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2026 ACDA Northwestern Region Conference March 4-7, 2026 Tacoma, Washington

Performing Choirs
P er f orming C hoirs

Great Falls High School In Medio
Delphian Choir

The Delphian Choir was incorporated into the music In Medio is a community of accomplished singers
curriculum of Great Falls High School in 1958. They who make brave, relevant, and thoughtful music for ev-
achieved regional and national acclaim through appear- eryone. Based in NE Portland, In Medio (Latin for “in
ances at three MENC National and five MENC North- the midst”) was founded by John Eisemann in the fall of
west Division conferences under the conduction of long- 2019. The thirty-six-member choir has been featured in
time director Paul Ritter. The choir has also appeared Oregon Arts Watch, on All Classical Radio 89.9, and
on six Northwest ACDA Region conference programs, regularly commissions new works from local northwest
most recently in 2022. Delphian frequently collaborates composers. The choir produces four concert cycles per
with the Great Falls Symphony and the Electric City season, one of which (Sing, My Child) is dedicated to
Choral Union, and commissions and works by promi- sharing the stage with local area high school choirs along
nent composers. The choir has twice been awarded the with providing scholarships and mentorship for emerg-
American Prize in Choral Performance, high school di- ing singers. Through their pay-what-you-will ticket
vision second place. model, In Medio is committed to making choral music
approachable and equitable.
Patrick Ryan is a choral director at Great
Falls High School, where he leads a thriv- John Eisemann has been the choir direc-
ing program of seven choirs and over two tor at Grant High School since 2012. In
hundred students. Ryan is a past presi- 2019 he founded In Medio. He is also the
dent of Northwest ACDA Region and artistic director of Evenstar Ensemble, a
the Montana Choral Directors Association. He holds professional early music group specializ-
degrees from Pacific Lutheran University and Northern ing in Renaissance polyphony. Eisemann studied music
Arizona University. Choirs under Ryan’s direction have education at Knox College and sang for eight seasons
appeared at five Northwest Region conferences and with the Portland Symphonic Choir, serving as interim
have commissioned and premiered works by composers artistic director in 2018. He has led Grant’s chamber
Thomas LaVoy, Timothy Takach, and John Muehleisen. choir, the Royal Blues, on multiple local and internation-
GFHS choirs recently performed Beethoven’s Ninth Sym- al tours and has facilitated clinics for his students with
phony with the Great Falls Symphony, as well as the Mo- world-renowned ensembles including Chanticleer, VO-
zart Requiem with chamber orchestra and Eric Whitacre’s CES8, and The King’s Singers. He has sung with the
The Sacred Veil. Byrd International Singers and Cappella Romana.

80 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5