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

Lake Oswego High School Les Bois Junior High School
A Cappella Choir Improv

The Lake Oswego High School A Cappella Choir
is the school’s premier, mixed-voice, advanced choral
ensemble consisting of students in grades ten through Improv is an auditioned ensemble of thirty-one tal-
twelve. This auditioned group enjoys learning and per- ented eighth and ninth graders and one of three choirs
forming choral music from a variety of time periods, at Les Bois Junior High. The group has earned recogni-
styles, traditions, and cultures. They perform frequent- tion with invitations to perform at the ID-ACDA Con-
ly throughout the year at school concerts and festivals ference (2019), the Idaho MEA Conference (2023), and
around the state, and have recently enjoyed commis- at various venues across Boise, Idaho. The Les Bois cho-
sioning and premiering new choral works. The LOHS ral program also includes the Vivace Treble Choir and
A Cappella Choir has earned superior ratings in both Bravo Tenor/Bass Choir, providing a rich and inclusive
performance and sight reading, earning them second musical experience for students of all backgrounds and
place in 2024 and first place in 2025 at the OSAA 6A voice types.
State Choir Championships.
Cassie Horner is a Boise School District
Tara Bamford is in her eleventh year of graduate and director of choirs at Les Bois
teaching and seventh year at Lake Os- Junior High, her alma mater, now in her
wego High School, where she directs five eighth year. With fourteen years of teach-
choirs and teaches AP music theory. Her ing experience, she started as a music spe-
love for choral music flourished at Whea- cialist at Desert Sage Elementary in West Ada. Horner
ton College (IL), where she sang in multiple ensembles, holds a BME from Idaho State University and a master’s
accompanied choirs, and earned a BM in piano per- in educational leadership from Boise State University.
formance. Additionally, Bamford holds an MME from Her choirs have performed at Idaho’s ACDA fall con-
Arizona State University. Under her direction, choirs ference and IMEA annual conference, and her students
and ensembles have consistently placed at league, dis- have been selected for ID-ACDA, IMEA, and NWAC-
trict, and state levels, and have been selected to per- DA honor choirs. She has served as secretary for Idaho
form at the Oregon MEA conference. In 2025 she led ACDA, chaired the Idaho MEA’s DEIAB committee,
the LOHS A Cappella Choir to earn the state title. She is Building Belonging Lead, and sits on the boards of
is passionate about empowering young musicians and directors for Boise and Idaho Education Associations,
strives to foster empathy, curiosity, joy, and leadership chairing the IEA’s LGBTQ+ Caucus. She enjoys life
in her choral program. with her husband, cat, and two dogs.

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5 81