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STANDING COMMITTEES From the

Executive Director

ADVOCACY & COLLABORATION
EMILY WILLIAMS BURCH, CHAIR

EmilyWilliamsBurch@gmail.com
Finding Our Steady Voice
COMPOSITION INITIATIVES in Uncertain Times

ROBERT BODE, CHAIR
rbode@acda.org
In times of uncertainty and change, it’s natural to
feel anxious about the road ahead. As choral artists
DIVERSITY INITIATIVES and educators, we are deeply invested in the well-be-
ARREON HARLEY-EMERSON, CHAIR Robyn Hilger ing of our communities, our students, and our orga-
arreon@equitysings.com
nizations. When the world around us feels chaotic, we may wonder how
EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION to navigate the challenges while staying true to our mission. But here’s
JOHN MCDONALD , CHAIR what we know: Choirs have always been a source of resilience, connec-
JohnMcDonald@wustl.edu tion, and hope. We bring people together across differences, teach the
power of collaboration, and remind others—through music—that unity
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES is possible even in uncertain times.
JOSHUA HABERMANN, CHAIR History has shown us that the arts endure. Choral music making has
joshhabermann@gmail.com survived wars, economic downturns, and societal shifts. Why? Because
people need to sing! They need spaces where they can express emotion,
REPERTOIRE & RESOURCES build community, and find meaning. Our choral spaces are some of the
GRETCHEN HARRISON, CHAIR only places providing all of those things at the same time. Our work has
nationalrr@acda.org always mattered and it remains critical today.
So how do we stay steady in uncertain times?
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS First, we focus on what we can control. We may not have influence
JESSICA NAPOLES, CHAIR over every external challenge, but we do have control over the spaces we
Jessica.Napoles@unt.edu create. Our rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and concert halls can continue

to be places of trust, encouragement, and artistic growth.
Second, we lean on our community. We are not in this alone. We are
part of a vast network of choral musicians, educators, and advocates who
ADVOCACY STATEMENT support one another. Now is the time to strengthen those connections—
through conversations, collaborations, and collective problem-solving.
The human spirit is elevated to a broader understanding Third, we keep moving forward. Change can be unsettling, but it also
of itself and its place in the world through the study of and creates opportunities. Perhaps this is a moment to rethink approaches,
participation in choral music. Singing in a choir produces
more active and involved citizens. It affects self-worth find new partnerships, or reaffirm the values that guide our work. Adapt-
in youth and adults. It builds connectivity throughout ability has always been a hallmark of successful choral leaders.
communities. Society benefits from the aesthetic beauty Most importantly, we remember why we do this. The power of choral
and community of singers created by choral programs music does not depend on external circumstances. It exists in the voices
within schools, houses of worship, and community of those who gather to sing, in the communities that are strengthened
organizations through involved citizenry, connectivity through harmony, and in the countless lives touched by what we create
throughout communities, and feelings of personal self-
worth. The American Choral Directors Association and when we convene.
its membership resolve to ensure the survival of choral As we face the coming months, let’s hold fast to our purpose. Let’s take
programs for this and future generations by: care of ourselves and each other. And let’s continue doing what we do
Actively voicing support for funding at local, state, best—bringing people together through music. I look forward to seeing
and national levels of education and government; so many of you in Dallas at the National Conference. I know we need this
collaborating with local and national organizations to time together to celebrate everything that is beautiful and resilient about
ensure the distribution of arts funding data and arts- our profession. See you there!
related activism opportunities; advocating for full access
to choral singing and inclusion of all singers in a choral
program; and ensuring the distribution of advocacy
statements and data regarding choral programs.
2 CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2025 Volume 65 Number 7