Page 49 - CJAug25

• African Diaspora Music Project produced by the national chairs.
https://africandiasporamusicproject.org/
search-pieces https://acda.org/archives/events/2025-national-rr-
virtual-reading-sessions
• Song Helix – A Database for Art Song Research and
Discovery Please reach out to me or any of the national/re-
https://www.songhelix.com/ gion/state chairs with questions. Also, follow our Face-
book Page “ACDA Collective: A Gathering Place for
I am so honored to work with one of the most cre- Repertoire and Resources,” or any of the other Face-
ative, talented, diligent and passionate choral experts book pages or groups related to R&R. Enjoy the em-
on the national R&R team. I cannot express my grati- powerment. Your search for repertoire, position, and
tude adequately. Below is the link to their combined ge- purpose is just beginning!
nius in the form of the post-conference reading sessions

Repertoire & Resources in the Archives

National Repertoire & Resources Chairs contribute content to Choral Journal on a rotating basis.

May 2025
“Building Resilience: Sustainability Considerations for Nonprofit Music Organizations” by Jack A. Cleghorn,
Lifelong Choirs Coordinator
“Choral Connections: Building Community Among Conductors” by Matt Hill, Community Choirs Chair

Contemporary A Cappella

Robert Dietz are we actually going to sing?”
National R&R Co-Chair
Contemporary/Commercial It’s a simple question, yet the answer can be surpris-
(Contemporary A Cappella) ingly complex when it comes to selecting repertoire for
rdietz55@gmail.com a pop a cappella group. Which songs you choose, how
you choose them, and where you look for your arrange-
ments can have a big impact on your group’s identity
How to Choose Repertoire and eventual success. In this article, we will look at each
for Contemporary A Cappella
part of the selection process and discuss some of the
by Robert Dietz best practices for picking repertoire for your group.

You’re a director who has just started a new con-
temporary a cappella group as part of your program What Songs Should I Choose?
(congrats!). You’ve auditioned your singers, you’ve gone One of the hallmarks of contemporary a cappella
through lists of musical puns to choose your group’s is covering popular songs that your audience will rec-
name, and your first rehearsal is quickly approaching. ognize. Twenty years ago, that often meant “whatever
At this point you may be asking yourself: “Wait …what pop arrangements we can get our hands on.” Arrange-

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1 47