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Both of you have had choirs perform at ACDA email comes in that the choir has been accepted to per-
national conferences. How did you prepare form at a national convention. Shortly after that comes
yourself and your singers to deliver the most the wave of nervous energy thinking about logistics,
successful performances for such a high-stakes repertoire, and on and on that demand lots of time and
event? energy. I consider myself blessed to have had two dif-
ferent choirs perform at national conventions—a treble
Ferrie: Preparing a choir to perform at a national con- choir and a mixed choir—and both were extremely re-
ference is both a tremendous honor and a significant warding for the choirs. The amount of support, kind-
undertaking. The process can be emotional, stressful, ness, and appreciation shown by the choral communi-
and demanding, but it can also become one of the most ty toward the singers in the choir at any convention is
rewarding experiences of your career if you embrace such a gift.
the journey, stay organized, and seek support along the Being focused on the long-term planning goals of
way. the choir’s repertoire preparation was the biggest mu-
I approach this preparation with a backward-plan- sical concern each time we performed for national
ning mindset. From the beginning, I provide students convention. Communicating clear learning goals, next
with a clear timeline that outlines what needs to be ac- steps, memorization dates, and many more details be-
complished and when. For example, by a certain week come important for each singer to demonstrate their
we may aim to have a set number of pieces learned knowledge consistently. Choosing repertoire with the
or specific selections memorized. I regularly update singers in mind first was for me more important than
students on our progress, which helps keep everyone the national convention attendees. The singers are the
accountable and motivated. At the same time, I make ones who truly live with the music, learn it, create art
a point to include moments of joy and variety. While it with it, and must be motivated and inspired by it. That,
is easy to become consumed by conference repertoire, in turn, gives the choir the opportunity to share those
it is important to balance the rigor with opportunities musical blessings through the repertoire to anyone who
to sing something lighthearted—such as a holiday carol is listening.
or a pop song—so students don’t feel overwhelmed by Any time I program repertoire for a convention,
the same music for months at a time. I seek out feedback and opinions early on about the
Equally important is taking care of yourself as the possible program from colleagues. Their wealth of
director. When my choir was preparing to perform knowledge sheds light on perspectives I may or may
in March at the 2025 National ACDA Conference, I not have recognized. If it is a thematic program, I try
came down with the flu in January. My instinct was to to craft that performance flow of repertoire as if telling
push through and keep working so we would not fall a story, taking the choir and those listening on a musical
behind, but I realized that doing so would not only journey. At the 2025 National ACDA Conference, we
harm my health but also diminish the quality of in- honored the theme of that conference: “past, present,
struction I could give my students. I chose instead to and future.”
rest, and that decision ultimately benefitted both me My advice on preparing an audition for a national
and my ensemble. conference is go for it. You will never know if you don’t
For anyone preparing a choir for such a prestigious try, so while the audition process is lengthy, it is worth
stage, my advice is to give yourself grace, protect your the time and energy. If you get selected, stay in the
well-being, and focus on the journey you share with moment with the singers, and don’t change anything
your students. At the end of the day, the growth, mem- about what it is you and your choir already do, because
ories, and community built throughout the process that’s what got you selected to perform. Be true to you
matter far more than external perceptions of the final and your singers, allowing the convention attendees to
performance. see a thirty-minute glimpse of the special world your
choir has created so skillfully.
Brown: There is such joy and exhilaration when the

CHORAL JOURNAL November/December 2025 Volume 66 Number 4 23