will challenge their skills since there is a whole lot of mixed meter going on. They'll also have to not get distracted by how crazy-witty the words are! Here's the text:

Summer’s Bounty by May Swenson 
 

berries of Straw apples of Crab beans of Lima

berries of Goose apples of May beans of Jelly

berries of Huckle apples of Pine beans of Green

berries of Dew apples of Love beans of Soy

berries of Boisen nuts of Pea melons of Water

berries of Black nuts of Wal melons of Musk

berries of Rasp nuts of Hazel cherries of Pie

berries of Blue nuts of Chest cherries of Choke

berries of Mul nuts of Brazil glories of Morning

berries of Cran nuts of Monkey rooms of Mush

berries of Elder nuts of Pecan days of Dog

berries of Haw nuts of Grape puppies of Hush 

You can learn more about the piece and hear Steve Zielke's excellent choir sing it here:
http://www.paulcarey.net/Music/Play_With_Your_Food.htm 

Many of you may know "Play with your Food"- it is published by Walton and contains the middle movement "Mashed Potato Love Poem" (hey, would you choose to be with your lover or a third helping of mashed potaties?) and "Vending Machine", about a boy and his Dad buying some peanut butter crackers at a vending machine. All the texts are witty- not just generically humorous. I balk when people sometimes call these "novelty" pieces- they are more than that thanks to the quality of the texts. Btw, there is also now an SSA/piano version of Mashed Potato Love Poem (it is also selling very well).

I'll update as the conference goes- time allowing. I am on a whirlwind tour of conferences, residencies,and concerts featuring my music. Over 5-6 weeks I will be in Cincy, Madison WI, Richmond VA, Jacksonville FL, Little Rock AK, and New Orleans. I am totally looking forward to visiting those warm weather cities! 

Highly recommended- Univ. of Michigan Summer Choral Conducting Symposium

(photo of Jerry Blackstone)

This is a great summer symposium with grad credit available. A couple friends of mine have attended this symposium in the past and loved it. If you are not familiar with the university choral world in Michigan- I have to tell you that things there are great. In fact, I go up to Michigan for their ACDA events as much or more than attending Illinois events (sort of sad, but true). Each of these four instructors is unique from the other, a big strong point.
Pearl Shangkuan does not teach at U of Michigan during the year- her home is the excellent program at Calvin College where she also works with my fiend Joel Navarro.

Oooh... and they're working on one of my favorite pieces- Rejoice in the Lamb by Britten.

University of Michigan Choral Conducting Symposium

DATE:

July 6 - July 10, 2009

INSTRUCTORS:

Jerry Blackstone, Paul Rardin, Pearl Shangkuan & Julie Skadsem

(photo of Paul Rardin)

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Conducting Masterclasses

Dalcroze Eurhythmics

Score Study Sessions

Reading Sessions

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

This workshop is devoted to the enhancement of beautiful and communicative choral singing. To that end we will discuss conducting and rehearsal techniques appropriate for a wide range of choral ensembles. Students will conduct in class and be videotaped to aid in the evaluation of their work. Reading sessions of new repertoire will take place daily as well as practical opportunities for workshop participants.

(photo of Julie Skadsem)

ADMISSIONS:

Workshops may be taken for graduate credit (NCFD), Continuing Education Units (CEU), or for personal enrichment without college credit.

GRADUATE CREDIT:

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS:

This workshop has been approved by the Michigan Department of Education for SB-CEU.

Total Number of SB-CEU: 2.8

APPLICATION:

Personal enrichment and CEU participants complete the application below.

Application deadline - June 15, 2009

(photo of Pearl Shangkuan)

Online Application

Or print and mail: 2009 Choral Conducting Application

Mail all materials to:

Summer Programs Office

School of Music, Theatre & Dance
2005 Baits Drive Rm. 220

University of Michigan
Ann Arbor MI 48109

FEES:

Non-refundable Application Fee - $25 (not included in the workshop fee)

Workshop Fee - $450

SB-CEU Fee: $ 25 (optional)

CONTACT:

For more information about Summer Workshops, please contact Regina Ferguson, Program Coordinator.

Email: rcferg@umich.edu

Phone: (734) 764-5429

Fax: (734) 647-6916

RELATED LINKS:

Jerry Blackstone

Paul Rardin

Pearl Shangkuan

Julie Skadsem

Choral Conducting Program

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

You will be responsible for providing the following materials:

Mozart: Coronation Mass (Kyrie and Gloria)

Available for downloading for study purposes:

http://dme.mozarteum.at/DME/nma/nmapub_srch.php?l=2

Handel: Messiah (Movements 1, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Dover Publications, ISBN 0-486-26067-4 (Edited by Alfred Mann)

Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb

Boosey & Hawkes, #48008987 (ISMN M-060-01512-0)

In addition, please bring the following supplies:

◦ VHS videocassette tape
◦ baton
◦ colored pencils

DAILY SCHEDULE:

(Tentative schedule)

9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Conducting Masterclass

Topics include:
◦ score study techniques
◦ rehearsal strategies
◦ building tone
◦ effective use of warmup
◦ repertoire resources

1:30-3:30 p.m.

Conducting Masterclass and Reading Sessions

3:30-7:00 p.m.

Monday-Thursday - Enjoy Ann Arbor!

7:00-8:30 p.m.

Monday - Summer Sings - community-wide sing through of major choral work with

soloists and piano; Jerry Blackstone, conductor

Tuesday-Thursday - Workshop Chorus Rehearsal led by faculty and workshop participants

with 50-60 voice choir

CORPORATE SPONSORS:

Musical Resources of Toledo, OH