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From the NATIONAL OFFICERS

President PRESIDENT

EDITH COPLEY
ecopley@acda.org
Last July at the Choral Conductor’s Workshop in
Seaside, Oregon, I asked attendees, “When did you VICE PRESIDENT
decide to become a choral conductor?” I made my PEARL SHANGKUAN
pshangkuan@acda.org
decision while singing in the Iowa all-state choir my
sophomore year in high school. Hearing three hun- PRESIDENT-ELECT
dred tenors and basses singing Howard Hanson’s JESSICA NÁPOLES
Edith Copley Song of Democracy gave me major goosebumps, and I jnapoles@acda.org
thought: “Wouldn’t it be great to have a career where
I could experience spine-tingling moments like this!” The visceral power of SECRETARY/TREASURER
music is like no other art form. Take a moment and think back: when did ROBERT NATTER
you decide to wave your arms for a living and stand in front of that expres- rnatter@gettysburg.edu
sive and welcoming community called “choir”? PAST PRESIDENT
Very early in my teaching career, I drove from Iowa to Colorado in a DAVID FRYLING
van with James Fritschel, Bob Davis, and Carol Stewart to attend a summer dfryling@acda.org
choral conference. There were several headliners, including Bev Henson,
Edwin Fissinger, and this “new guy” from England, John Rutter. The most EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
memorable presentation for me was given by Paul Salamunovich, who talk- ROBYN HILGER
ed about the “Five Stages of the Choral Conductor.” executivedirector@acda.org
NATIONAL R&R CHAIR
Stage 1: You’ve just started your career. You have some “tools” but not very GRETCHEN HARRISON
many. You’re trying to hear all the parts, but when you stop, you’re not sure nationalrr@acda.org
what to say.
EASTERN REGION PRESIDENT
AMANDA HANZLIK
Stage 2: This is a few years later, and it’s the exact opposite. You’ve gained amanda.hanzlik@acdaeast.org
more “tools,” but now when you stop the choir, you can’t stop talking!
MIDWESTERN REGION PRESIDENT
Stage 3: “A Time of Adolescence” when you’re very eager to talk about DERRICK FOX
YOU and what you’ve accomplished: “My” choir and “My” choral pro- foxderri@msu.edu
gram—you know, the one that “I” built.
NORTHWESTERN REGION PRESIDENT
Stage 4: “A Time of Discouragement” when you’ve been in the profes- WILLIAM CAMPBELL
sion for a number of years but wish you had a more supportive administra- billcampbell@nwacda.org
tor. Your spring calendar has work-related activities almost every weekend, SOUTHERN REGION PRESIDENT
and it’s overwhelming. You start comparing your ensemble to other choirs JEFFERY AMES
and questioning your teaching ability. “How does that conductor get that jefferyacdasouthern@gmail.com
sound?” Unfortunately, this stage is when many people decide to leave the
profession. SOUTHWESTERN REGION PRESIDENT
JONATHAN D. OWEN
Jonathano@swacda.org
Stage 5: “A Time of Enlightenment” when we realize that it’s all about the
music and what the music is doing for us and our singers. WESTERN REGION PRESIDENT
JULIE DANA
Regardless of which stage you’re experiencing, may you share quality jdana@acdawestern.org
time with family and friends during the holidays, find quiet time to recharge,
and give thanks for the wonderful gift of music as we begin the New Year. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATE REPRESENTATIVE
OLIVER SCOFIELD
KI Concerts
CHORAL JOURNAL November/December 2025 Volume 66 Number 4 3 oliver@kiconcerts.com