Texas Sings! Fall 2013

TEXAS SINGS!Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage PaidAustin, Texas

Permit No. 789

Volume 30 Number 3 Official Publication of the Texas Choral Directors Association Fall 2013

Texas Choral Directors Association7900 Centre Park Drive, Suite AAustin, Texas 78754

Address Service Requested

TALLEY

RICE

HOOPER

BROCKWAY-N

ICHOLS

GALLAGHER2013–2014

TCDA OFFIC

ERS

RACHITA

MABRY

LUTZ

BERRIER

We Made It!

S H A R O N L U T Z

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

We made it through our first convention under the new format, with TCDA, TODA and TBA sharing convention dates and a

combined exhibit hall. We worked hard to keep a physical separation of programs, and though there are still challenges to overcome, the response from members was uniformly positive. The exhibitors were extremely pleased with the outcome, report-ing increased traffic and connecting with more folks in the shared exhibit hall. Thank you for your coop-eration and support with this transition!

Many of you made helpful comments to improve future conventions (see the Suggestion Box). As we plan next year’s event, we will take your feedback into consideration. Unfortunately, La Villita will not be renovated in time for us to hold a 2014 BBQ. In recent years, members have really enjoyed the Soiree, so we will try to extend its hours at your request. The complimentary childcare this year was also very popular.

Most important, TCDA saw a real pickup in new

members this year due to the New Teacher Acad-emy and the first-year teacher 50% convention fee. We welcome our new members, and we will definitely repeat these successful initiatives next year. Recruiting is important to the future of TCDA, so please bring a friend next year, or talk to a new teacher about the value of joining TCDA. We need your help in growing TCDA!

Please join me in welcoming our new President, Billy Talley, and our three new Board members: Robin Brockway-Nichols (High School Division); Jennifer Gallagher (Middle School/Junior High Division); and Terry Berrier (Secretary-Treasurer). Our outgoing Board members deserve a round of thanks for their commitment and service to TCDA: Amy Allibon, Mark Rohwer, Kari Gilbertson, and Karen Gonzalez. Jeff Rice, former President, now steps into the role of Past-President.

Thanks again for your great feedback. Contact us at anytime, and we will be in touch through Choral Notes and Texas Sings!

Texas Sings! is the official publication of TCDA. It serves over 1600 choral directors in Texas, representing elementary, middle school, high school, college and church, as a means of communication among the membership and to promote the choral arts within our state. Texas Sings! is published in May (pre-convention) and in October (post-convention). Texas Sings! is a great venue to advertise choral programs and events such as summer music campus, choral tours, new faculty, and promotion of educational tools and products.

The TCDA Clinic/Convention Program includes a complete list of convention activities and events, including performing groups, headliners and clinicians, exhibitor information, and much more. The program is distributed to all convention attendees at our July event. Advertisements receive maximum exposure. The convention also provides specific sponsorship opportunities for your products and services.

Thanks for your support of TCDA and the choral arts!Please go to www.tcda.net for more information on advertising and sponsorship, or contact TCDA at 512-474-2801.Ad

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3Fall 2013 · Texas Sings!

TEXAS SINGS!Volume 30 Number 3 Fall 2013

contentsWe Are Family 4

by Billy Talley

The Future of TCDA 6by Jeff Rice

2013 TCDA Scholarship Recipients 7

2013 TCDA Awards 8

In Memoriam 9Imogene White HolmesPatricia Anne “Patti” French

Where Will Their Lives Take Them? 10by Debbie Rohwer

Join or Renew Your TCDA Membership! 12

Suggestion Box 14by Sharon Lutz

Creative Challenges 16by Randall Hooper

Financial Report 18

The New Kid 19by Robin Brockway-Nichols

Catching Choir 20by Jennifer Gallagher

What’s in Your Toolbox? 21by Laura Rachita

Consider the Source 22by Gary Mabry

Teach the Love and Obsession 23by Terry Berrier

TEXAS CHORAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

PresidentBilly Talley, Amarillo

Past PresidentJeff Rice, Waco

College/Community Vice PresidentRandall Hooper, Commerce

High School Vice PresidentRobin Brockway-Nichols, Carrollton

Middle School/Junior High Vice PresidentJennifer Gallagher, Pearland

Elementary Vice PresidentLaura Rachita, Friendswood

Church Vice PresidentGary Mabry, San Antonio

Secretary/TreasurerTerry Berrier, Richardson

Executive DirectorSharon Lutz, Austin

TEXAS SINGS!EditorBeverly Schlegel

Layout and DesignBen White, Lubbock

Official Publication of the Texas Choral Directors Association7900 Centre Park Drive, Suite AAustin, Texas 78754512-474-2801

© 2013 Texas Choral Directors AssociationNo part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the Executive Director.

TCDA is an affiliate of ACDA.

Attention Members: Our Membership Year has changed to coincide with the calendar year. The TCDA Membership Year for 2014 is January 1–December 31. Membership Application and Renewals will open in December 2013. Check the website at www.tcda.net or contact our office at 512-474-2801.

Current Members should be receiving Choral Notes, our informative electronic newsletter. If you are not, please email [email protected].

4 Texas Sings! · Fall 2013

PRESIDENT

The 2013 TCDA Convention has come and gone, but its impact will be felt for a very long time. What an amazing convention! Congratu-

lations to Past President Jeff Rice and the 2013 Board for one of the most successful and important conventions in our association’s history. Thanks to outgoing Board members Karen Gonzalez, Kari Gil-bertson, and Mark Rohwer for their willingness to devote their time and talent to TCDA for the past two years. And a very special thank-you to Amy Allibon, who completed seven years of service as a TCDA Board member. Thank you, Amy, for your energy, your vision, and your attention to detail.

Thank you to those who attended the conven-tion. Many of you do not receive financial help from your school district or church to attend TCDA, yet you keep coming back. You come for the camara-derie of the Soiree. You come for the outstanding performances by groups such as Cantare Houston and Vox Humana, and to hear unbelievable Honor Choirs such as this year’s Middle School Honor Choir prepared and directed by Lynne Gackle. You come to be inspired by nationally known music educators such as Paul Rardin and Derrick Fox, and to hear the newest releases by a host of music publishers. If you missed the 2013 TCDA Conven-tion, don’t let it happen again! Start making plans now for the 59th Annual TCDA Convention on July 27–30, 2014. And bring a friend!

Believe me when I say that this Board had some anxious moments concerning TCDA, TODA, and TBA holding their summer conventions simultane-ously. But thanks to great leadership and careful planning, all three conventions happened and no blood was shed! Kudos to our own Sharon Lutz and Mike Brashear of TBA for their cooperative efforts to bring about this necessary change. This change needed to happen for the financial good of all three organizations, and having the majority of the TCDA events in one area of the Convention Center was an unexpected bonus for our members.

Share TCDA. I would encourage you to share your experiences with TCDA with those directors/teachers in your city who did not attend our conven-tion. They might not know enough about what we offer to realize how much they are missing. When you have finished reading this edition of Texas Sings! pass it on to a friend or colleague. If there is a pertinent article in the online TCDA Choral Notes, copy it and send it to your region. Sometimes, the only way for new directors to know what TCDA is all about is for you to tell them.

We Are Family! When my students talk about what choir means to them, the word “family” always comes into the conversation. My choir is not the exception for that feeling of security that comes from being a part of the choir. I know that many choirs around our state create that same environment

We Are Family

B I L L Y T A L L E Y


where the students feel safe and unconditionally accepted. How does that happen? Is it an automat-ic by-product of gathering in the same room every day and singing together? I don’t think it happens by accident. I think each of us must develop ways to make our students feel they belong. Some of the things I do to create our “family” include:

Pictures on the Wall. One of the best ideas I have implemented in recent years is having a bul-letin board in my choir room designated for pic-tures of my choir members. During the first week of school, I ask one student from each class to serve as the photographer. As the rest of the choir rehearses, three or four students at a time go into the hall and have their picture made. Everyone gets their picture made in a small group. No one takes an individual picture. And it is very important that no student is left out. Once all students are includ-ed, I have 4×6 prints made. Then I give the job to the seniors to create some sort of picture collage on the bulletin board. The collage helps create the sense of family within the choir. Everybody wants their picture on the wall. And yes, I make sure that my picture is up there somewhere too. Try it with your groups. It doesn’t cost a lot of money and your kids will love it.

Sometimes, the only way for new directors to know what TCDA is all about is for you to tell them.

He Knows My Name! The principal at my school is a freak of nature. He has the uncanny ability to remember people’s names. Every year, as the freshmen line up for registration, Dr. Pulliam is there to shake hands with every ninth grader and ask them their name. And he remembers it! We have over 2,200 students, so this is not an easy task. And he doesn’t just know the easy names, he knows the wild ones as well. This is amazing to me, since I have to wear a nametag to remember my own name. As a result of this personal touch, he has our students on his side. It makes a dif-ference to a student when the principal knows their name, even when they are not in trouble. Now, I don’t have to remember 2,200 names. But I need to know the name of every singer that walks through my door each day. I make it a habit to stand by the door as the students walk in and I address them by name. I shake hands with every student as they enter. It shows that I know them and I respect them. And they like it.

Show Up. I have many students who are involved in every school activity imaginable. During the first couple of weeks of school, I try to find out which students are involved in athletics, dance team, the-ater, cheerleading, etc. How is football going? When is the next game? What time? And I make an effort to get to at least one game or performance for these students. They know when you are there and they like it. Too often, our students think all we do is sit at home and listen to classical music. When we show up to cheer them on in other activities, it makes them more likely to give a little more energy in the choir room.

Tradition! Can you hear Tevye singing it? Tradi-tion! Every choir has them. There are traditions that become a trademark of our group. For my choirs, we have a tradition of singing “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” each Friday to end the week. It takes less than two minutes, yet it means so much to the students. They feel cheated if we don’t have the chance to sing it. Our students love traditions. It gives them a sense that they are part of something bigger than themselves. A former student of mine recently died in a tragic car/truck accident that took the lives of five young people. When I asked the grieving parents if there was anything the choir could do for them, they asked us to sing “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” at the conclusion of the memorial service for their son. As it came time for us to sing, I knew it would be a logistical nightmare to gather my singers at the front of the church. So I asked all former and current choir members, along with anyone else who knew the song, to stand where they were and join in singing that beautiful benediction. I wish you could have heard that sing-ing. I would guess that over a third of the packed house stood to sing. It was almost as marvelous as the TCDA membership singing to conclude our busi-ness meeting. You see, even TCDA has traditions that make us feel like we are part of a family. If you don’t have any traditions right now, find something that your group can do regularly that will bring them closer together.

Every singer in your choir wants to be a part of the group. They want to be accepted. They want their picture on the wall. They want you to call them by name. They want you to watch them play. And they want the connection that only comes from sharing choral music together. What an amazing honor and responsibility we have every day to make sure our students know that they are truly impor-tant to us and that they are an integral part of our choir family.


PAST PRESIDENT

Watching the summer convention unfold, I was amazed (and a little relieved!) that all the moving pieces synchronized according

to the plans of the TCDA, TODA, and TBA Boards. The historic agreement between these three associa-tions was a result of in-depth study and meticulous planning over many months. I must express my grati-tude to our own Executive Director, Sharon Lutz, and her counterpart, Mike Brashear, Executive Director of the Texas Bandmasters Association. These two did more work behind the scenes than you can imagine. The result was the creation of the largest summer music trade show in the Southwest United States.

Though we joined forces for the exhibits, each association maintained its own unique convention experience. The relocation of TCDA registration to the East Registration Area worked very well for us. Hopefully, you agree that the proximity to the Exhib-it Hall, Ballroom A, and other workshop rooms was a positive change for TCDA. I did not miss the long hike all the way back to Ballroom C for reading ses-sions. Of course, convention center construction plans will cause us to revisit all of this again in a year or two.

Thank you to TCDA Division Vice Presidents for envisioning and developing such meaningful experiences for our membership. The thoughtfully planned workshops, extraordinary clinicians/con-ductors, and outstanding performing groups rivaled many divisional and national conferences. I am grateful that we are blessed with such dedicated volunteers serving on the TCDA Board.

In order to remain a relevant and viable asso-ciation, TCDA must continue to push the boundar-ies. We must change with the times and technology while remaining true to our mission of promoting choral music and choral musicians. TCDA must seek to actively and intentionally recruit new mem-bers. Toward this end, the TCDA Board is consider-ing several New Member Initiatives that will be roll-ing out later this year. As we know from recruiting for our own programs, the best recruiting tool is a relationship. Please take time this year to encour-age your friends and colleagues to join TCDA.

According to the Texas Education Agency, Texas has 1,700+ high schools and is growing every year. Imagine the thousands of middle schools and ele-mentary schools that feed into those schools! Also, a recent search of College Board member schools revealed 198 colleges and universities in Texas. Finally, Texas is well known for having a church on just about every street corner. There are thousands of choral directors, music teachers, and church musicians out there who are potential members of TCDA. If each member recruited just one new mem-ber, our association membership would explode!

There are several factors that determine wheth-er our colleagues join TCDA or not. Some will say it is financially prohibitive while others will say they just don’t see the need for a trek to San Antonio to attend TCDA in the summer during our “vacation” months. Those of us who have experienced and val-ue the face-to-face human interaction that occurs at our convention must do a better job of convinc-ing our non-TCDA colleagues to join us.

As we know from recruiting for our own programs, the best recruiting tool is a relationship.

Some who argue that they can watch a YouTube video to get the same training or Skype with a big name choral conductor need only look as far as Miss Kansas’s performance of “Nessun Dorma” at the recent Miss America competition. She bragged that she learned the song from YouTube. If you saw and heard the performance, you know what I mean when I say she may have had a better chance of winning if she had studied with a qualified voice teacher in person.

If for no other reason (and this should be enough for all of us), all Texas choral directors should join TCDA because choral music education is our pro-fession and we should be members of our name-sake professional organization. Please make it your mission to recruit at least one new member to TCDA this year.

The Future of TCDA

J E F F R I C E


Please Support the Future of Choral Directing

Give to the TCDA Scholarship Funds

Thank You!visit www.tcda.net for details and online contributions

Future TCDA Convention Dates:

July 27–30, 2014July 23–26, 2015July 21–24, 2016July 20–23, 2017July 26–29, 2018

2013 TCDA Scholarship Recipients

Left to right: Amy Moore, Randall Capshaw, Theresa Whatley, Chelsea Berner, Cynthia Juarez, Megan Gackle, Brittney Nixon, Elaina Nordin, Katie Webb (Not pictured: Darla Meek and Kelley Poche-Rodriguez)

Chelsea Berner Baylor University – DONALD BAILEY

Randall Capshaw Texas Christian University – JIM AND GLENDA CASEY

Megan Gackle Baylor University – WILLIAM GORHAM

Cynthia Juarez University of Texas of Permian Basin – JACKIE COCKE

Darla Meek Texas A&M University (Commerce) – GENERAL FUND

Amy Moore Texas Tech University – GANDY INK

Brittney Nixon Southwestern University – CLOYS WEBB

Elaina Nordin Stephen F. Austin University – LIZ VOLK

Kelley Poche-Rodriguez Texas Tech University – GANDY INK

Katie Webb Texas Tech University – PAST PRESIDENTS

Theresa Whatley Texas A&M University (Commerce) – ABBOTT IPCO


2013 TCDA AwardsYoung Director of Distinction

Distinguished Choirmaster Award

Ashley Delaney, Harpool MS Kelly Dunn, McCullough JH Jennifer Gallagher, Nolan Ryan JH

Matt Green, Hamilton MS

Betsy Cook Weber, University of Houston

Jerry McCoy, University of North Texas

This award recognizes outstanding young directors who have achieved significant accomplishments in their careers within their first five years of teaching. This year’s recipients: Ashley Delaney, Kelly Dunn, Jennifer Gallagher, and Matt Green.

Not given every year, the Board selects TCDA members with clearly superior choral conducting and musicianship skill, with many years of performance success. This year’s recipients: Betsy Cook Weber and Jerry McCoy.

Visit www.tcda.net for full listing of award recipients, criteria, and application deadlines. TCDA welcomes recommendations for Young Director of Distinction and Choral Excellence Awards


Choral Excellence Award

Keith Dixon, Bay Area Chorus Nora Henson, Youth Chorus of Greater Dallas

Barry Talley, Deer Park HS

This award is based on contributions to choral music in Texas for mentoring and inspiring colleagues and students as well as continued advocacy for the future of choral singing. This year’s recipients: Keith Dixon, Nora Henson and Barry Talley.

Imogene White HolmesImogene White Holmes, a longtime, beloved Texas Public School music educator, passed away on

March 3, 2013, at the age of 85. Imogene was one of forty-six teachers in her family and taught music in seven schools throughout Texas, including Longview, Midland, Atlanta, and Henderson, where she lived for forty years. Over her thirty-four year tenure as a teacher, Imogene’s choirs enjoyed sweepstakes ratings and many of her students advanced to both the State Solo and Ensemble Contest in Austin and the TMEA All-State Choir in San Antonio. Imogene graduated from Baylor University, earning a bachelor’s degree in music with a double major in piano and vocal public school music. Imogene married Bill Holmes on May 1, 1953, and later received her master’s degree in education from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Imogene was a member of TMEA and TCDA. She served as pianist, organist, and soloist at local churches; played in the Kilgore Keyboard Orchestra; and sang in the choir at First Baptist Church in Henderson. Imogene taught private piano and voice lessons and was a frequent judge for vocal, choral, and piano contests and festivals. She was former chair of the Henderson Piano Guild and Queen Mother of her Red Hat Society. Imogene’s hobbies included genealogy, computer, read-ing, walking, traveling, and her children and grandchildren, and she loved Blue Bell ice cream.

Patricia Anne “Patti” FrenchPatricia French, affectionately known as Patti, was taken away from us way too soon, at the age of

55, on March 18, 2013. Patti was a cherished wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and teacher, and is sorely missed by her family, friends, and students. From 2002 until her death, Patti spent her teaching career as choir director at Worley Middle School in Mansfield ISD. Many of her students posted com-ments about her contributions, most often citing that she was their inspiration and motivation. Remarks about Patti include: “You helped me to become a better singer and to find my confidence”; “You were my favorite teacher ever, and now you are a beautiful angel”; “You were an amazing teacher and a second mom to us. We love you!”

Patti was a member of TMEA and TCDA. She leaves a legacy of influencing countless young lives with her devotion, commitment, and enthusiasm for music.

In Memoriam


Where Will Their Lives Take Them?

You have brains in your head.You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.You’re on your own.

And you know what you know.And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go . . .

— Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Our students mean a great deal to us and that is why we spend time and effort making their learning experience the best it can possibly be. It is difficult, though, watch-ing students prepare to graduate, as we wonder where

their next paths will take them. Will life treat them well? Will music continue to be an enjoyable part of their lives?

Clearly, the array of experiences they had in high school choir produced many possible music-related benefits, including their skills as astute listeners in society, whether on their iPods or as audience members, their ability to provide their future children with a quality musical environment that is supportive of the arts, and, probably most important, their love of music, whether they are singing in the shower or with friends around the campfire. In addition, the students probably benefited in non-musical ways, such as being able to work in groups, and being disciplined and dedicated to achieving goals.

While all of these possible life benefits are valuable, it would be ideal if active music making could also continue past high school so that students could have their musical outlet every week instead of just remembering the emotional high that they experienced from being in high school choir. Yet, the majority of students who graduate and enter a career other than music do not participate in a community choir or other musical group. The students’ pathways are challenging because they are busy going to college and then starting a family and earning a living while climbing the corporate ladder. The balance of all of these components is indeed cumbersome.

Therefore, it may be useful to look at the ways to ease the transition from school to community ensembles for students. Some students do not have to worry about this transition being bumpy because they have participated in their church choirs for

years, and will continue to do so if college and life allow them to stay in their current communities. Other students may need help even considering the possibilities of how they could par-ticipate in music after they leave to go to college and beyond.

AvailabilityTeachers can help students by exposing them to music

groups that exist in their own community settings. Whether it is a community choir, a ukulele ensemble, or some other musical group, the important thing is for students to know that music participation doesn’t have to end at graduation. There are com-munity groups for adults that are available to them.

High schools can set up concerts where the community group is the opening act, or sing a combined song where the high school choir sings with a senior citizen choir (thereby encourag-ing intergenerational respect as well) or bring in a bluegrass band to front the choir on a piece. There are many possibilities, all of which let students see adults actively making music, not as a career necessarily, but as an enjoyable activity. This mes-sage allows students to entertain the idea that they can have music be a part of their lives without giving up their day jobs. This can be a very important realization for students to make.

Teachers can also help students in a pragmatic way by show-ing them how to access information about music organizations in locales other than in their own neighborhoods. Many com-munity groups have webpages or Facebook pages where they have example recordings that students can listen to. Knowing that groups exist in a given area can also be done by searching in local newspapers. This may seem like it would be an obvi-ous skill, but students may never have looked at a newspaper’s community section to search for concerts on the weekend, and if so, then the idea of looking for an ensemble through a news-paper may not even occur to them when they move to a new town for college or a job. If students move away to college, they may also have access to a variety of ensembles for non-majors at their school. Letting them know of this option may be the deciding point in their choice to register for a choir during their freshman year.

Where Will Their Lives Take Them?From high school choir to lifelong learning: Making the ideal possible

by Debbie Rohwer


FeasibilityBy inviting local community music groups to visit the high

school to sing and talk about the group, students can learn about availability of community groups, while also learning about the feasibility of participating in such groups. If the choirs sing for each other, then the students can get an aural feel for whether they would be comfortable singing in the ensemble themselves. Then, the students and community members can discuss the similarities and differences between community ensembles and school ensembles. Addressing basic informa-tion such as where the groups meet, how long rehearsals last, and how to audition can get students thinking about the practi-cal aspects of music participation outside of the school walls. Balancing a work schedule, a family, and participation in a com-munity group can be a great challenge for young professionals, so discussing rehearsal and performance scheduling issues with group members may help students hear about the various ways the balance can be managed.

ApproachabilityBy partnering with local community music ensembles, choir

directors may also be easing student concerns about approach-ing community groups like the ones they’ve been exposed to. It is hard enough going to college or a new job, but if everything in life is new, it can be overwhelming. By dress-rehearsing how it might be to participate in a group in the community, directors may be opening the door to possibilities for students.

It may also be important to discuss the variety of musical skill levels found in community groups. Texas high school cho-ral groups tend to perform at an extremely high level, and if students aren’t familiar with the spread of groups in the com-munity, from amateur to professional, they might be surprised that every group in the community doesn’t sound the same as their high school group.

AccountabilityBy bringing in groups and discussing pragmatics for the stu-

dents’ futures, high school teachers can go far in helping stu-dents see the big picture of how music participation can be a part of their lives. An additional component that can have a strong impact on students is modeling. If they see people they love and respect participating in music experiences in their adult lives, that can reinforce the viability of the activity. Actions often speak louder than words. By letting students see their choir director singing in a group, they may be more likely to envi-sion themselves in the same kind of music making setting. The challenge, of course, is that choir directors make music all day, and so taking the time and effort to make more music outside of the school day can appear daunting. If possible, though, the modeling of being a community musician can be profound for students in seeing the possibilities for their own futures.

Perhaps the easiest first step for high school programs that want to encourage a lifelong music learning mindset would be to have an intergenerational concert where parents and grand-parents are invited to sing next to their child or grandchild. This simple activity can open the eyes of students to the idea that choir is not just for kids. The enjoyment of music can be lifelong.

The more that teachers can consider students’ life possibili-ties after graduation and help them plan for the various options, the greater the chance that when they walk out the door they will do so with all the resources they need to make their futures successful, enjoyable, and musical. Or, as Dr. Seuss said:

You’re off to Great Places!Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.So . . . get on your way!

Debbie Rohwer is Chair and Professor of Music Education at the University of North Texas

Join or Renew Your TCDA Membership!

CAMARADERIE

ENERGYInspiration, Renewal, Rejuvenation, and Lots of Fun in San Antonio!

New music and valuable information to take back to your classroomProfessional choirs and performing groups

Our first-night Soiree is a huge party to meet new and old friends

SAVE THE DATE NOW FOR 2014 CONVENTION

Membership Year is January 1, 2014 thru December 31, 2014

(Membership for 2014 opens December 1, 2013)www.tcda.net 512-474-2801

SAVE THE DATE NOW FOR 2014 CONVENTIONJuly 27-30, 2014

Henry B. Gonzalez CenterSan Antonio, Texas

Join or Renew Your TCDA Membership!

TRAINING

NETWORKINGChoral Notes online newsletter, Texas Sings!, and other benefits

An Exhibit Hall with over 650 booths with new music, fundraising opportunities, personal shopping, and more

Sponsorship of students in Honor Choir and High School DayFirst-time teachers receive a 50% reduction in convention fee

A New Teacher Academy offers valuable tips and informationContinuing Education credits through interactive workshops, reading sessions and performances


Workshops/Reading Sessions• Offer a workshop on choreography, especially for show

choirs, and simple ideas for riser choreography; and add a workshop on the basics of theater for those with no experience in preparing a musical.

• I think it’s time to let the “reading choir” go and let the conductor direct the whole group. I would love more UIL reading sessions and Tried and Proven sessions; maybe even Tried and Proven UIL titles. Derrick Fox was awesome. Too many of the pieces in Tried and True seem to be standards. Might be good to encourage the use of great pieces that few people know. Tried and Proven ran out of music before the session filled.

• Could the Advanced HS/College session contain more titles attainable by 5A Varsity high schools? This year seemed to lean heavily toward college and the percent-age of college directors in the state is nominal com-pared to the number of 5A high school directors.

• Worship Service---I was upset that there was not a church choir involved. It implies that (a) church choirs aren’t good enough, (b) church choirs are not an im-portant part of TCDA, or (c) there were no church choirs available. I personally would prefer having several church choirs presenting a variety of their best reper-toire over a worship experience. We have denomina-tional events for worship.

• TCDA needs more clinics/workshops specifically about singing. Get recognized voice teachers to do workshops on vocal pedagogy, vocal hygiene, etc.

• What happened to the Reading Session for Small Church Choirs, SAB, or non-divisi SATB? All we saw this year were biggies.

• Would like to see a clinic on conducting with emphasis on stretching, posture, etc.

• Elementary/MS Holiday Session is a great idea but bad choices on cuts. It was impossible to get a good feel for at least half of the songs. Most would have been sung in the time it took to talk about the cuts.

• I am very pleased that Reading Session 5 (Adv JH/HS Training) included mostly SAB pieces or 3 part mixed. Consider including more SAB specific pieces in the HS packets. I realize that many publishers of SATB works offer SAB voicings, but including SAB specific works is wonderful for those of us who teach smaller choirs.

• Please choose more gender pieces, especially at the MS/JH/HS Training levels. I think we have more SSA/TBB choirs at those levels in the state than mixed choirs.

• Please schedule the last day with less popular and less attended sessions. Many do not need to attend the All-State Session and are teaching summer school. Since moving the convention Sun–Wed, we miss 3 days as opposed to one or two when held Wed–Sat.

• Spread out sessions so they don’t overlap. Offer more workshops on Wednesday and Sunday.

Response: Great feedback on workshop comments. The Board is charged with putting together the program and the division leaders will carefully review comments respec-tive to their areas of responsibility. Take a look at sessions listed for other divisions, as many are applicable to all choral musicians.

As usual, we received excellent feedback from our convention attendees. While we can’t address all suggestions in this forum, please know the Board reads each and every one of them, discusses them, and considers whether change is needed. We want to improve our convention every year, and hearing from members is important to us. Thanks for your feedback, and I hope our 2013 convention enabled you to start the year with inspiration and new ideas!

by Sharon Lutz


Honor Choir• Fabulous repertoire and great clinician! We need a

more difficult audition piece. It needs to be short, but even a cut with a greater range and more difficult intervals would be a better gauge of ability and range. The range of the literature was quite different from audition keys, especially for tenor. Also, maybe a space on the audition form for the director to note the voice part sung by the student in the home choir to more accurately and easily split the divisi sections and TB/Treble pieces.

• My son sang in the Honor Choir. He had a wonderful ex-perience! Thank you, TCDA. After the concert, he asked, “Do you earn a patch for this choir?” I said no and he said, “Well, you should.” I agree. How about earning a patch?

Response: Honor Choir was a hit, and Kari Gilbertson received lots of accolades. Lynne Gackle was fabulous. Honor Choir is a program that grows in popularity, and we will continue to improve its efficiency and enjoyment for the schools, the parents, and the participants.

Registration/Badges Etc.• With Convention beginning on Sunday, keep registra-

tion open (at least until 7 pm) for those who travel and have church responsibilities. With TCDA, TBA, and TODA together, parking, hotels, eateries are crazy busy.

• Please put our school/church/workplace on our badge. The city listed this year on our badge was our home city. Many people’s jobs are not the same as where they live.

• TBA/TCDA/TODA need to be on the same page as far as badges go for kids. (TBA Child badge is 17 and under.)

• Great idea to have registration online while standing in line---Go, Technology! Scheduling seemed very good also.

Response: We had many comments about badges, as well as extending registration hours on Sunday. We agree! We will also work on improving the overall on-site registration process, including providing an itemized receipt.

New Format• Great idea to put TCDA, TODA, and TBA together for

musicians, teachers, and exhibitors. The transition to a joint TBA/TODA/TCDA was a smooth one. I liked being here with TBA and all the vendors.

Response: We received very positive feedback on the new format, and part of its success was due to keeping a physi-cal separation of all programs. We had a few challenges,

but they are easily overcome. We will let you know how the new format affects us financially.

Music Booklets• Great idea to have our music bound into booklets for

each reading session.

• Individual octavos, please. You can’t file songs by voice part or genre when they are in a book for reference. Or, offer PDF versions for tablets and charge a fee with reg-istration for internet access to download. Or, offer some publisher sponsored sessions and let them send some of the arrangers down to present the music.

• The books seem like a good idea. However, I always returned the music I didn’t need. I dread taking these books home on a flight.

Response: Comments were uniformly positive that the music booklets were more popular. We will continue to evaluate ways to improve the packets.

General Comments• Did not miss the BBQ. What about a featured perfor-

mance (like TMEA’s President’s Concert) that is par-tially sponsored and partially paid by ticket sales?

• I loved having the ballots, the CPE form, etc. all in the program. Easy to keep up with. Loved convention schedule book.

• Honor Choir notwithstanding, there should NOT be stu-dents at our summer convention. We need adult time.

• Now that we are combined, please block more hotel rooms.

• A slightly earlier start time for the Business Meeting and Honor Choir Concert would make it easier for more members to attend the meeting.

• The business meeting is a beating. I am proud of our many scholarships and awards but reading all the ac-colades aloud is brutal. Please put them on the website and in the magazine. At the meeting just read the names and present the awards. Many could not stay to hear election results or sing the Seven-Fold.

• Longer Soiree, please!

• Commuter Lounge was a great idea! Could we add beds? (Just kidding, kind of . . .) Overall, TCDA 2013 was outstanding! THANKS!

Response: We have learned that La Villita will not be renovated in time for a 2014 BBQ. The Soiree was great fun, and we will try to extend its hours. We will certainly consider the timing of the business meeting and its program length. Again, lots of great feedback from participants.

Thanks for your great feedback!


R A N D A L L H O O P E R

COLLEGE/COMMUNITY

I would like to thank the TCDA membership for allowing me to serve our organization. It is a real honor to work with the Board in guiding TCDA

into the future. I want to thank everyone who volun-teered this past summer in serving the College and Community Choir Division of TCDA through accom-panying, conducting, and presenting interesting sessions. TCDA remains a successful, thriving pro-fessional organization because of the willingness of its members to serve selflessly.

Creative ProgrammingA couple of years ago in planning the literature

for the upcoming school year, I found that I lacked creative motivation after a concert season of what I felt were less inspired and forced concert pro-grams. At the next summer’s convention follow-ing my “programming funk,” Craig Hella Johnson addressed creative programming in one of his ses-sions and Ken Medema presented a session on teaching improvisation. These two sessions were my “ah-hah” moments, and I left San Antonio with the inspiration and the permission to allow creativ-ity to lead my programming decisions.

Without claiming to be an authority on program-ming, let me offer you a few examples of how I achieved more artistic and professionally fulfilling concert programming. A particular concert entitled “Peace” opened with the Eric Whitacre setting of the E. E. Cummings text “hope, faith, life, love.” This piece is slow and ethereal with contemporary har-monies built on cluster chords. The final chord of the piece is a C chord with an added “d” on the word “soul.” The choir held this chord on an “ooo” as three male soloists sang in unison the first line of the Pacificus chant. Between the three phrases of the chant, the choir improvised melodies on the chord choosing a given text from five different “peace themed” biblical sentences.

I learned from Ken Medema that, when teach-ing improvisation, provide the performers param-eters within which to improvise. In this example, the parameters were the given pitches and the provided text, and the singers were encouraged to explore the full extent of the melodic range with

complete rhythmic freedom. This technique creates aleatoric polyphony. After the third repetition of this process, to modulate to the next key, one student began chanting on the dissonant pitch of B-flat on the English text from the Pacificus chant, “He shall be called peacemaker, and His throne shall be established forever,” with the choir joining in to create a crescendo in tempo and dynamic culmina-tion in the opening of the Paul Basler Psalm 150 from “The Songs of Faith,” Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise ye the Lord. We also minimally staged this set by placing the choir singing in the audience and processing to the stage after the introduction of the Psalm 150, creating an interesting effect when the choir improvised the polyphony at the beginning of the program.

I encourage you to step outside your old formula for programming and find the freedom and artistic fulfillment that comes with a little creativity and an untraditional look at traditional music.

Through the inspiration of the material provided from the octavos, choral improvisation and chance techniques, we created an opening set of music that established the tone and theme for the rest of the concert. Other pieces in this concert con-sisted of the J. S. Bach motet “Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden,” three a cappella pieces by Philip Glass, and two pieces with texts related to the “peace theme,” “In Pace,” and “Peace Like a River.”

The second concert example entitled “Cantate Voz Humana” began with a mash-up of the chant “Cantate Domino” and Paul Fetler’s “Sing Unto God.” (If you have a score to “Sing Unto God” you may find it handy for this discussion.) The choir began on stage, singing the first line of the chant with the men in unison on the melody and the wom-en on a pedal tone at the octave. The first line of the chant was followed by a chamber choir sing-ing mm. 1–8 of Fetler’s “Sing Unto God” from an upstage resonating chamber, the idea being that they were out of sight and removed from the larger

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choir. The chamber choir then continued with the “Sing Unto God” mm. 9–17 while the choir sang the second line of the chant with the men at the octave and the women holding the pedal tone of an octave and a fifth. The chamber choir continued the Fetler piece mm. 18–30. At m. 30 the chamber choir improvised on the pitches held at m. 30 while the choir sang the final line of the chant with the men in parallel motion at the octave and fifth, and the women sustaining the octave, fifth, and fourth. The chamber choir then sang mm. 31–36, the reprise of the A theme. When the chamber choir concluded at m. 36 on beat one, the full choir then began at m. 25 on beat two. The full choir then improvised on the pitches held at m. 28 until a cue was given from the conductor for everyone to sing m. 31 to the end.

This opening mash-up was followed attacca with William Byrd’s “Sing Joyfully” and then Noel Goe-mannen’s “Cantate Sing to the Lord.” The remain-ing concert consisted of Hugo Distler’s “Singet dem

Herrn ein Neues Lied,” John Corigliano’s “Fern Hill,” Samuel Barber’s “Agnus Dei,” and Sydney Guillau-me’s “Kalinda.”

In the past, I have been reluctant to take pro-gramming to this level. After allowing myself per-mission to put creativity first, I found a new sense of artistry and personal fulfillment in conducting and teaching. I encourage you to step outside your old formula for programming and find the freedom and artistic fulfillment that comes with a little creativity and an untraditional look at traditional music.

A Challenge to Our MembershipAfter you have read this edition of Texas Sings!

consider passing it on to a colleague not currently a member of TCDA and encourage them to learn about the benefits of TCDA membership. We were all encouraged in this manner at some point in our careers, and I challenge you to pass the value of our organization on to the next generation of great conductors and teachers.


Texas Choral Directors AssociationBalance Sheet as of September 30, 2013

Sep 30, 2013 ASSETSCurrent AssetsChecking/SavingsBank of America, Checking 112,357Petty Cash 50

Total Checking/Savings 112,407

Other Current AssetsScholarships 161,219Accounts Receivable, NSF 382Accts Rec, Magazine 1,235Awards Paid, Abbott-IPCO 500Awards Paid, Casey Fund 500Awards Paid, Cocke Fund 1,000Awards Paid, Gandy Ink Fund 1,000Awards Paid, General Sch 500Awards Paid, Gorham Fund 1,000Awards Paid, Liz Volk Fund 1,000Awards Paid, Past Pres Fund 1,000Awards Paid, Webb Fund 1,000Lincoln Financial Investments 94,063Prepaid Exp, Bulk Postage 784Prepaid Expense, Convention 250Prepaid Expense, General 1,800

Total Other Current Assets 267,233

Total Current Assets 379,640

Fixed AssetsDepreciation Reserve -26,174Fixed Assets, Electronics 19,039Office Furniture/Equipment 11,590

Total Fixed Assets 4,455

TOTAL ASSETS 384,095

LIABILITIES & EQUITYLiabilitiesCurrent LiabilitiesOther Current LiabilitiesAccounts Payable, TBA Academy 800Accounts Payable, TODA 926Accts Pay, Scholarship 10,744Soc Sec/Medicare, FICA 2,630

Total Other Current Liabilities 15,100

Total Current Liabilities 15,100

Total Liabilities 15,100

EquityOpening Balance Equity 141,162Net Assets, Restricted 161,219Net Income 66,614

Total Equity 368,995

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 384,095

Texas Choral Directors AssociationRevenue & Expenses thru the 3rd Quarter

For Fiscal Year Jan 1-Dec 31, 2013

Jan-Sep 2013 IncomeConvention IncomeHonor Choir Income 30,530Exhibit Rents 100,223Golf Tournament 2,225High School Day 6,240Member Souvenirs 900Registration Fees 152,185Showcases 900Sponsor Fees 5,530Sustaining Dues 6,896

Total Convention Income 305,629

Operating IncomeCollection Fees, ACDA 9,770Membership Dues 71,845Royalties/List Sales 544Shared Office Income 2,400

Total Operating Income 84,559

Publications IncChoral Notes Income 698Magazine Advertising 10,954

Total Publications Inc 11,652

Total Income 401,840

ExpenseAdministrative Exp 138,769

Convention ExpensesAdvertising/Promo 8,196Audio/Visual 27,293Auto Expense 440Child Care 983Contract Labor 2,006Decorating 14,026Facilities Rents 18,858First Aid 264Golf Tournament 1,593Honoraria, Clinicians 1,800HS Day Expense 871Meals and Functions 22,801Miscellaneous 868On-site computers 12,259Photography 1,683Piano and Organ Rentals 2,431Printing and Supplies 3,217Security 3,835Student Assistants 2,013Travel/Lodging, Clinic 1,662

Total Convention Expenses 127,099

Board of Directors’ ExpensesBoard Meals 3,351Ofc Supplies/Postage 492Travel, Directors 19,130

Total Directors’ Expenses 22,973

Total Honor Choir Expenses 16,666

Other Program ExpCommissioned Work 1,250Commissioned Work Exp 694

Total Other Program Exp 1,944

Publications ExpMagazine Postage 680Magazine Production 9,904Printing and Mailing 10,256

Total Publications Exp 20,840

Total Technology Expenses 6,935

Total Expense 335,226

Net Income 66,614

TCDA 2013FinancialReport


R O B I N B R O C K W A Y - N I C H O L S

HIGH SCHOOL

A recent Swedish study reported by BBC News—and featured in the July 17, 2013 issue of Choral Notes, affirms what we as

choral directors and singers already know: cho-risters not only harmonize their voices, they also synchronize their heartbeats. Even for an introvert like me, there is something about singing in a choir that is so comforting it allows me to forget my inse-curities and risk making a fool out of myself—the ultimate embarrassment. How can we achieve that wonderful unity in our choirs when faced with a wide range of abilities, ambition levels, and social capital?

On the first day of school, every student walks into your room feeling like the New Kid. It doesn’t matter if they saunter in carrying an autographed Eric Whitacre lunch box, waving a baton, and bran-dishing a battered copy of The Robert Shaw Read-er. It doesn’t matter that they are a three-year All-Stater who’s been to four camps with 270 Days of Sight Reading Success. Think about the freshman boy who was a 4'9" soprano in June and is a 5'6" baritenor in August. Or the senior girl who FINALLY qualified for your top choir . . . but secretly believes that it must have been a computer glitch in the counseling office. All are anxious about what the year holds for them as a singer, a member of the choir, and as a person.

Students deserve to know exactly what is expected of them, and exactly how you intend to help them achieve it. Start with overall goals for the choir (it’s great to include these in your handbook), and then break the goals down into manageable, measurable chunks. We often use our scheduled concerts as benchmarks; however, this year at my school we’ve decided to go in a different direction. We’re focusing on keywords that our Officer Coun-cil deems important. There are eight words, two for each nine-week grading period. Some are musi-cal concepts; some are “life” concepts. The words appear at the top of our daily lesson plans, on the welcome sign outside the choir room, on the choir website, and on our T-shirts. We’ve designed (or more likely borrowed from smarter colleagues) sim-ple, quick assessments to measure each student’s

progress—and yes, we DO read, grade, and return every one with thoughtful comments.

The New Kids also deserve to know that you see them as individuals, and not just cogs in the choir assembly line. A simple way to do this is to estab-lish the routine of greeting your students at the door and looking them in the eye. I call it an “Eye Conversation.” In a split second, I can glean all the information I need to navigate the day’s rehearsal. Some students may be uncomfortable with this process in the beginning, but will quickly discover that, since there is usually very little time for a one-on-one conversation, this is their chance to let me know where they are on the “teenage angst scale” that day. I find that our rapport is established almost immediately when I do this consistently, which is comforting to both of us.

Students deserve to know exactly what is expected of them, and exactly how you intend to help them achieve it.

We are now well into the semester and no doubt your choirs are on the road to another incredibly successful and meaningful school year. Perhaps your first concert is complete, and most of your non-varsity boys managed to show up on time and not fall off the risers. I bet they sounded pretty amazing, too! Some of your students are preparing All-State auditions and there is much gnashing of teeth and practice before school, during lunch, and after school. It’s time to get revved up for the musi-cal, or maybe rehearsals are already keeping you at school into the evening. Inevitably the shine of a new school year has faded into the comforting patina of routine. Now is a great time to check in again with the New Kid—all of the New Kids—and remind them that choir is not only about achieve-ment, but also community. It only takes a moment of your time, and the rewards are infinite!

After being in their shoes only a few weeks, I am more grateful than ever to the last TCDA Board for

The New Kid

continued on p. 20


J E N N I F E R G A L L A G H E R

MIDDLE SCHOOL/JUNIOR HIGH

Let the 2013–2014 choir games begin! By now you have likely sorted through all of your pre-game conundrums—uniforms, voice place-

ments, and forms galore! What is it about games? Our world is addicted to them. From Candy Crush to Sudoku, games can improve motor skills and are even shown to reduce stress and depression! From my room to yours, here is one of my most requested games:

Angry Bird Sight ReadingItems needed (all available on Amazon—

I purchased my set at Walmart!):• Angry bird plush toy (at least one—ours is red)• Pig plush toys (variety of sizes & kinds)• Boxes (various heights & sizes)• Sight reading flash cards (rhythm or pitch)

Setup:• A table with boxes, and pigs placed on the boxes• Two teams

The Game:1. Each team gets three chances to clear the

boxes off the table per round, and then the boxes are reset.

2. When it is someone’s turn, they must read a flash card correctly for a chance to throw the bird at the pigs.

3. For every pig that falls off the table, that team gets a point.

4. If the pigs are cleared completely, the team advances to the next level (harder flash cards, standing farther away to throw, etc).

Variations:1. Evaluate students on: hand sign recognition,

key signatures/finding do, etc.2. Change size/color of bird thrown (for extra

points)3. Change box set up for more points

Our summer convention is akin to the choral summer Olympics. I would be remiss without thank-ing Kari Gilbertson and the legacy she leaves on our division and the entire TCDA organization.

Our summer convention is akin to the choral summer Olympics.

I myself am addicted to the “pinning” game, and found this quote on Pinterest: “Even when you’ve played the game of your life, it’s the feeling of team-work that you’ll remember. You’ll forget the plays, the shots, and the scores, but you’ll never forget your teammates.”

I wish you a wonderful year full of fun games and team building—and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Catching Choir

their marvelous work in planning and executing the 2013 convention. Assembling such an amaz-ing array of inspirational presenters is a Herculean endeavor, and one not to be taken for granted. A special debt of gratitude goes to the conductors and accompanists who bring the new music to life, as well as those volunteering their precious conven-tion time to serve on the various committees. While their jobs are not glamorous, they are VITAL. Thank

you to Dr. Mark Rohwer for tireless efforts on behalf of the High School Division—as always, Mark, I am inspired by your vision! No other state convention offers the excellence, variety, and value available to TCDA members. I challenge each and every one of you to invite a colleague to join TCDA and make plans to attend the 2014 Convention. I am honored to be at your service.

HIGH SCHOOL continued from p. 19


L A U R A R A C H I T A

ELEMENTARY

You made it! You survived the first weeks of school. You balanced establishing the routine of your classroom and getting kids moving

and grooving. It is a big task and you conquered . . . WAHOO!

We had a FANTASTIC convention in so many ways. Thank you to the energetic and innovative clinicians who were well prepared and knowledge-able. We were able to leave with tools and resourc-es to use immediately. As for me, I have already used some of the songs that we sang at conference with great success. I ordered my “toy box” before TCDA was even over and my boys especially like the punching dragon.

The Board is busy planning TCDA 2014, after carefully reviewing the comments and suggestions brought to us by YOU, and I think you will enjoy the improvements to make the convention even better.

This is a special year in the Elementary Division, as we will be hosting the Honor Choir. This choir comprises students who have completed grades 4–6. The renowned Dr. Doreen Rao will be our con-ductor! Dr. Rao is very interested in using her time with the students as a learning laboratory for the teachers as well. This is a convention you do not want to miss. Information for the audition process will be made available after January 1 with entries due in March. You must be a member of TCDA to submit students to audition for the Honor Choir. Renewal and Membership for TCDA will open this

December so mark your calendars! And get your colleagues on board and plan on making TCDA 2014 part of your summer plans.

Teaching is like a construction worker going to a worksite.

Teaching is like a construction worker going to a worksite. You approach the project with a toolbox filled with the tools you THINK you will need based on the information that was given to you (your class lists, maybe some SPED or 504 info), and then you begin your work. With some projects (or classes) you have all the right tools with you and everything goes smoothly. For other projects (classes) you have the right tools, but not with you. And for the remaining projects (classes) you do not have ANY of the right tools and you need to go to Home Depot (contact colleagues, rummage through old work-shop packets or college resources, or start googling at lightning speed). So, at the end of the work day, the real work begins as you reassess and reevalu-ate for a new day.

The good news is that we are all part of the greater whole. No one needs to be at a worksite on their own. Encourage your coworkers to join you at TCDA this summer and be part of the greatest work crew around!

What’s in Your Toolbox?


G A R Y M A B R Y

CHURCH

Our 2013 TCDA Convention offered some great moments of camaraderie, inspiration, training, networking, and fun. Next year’s

event is already taking shape, with Dan Forrest as our Church Division commissioned composer. You’ll be hearing more about the Festival Chorus that will sing his work in our annual worship service. I hope you’ll not only make your plans to attend the 2014 Convention, but bring some friends along as well!

Speaking of church music . . .Hymns are our oldest repository of congregation

worship music. Reflecting the synagogue tradition and the early Christian Church, Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” In his book Discipling Music Ministry, Twenty-first Century Directions, Calvin M. Johansson notes that hymns prove to be a serious part of congrega-tional worship and reverence of God. Hymns are a vehicle by which believers proclaim their faith. Our friend Abby remarks in her blog, “most [old hymns] are timeless pieces of Christian history that were written in times of adversity” and that “many of the joyful hymns were written because of the adver-sity.”1 Of her text in the hymn More Love to Thee, O Christ (1856), Elizabeth Prentiss writes, “Much of my experience of life has cost me a great price, and I wish to use it for strengthening and comfort-ing other souls.” There is a wealth of inspiration expressed by hundreds of poets and theologians, who penned the words to memorable hymns.

In a lecture delivered at the First Australian National Ecumenical Hymn Conference, Colin Gibson outlines the role of hymn singing in today’s worship2:• provides a natural vehicle for the primary activ-

ity of most worshiping communities;• contributes to a variety of behavior in the act of

worship (standing, sitting, kneeling, processing, speaking, listening, prayers, Bible readings);

• helps to develop the spirit of unity and solidar-ity in the singing community through shared and corporate activity;

• helps us to remember and internalize far beyond what we see or read or hear;

• allows us to address contemporary issues, both religious and non-religious, supplementing the work of the sermon;

• expresses the universality of our faith;• provides an outlet for both the rational and

emotional capacities of our spiritual nature;• draws us beyond thought and emotion into a

deeper contemplation and experience of God.

I am especially drawn to anthems that deliberately incorporate congregational participation.

As our radar scans the horizon for fresh anthem possibilities, we might consider the use of hymn arrangements. The choir has an opportunity to sing something that it is musically satisfying, while the con-gregation engages in something they hear as familiar. I am especially drawn to anthems that deliberately incorporate congregational participation. There are numerous arrangements of great hymns like Nearer, My God, to Thee; Abide With Me; O God, Our Help in Ages Past; Christ, the Lord is Risen Today; and Be Thou My Vision. Consider the possibility of arranging a hymn. Public domain status of either text or music adds 75 years to the death date of the author, so 1938 is the year to reference. Dr. Jack Boyd, Profes-sor Emeritus of Abilene Christian University, has been arranging hymns since 1966. These artistic and sing-able pieces can be accessed and downloaded for a small fee at www.catclawmusic.com.

Finally, not all the great hymns have been writ-ten. Hymn writing is alive and well, and you might be just the person to contribute a 16-measure trea-sure. Put those part-writing skills to work! If you’re not a poet, don’t force it. Look for a text from some-one who is, or pick a nice Psalm. And whatever you do, SING ON!

1. http://littlebirdieblessings.blogspot .com/2013/01/scripture-thursday-importance-of-hymns.html

2. http://www.dunedinmethodist.org.nz/archive/wshp/hymns.htm

Consider the Source


T E R R Y B E R R I E R

SECRETARY/TREASURER

The 2013 TCDA Convention is now a distant memory. It was a wonderful convention thanks to many hard-working people. A big

thanks goes to Karen Gonzalez, past Secretary, who orchestrated the TCDA registration area. Much appreciation also goes to the board nominees who manned the desks and packed the registration materials. Jodi Coke and Sarah Cole did a terrific job co-chairing the Hospitality Committee. And a small but mighty army of college students handled computer troubleshooting, ran errands, and hauled equipment during the entire convention. They were awesome. We are still getting accustomed to the new computer registration, but members seem to be adjusting well. With TBA meeting at the same time, the biggest hurdle for members seemed to be finding the TCDA registration area!

Obsession“Between love and thought lies the voice,” is

this year’s motto for my choirs. The fact that the larynx is physically located almost halfway between our minds and hearts is a contrivance (since it is also betwixt your nose and naval), but this concept may help us understand why we do what we do, and why students sign up for our choirs. I borrowed the motto’s structure from Calvin Klein’s Obsession advertisement slogan that states, “Between love and madness lies obsession.” (Considering the “madness” in our jobs, perhaps that slogan best parallels our lives as choir directors!)

The objective of my slogan is a reminder that the creation of music is a living thing, always chang-ing with every rehearsal and performance. Sing-ers who understand the poet’s words intellectually and have a heart’s connection to the lyrics stand a much better chance of relating to their audiences and becoming lifelong music-makers.

I will be the first to admit that while I was buying and borrowing music for my fall concert, I could not have cared less what any poet had to say. Time was of the essence. I needed a fanfare-type opener, a slow piece that also might provide some good sight-reading opportunities and a roof-raising closer. After the selections were made, I found that stick-ing to some classic music and proven composers that have stood the test of time saved me in the “passion” department. Whew!

The creation of music is a living thing, always changing with every rehearsal and performance.

We have many opportunities every day to pro-vide moments of pleasurable and artful music no matter what sheet music our students are holding. While singing a simple scale warm-up with stag-gered entrances, a few members of your 7th grade choir who may never have sung in three-part har-mony could actually have a moment of pure joy! I am already receiving rave reviews from my high school a cappella members after sight-reading on solfège the first few phrases of Dede Duson’s Share Dream. I can only imagine what they will think and feel when they marry Dede’s music to the words of Gwen Frostic: “Share the serenity of a woodland pond and dream of the day when beauty will calm a troubled world.”

The American educator and civil rights lead-er, Mary McLeod Bethune, said, “Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.” Teach dynamics, key signatures and rhythms, but don’t forget the soul, the love . . . the “obsession.”

Teach the Love and Obsession

Past Presidents luncheon

Texas Boys Choir at Travis Park United Methodist Church

Honor Choir

TCDA Board at Soiree

From Tone to Text with Lee Gwozdz

Presidents Reception

High School Day

TCDA registrationTCDA business meeting

2013 TCDACONVENTION

Door prize winner

Documents

Texas Sings! Fall 2013