Page 70 - Mar_Apr23

National Election Results

President-Elect Winner to take office July 1, 2023

Pearl Shangkuan is a highly sought- A Message to Our Members
after conductor, lecturer, and clinician
who has led performances and work- Six months after being sent home suddenly as
shops across six continents. Director everything shut down, singing a simple warm up
of Choral Activities and Professor of at our first rehearsal back, albeit masked and dis-
Music at Calvin University in Grand tanced, caused our emotions to overflow. I asked my
Rapids, Michigan, she is also the chorus director of the students to “click save” that moment; singing in a
Grand Rapids Symphony, a Grammy-nominated pro- choir, something we took for granted at times, we
fessional orchestra. Recently appointed as the editor of now fully know and cherish as essential to the hu-
Hinshaw Music, Shangkuan also has a signature choral man spirit. We remembered that sense of loss only
series with earthsongs, and is the music editor of the to regain a greater sense of joy of this most beauti-
Calvin Institute of Christian Worship choral series pub- ful gift.
lished by GIA. My vision thus begins with remembering, reflect-
In 2014, she was an invited guest lecturer at the ing on, and encouraging us to continue to be guided
World Symposium for Choral Music held in Seoul, by our shared core values and mission as music edu-
South Korea. Dr. Shangkuan has served on the jury cators: to provide a safe, fair, nurturing environment
of several international choral competitions in Europe for our students and singers as we share with them
and Asia and has led conducting masterclasses for the the relevant, life-giving art of choral singing. We
ACDA national conference, Chorus America confer- have a profound opportunity to live out how a
ences, the University of Michigan and the University of larger community with different perspectives can
Illinois Choral Conducting Symposium, among many still listen to, learn from, and live with each other
institutions and organizations in the United States. She despite the prevalent tensions in our society and
has conducted numerous all-state choirs, ACDA region world. I would ask that we collectively “click save”
honor choirs, and choral festivals nationally and inter- memories of what binds us together.
nationally, and has headlined several ACDA state and Since I was completely blown away as a gradu-
other professional conferences. Upcoming engagements ate student attending my first national conference,
include conducting the SSAA honor choir at the ACDA ACDA has been a lifeline for me. I have developed
National Conference, returning to conduct at Carnegie many deep friendships in ACDA over the years.
Hall, an international choral festival in Italy and other Increasing membership is also vital to my vision.
ACDA conference and festival engagements. What an incredible resource ACDA can be for
She serves on the Board of Directors of Chorus many others!
America and has served as president of the ACDA Recently I finally met in person a younger col-
Central Region and Michigan ACDA. She has commis- league who initially approached me through an
sioned and premiered numerous choral works, and her ACDA mentorship initiative. We had Zoomed and
choirs have performed at ACDA national, region, and emailed over these past two years. What a personal
state conferences. In 2020, she received a Calvin Uni- joy to have this opportunity to intentionally walk
versity Award for Excellence in Teaching and previously alongside a next generation conductor, something
received the Grand Rapids YWCA Arts Tribute Award. I believe must be an ongoing initiative in ACDA.
In 2013, Michigan ACDA honored her with the May- Unity, recruitment, mentorship: all are possible
nard Klein Choral Award for “artistic excellence and through our collective efforts.
lifetime leadership in choral music.”

68 CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2023 Volume 63 Number 7