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ACDA NATIONAL
Alphabetical Listing of Interest Sessions
2025 2025 ACDA National Conference March 18-22, 2025 Dallas, Texas
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March 18-22 Dallas, TX
Marianna Parnas-Simpson grew up in
Concert Session F Ukraine and graduated with a master’s
degree in choral conducting from the St.
Friday 10:15 am - 12:15 pm Petersburg Conservatory, Russia. Since
2000, Parnas-Simpson has taught at
Winspear Opera House Parker Elementary School, Houston ISD. In 2006 she
founded Treble Choir of Houston, a choral ensemble
for young women, grades 6-12. Her choirs performed
Friday 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm multiple times at the National ACDA, TMEA, OAKE.
Meyerson Symphony Center The ensemble is featured in Bob Chilcott’s cantata
CIRCLESONG. Parnas-Simpson is in high demand as a
clinician and conductor in the United States and inter-
Parker Elementary School nationally. She is a founding member of the Grammy
Chorus Award-winning Houston Chamber Choir.
Tidwell Middle School
Varsity Tenor Bass

Established in 1975, Parker Elementary School is
the oldest magnet school for the arts in the Houston The Varsity Tenor Bass Choir at Tidwell Middle
ISD. It offers instructions in strings, piano, guitar, band, School comprises fifty-five seventh- and eighth-grade
and chorus. Its excellence was recognized by the Na- students who represent every corner of our school and
tional Grammy Foundation, which named it a Signa- are some of the hardest working and dedicated kids
ture Elementary School of the Year in 2002. Under the Tidwell Choir has ever seen. From academic accolades
direction of Marianna Parnas-Simpson, Parker Cho- to victories on the football field, these well-rounded
rus has grown from 30 to 250 students (grades 1-5). It singers put their heart into everything they do. These
is the only single school elementary school chorus ever students embody the motto of Tidwell Choir, “Work
invited to perform at the National ACDA Conference. Hard, Be Kind” while upholding the tradition of cho-
Parker Chorus has collaborated with the Grammy ral excellence from year to year.
Award-winning Houston Chamber Choir on many
occasions and was featured in the 2024 documentary Evan Lane serves as the head choir director at Tidwell
“Choral Singing in America.” Middle School. Lane received his BME from TCU in
2018. During his six years at Tidwell, Lane has grown
the program to 450 students. His choirs receive consis-

32 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2025 Volume 65 Number 5