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Allied Organizations
ACDA: The Cure for the Winter Blahs, Part 2
ACDA: The Cure for the Winter Blahs, Part 2
Dara Gillis, President
Dara Gillis,
President of the Ohio Choral Directors Association
One of the things I have enjoyed most in my twenty years of service to OCDA is the ability to contribute to our state professional publications. In preparation for this submission, I revisited an article I wrote for TRIAD in January of 2014. I was excited to read, edit, and adapt this contribution as all it included is as relevant today as it was twelve years ago, if not more so. ACDA/OCDA’s mission is a beautiful constant in a changing world. There is so much waiting for you!
As we move into winter and the glow of the summer sun has faded, it’s easy to feel exhausted by the hubbub of the holiday season and to dread the darkness of the cold months to come. It is the time of year when many struggle to be creative and motivated. The day to day becomes mundane and the rejuvenation of spring is very far off. While there is no magic cure for this malady, I suggest that ACDA/OCDA has the needed pick me ups for the weeks ahead. Perhaps you are not yet a member of ACDA or have allowed your membership to lapse. I hope the information below will encourage you to change that.
Will you be attending the OMEA conference in Columbus, January 29-31, 2026? OCDA will sponsor, with the assistance of Musical Resources, three reading sessions which will provide a host of carefully selected materials for elementary choirs, middle school and junior high choirs, and high school and university choirs. These sessions are open to all regardless of membership in ACDA. All three reading sessions will take place in the Hyatt Taft room. Our middle school/junior high school session is on Thursday, January 29 at 11:00 AM, our high school and university session will take place on Thursday at 3:30 PM, and our elementary session will take place on Saturday, January 31 at 9:30 AM. Be sure to bring your device as all materials will only be accessed through the Guidebook. Join us for new music and joyful camaraderie!
Have you visited our website at ohiocda.org? Our site contains a wealth of materials and information to energize, encourage, and support your musical growth. Visit us today to contact our state leadership, examine past reading session submissions, find DEI resources, read about upcoming honor choir opportunities, and much more.
Not currently a member of our organization? Membership in ACDA carries benefits such as access to national publications including the Choral Journal which contains music and book reviews, educational articles for all choral musicians, community and church choirs, too! ACDA offers guidance in arts advocacy, the latest research in choral pedagogy, national webinars, and composer forums. ChoralNet, an online forum for choral musicians which can be accessed through the ACDA website, offers blog posts and discussion threads on rehearsal strategies, warm-up techniques, choral ethics, the list is endless!
What about our conferences? Have you been to our conferences?! February 25-28, 2026, ACDA will hold its Midwest Regional Conference in Milwaukee, WI. This year’s conference, entitled Reflections of Us, will feature performances by JOA CHOIR, and LYYRA as well as Ohio’s own First Community Marble Cliff Singers and the BGSU Men’s Chorus. Interest sessions on a wide variety of subjects, honor choir performances, and master classes will send you home with new ideas and a renewed sense of purpose.
Travel to Milwaukee is not in the budget this winter? Not to worry! Ohio hosts one of the most exciting state conferences in the nation. This year, our summer conference will take place June 15-17, 2026 on the campus of the beautiful Upper Arlington High School. The event boasts learning opportunities for all choral educators from the elementary to the collegiate level, from church to community choruses. This summer, we will be offering a middle school honor choir for mixed voices, grades 6-8. Dr. Laura Kitchell of Capital University will be the guest conductor of the ensemble. Our high school honor choir will be conducted by Dr. Matthew Swope of Kent State University. Our headlining clinicians will be internationally acclaimed conductor and educator, Dr. Anthony Trecek-King and Dr. Amanda Quist, Director of Choral Activities at Western Michigan University. Mark your calendars, registration opens in February.
Just writing about these opportunities bolsters my outlook for the coming months. I encourage you to take advantage of all we have to offer!