|
June 2015 ChoraLink
As the current school year winds down, many of us find ourselves deep into the planning phase for the next one--and that's certainly the case for your Eastern Division Leadership. April and May have been particularly busy months for the many people who serve on planning and adjudicating committees, and June promises to bring more of the same. We're excited to see how the Boston conference is shaping up.... But
back to the present: This month we feature an article from Dr. Elisa Macedo Delaney (R&S Chair for Multicultural and Ethnic Perspectives) on what we all can gain by experiencing first hand through singing and programing diverse musical traditions. In addition you will find a list of Eastern Division summer state conference offerings to refresh your teaching souls this summer, and a reminder about the Eastern Division Honor Choirs deadline (get them in by June 30!).
As always, we're listening, and we're here to serve.
ACDA Eastern Division President | |
|
Honor Choir Applications Close June 30!!
The 2016 ACDA Honor Choirs will offer unparalleled musical opportunities for both students and adults throughout the Eastern Division. We have an incredible roster of dynamic conductors lined up that you won't want your students (or yourself!) to miss. But hurry--applications close on June 30!
 - High School: Jeffery Redding, conductor
- South American Repertoire (HS & Adult): Daniel Afonso,conductor
- Junior High: Andrea Ramsey, conductor
- Elementary: Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, conductor
More information on each conductor, as well as details on how to apply can be found here. Make sure to share this life-changing opportunity with your students, and submit their application before they leave for the summer! |
In an Ideal World...
In an ideal world, music from world cultures and from our own folk tradition should be an integral part of a rich and diverse choral repertoire. Historically, our repertoire choices have been focused on Western European traditional music. This may have narrowed our vision about what should be considered quality music. What could our choristers and students in choral settings in the United States gain from experiencing the diverse musical traditions of our globe? Let's think musically.
There are music theory systems in other parts of the world as sophisticated as our Western European music system. Take for instance North Indian or Hindustani classical music, with its hundreds of ragas (melodic organization) and talas (rhythmic organization), a music theory system so complex it would take us many semesters of music theory classes to fully understand it. How about heterophony, rarely encountered in Western music? Not homophony, polyphony, or monophony, but the less familiar texture that brings yet another perspective in music performance because singers can contribute to the overall piece by adding spontaneous ornamentation to a melodic line. Let us not forget the ability to sing microtones in Chinese Opera or with overtones in Aboriginal music and Tuvan throat singing. There is also the purposeful tuning of instruments in pairs in Indonesia to allow the presence of beats (not really something desired in our western ideal of intonation) and the intricate layers of rhythmic patterns present in multiple examples of African music, to name a few.
So, why should we incorporate music from various world traditions (in addition to our beautifully crafted Western European tradition)? Simply stated, because we are traditionally exposed to the elements that are common in our music traditions, but there are multiple important music elements still foreign to us. Performing and learning about these elements will only enhance our understanding of what music is and what it represents to millions of humans around the world.
R&S Chair for Multicultural and Ethnic Perspectives
|
|
|
ACDA Summer Conferences
Many state ACDA chapters will be hosting conferences this summer, and any ACDA member is welcome to attend regardless of the state in which they actually reside. Click on a state, below, learn more about these great summer conferences:
| |
|
Next Month: Boston Conference Preview
We're so excited about ACDA's 2016 Division Conference, and can't wait to share with you some of the things we have planned as we return to Boston, a city with a rich and long tradition of choral singing.
Keep an eye out for our June ChoraLink: Boston Conference Preview Edition to learn a bit more about what to expect next February!
| |
|
|
|
