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Michael Wade

(1949–2025)

Michael “Mike” Wade passed away in Octo- ference, served on the national board, and later
ber 2025 at the age of seventy-six. Mike was a served as region archivist.
dedicated high school choir director at Crown Mike was actively involved in local choral en-
Point High School and Elkhart Memorial High sembles and community theater productions. He
School, where his choirs advanced to the final was a charter member of Playmakers in Crown
round of state-level competition on numerous oc- Point and a member of the South Bend Cham-
casions. He often appeared as a guest conductor ber Singers and St. Joseph Camerata Singers. He
at middle and high school level choral festivals served as the choir director for over thirty years at
and frequently served as an adjudicator at both First Congregational Church in Elkhart.
solo/ensemble and choral contests. In his ca- After his retirement, he continued to share his
pacity as music coordinator for the Crown Point love for music by directing the Elkhart Commu-
Community School Corporation, he spearhead- nity Chorus for several years, teaching private
ed creation of the string/orchestra program. voice lessons at Elkhart Memorial and Penn High
He served on the boards of Indiana Music Ed- Schools, as well as teaching as an adjunct profes-
ucators Association and Indiana Choral Direc- sor at Indiana University South Bend, Valparaiso
tors Association. In his role as president of the University, and Saint Mary’s College at the un-
American Choral Directors Association’s Central dergraduate and graduate levels.
Region, he presided over the 1986 Region Con-

CHORAL JOURNAL May 2026 Volume 66 Number 8 33