Sacred music reading workshop features composer Mark Hayes

by Ralph Nelson, R & S Chair for Music in Worship

Over 80 participates attended Oregon ACDA's annual Sacred Music Workshop on January 27 and 28th in the beautiful St. Francis Episcopal Church in Wilsonville, Oregon.  Our clincian was Mark Hayes, by far one of the most well-known and prolific composers of sacred music.

Mark led the group in three reading sessions, and also played a beautiful piano recital. We were all particularly touched by his performance of "His Eye is on the Sparrow," which he dedicated to his mother, who passed away two weeks ago. 

As Mark readily admited, "I am not a conductor -- my degree was in piano performance. At some point in my career, I began to write music for churches, and this is how I make my living. Starting at age 13, I always played the piano in churches -- so I have a great love for the hymns of the faith." 

Mark also inspired the group with two sessions, "Gratitude Changes Everything" and "Seeing the Divine in Yourself and Others."  These sessions served to remind us about how special it is to be able to work with our church choirs. 

Special thanks to ACDA member Jon Holland for all his help at St. Francis Episcopal Church, and to the choir at St. Francis for putting together a fabulous lunch for the participants!

Kelly Ballard newly appointed choral director at Warner Pacific College

Accepting a teaching post at Warner Pacific College was a pretty easy decision for Dr. Kelly Ballard, the college's newly appointed Assistant Professor of Choral Studies and Worship Arts.  Ballard graduated from Warner Pacific twice (B.A. Music Theory/Composition, 1990; Master of Religion, 1992), has extensive roots in the Portland area, and possesses a deep love for both the college and its students.

Dr. Ballard has the honor of leading the Concert Choir, Warner Chorale, and Warner Vocal Jazz, while teaching the Worship Arts track, which is comprised of theology, ministry, and artistry courses.  His doctorate in leadership (George Fox University, 2001), and his long tenure as a licensed minister allow him to serve students as they discover their holistic strengths and callings.    He has extensive experience as a songwriter, vocalist, conductor, studio musician, and leader of worship in various settings.  Participating in these roles has taken him to 49 states, Mexico, Canada, Africa, and Asia. 

Kelly Ballard is married to Frayne (1982) and is the father to three young men: Warner Pacific students Dexter and Kyle, and high school sophomore Kenny.  He loves water skiing, basketball, reading, writing, mountain climbing, and all things family.

OSAA requests that contest managers report using online form

The “Large Group Contest Report Form” that OSAA requires be submitted by contest managers following group music contests/festivals is now an on-line form available on the OSAA website at the following location- http://w3.osaa.org/registration/ensemble     The OSAA is requesting that contest managers report music contest/festival results on the new on-line form this year, rather than the hard copy form that was faxed to the OSAA in the past.

Thanks for your help!

Mike

Michael G. Wallmark
Associate Executive Director
Oregon School Activities Association
503-682-6722 x226

November 24, 2010

CLACKAMAS, OR -- Scott Davis, the choir director at Clackamas High School, was honored as K103 radio's Educator of the Week after being nominated by former student Sarah Hazen.
He was featured in a live radio interview, and received an engraved crystal apple, a two-night stay at the Westin Portland, a gift card for the Daily Grill, and a $103 contribution to the school choir program from the Dairy Farmers of Oregon.

Oregon ACDA Website Uses New On-line Reporting Form for Gold Awards
by Jim Angaran

Oregon ACDA is adding a new feature to our web site. An on-line form is now available to festival managers for reporting results for Gold Awards. This provides a reliable and easy method for Oregon festival managers to report scores for choirs qualifying for an ACDA Gold Award.

Over the last three years of awarding Gold Awards, festival managers have recognized on average of over 75  choirs without the use of this on-line tool. Although high school choirs have been the bulk of recipients, festival managers should note that choirs are not limited in size, gender or type. School choirs, mixed or non-mixed choirs, community choirs and church choirs all have the potential to be recognized as Gold Award recipients and earn an official ACDA certificate of excellence.

In order to qualify for an ACDA Gold Award, a choir needs to have earned at least two scores of 81 or higher at a festival or contest where ACDA certified adjudicators utilized ACDA evaluation forms and judging system. With our new on-line system of reporting scores to Gold Award staff at Oregon ACDA, the manager of any festival with the above criteria should verify on-line the scores of any choirs achieving the above standards.

This score verification can now take place on the following link by the festival manager listing scores by choirs, directors, schools and adjudicators. The format is very simple and quick and within a matter of five minutes the information can be input followed by clicking on a “submit” command to send it to the ACDA Gold Award staff.

The link for festival managers to use is: https://waacda.wufoo.com/forms/results-report-form-for-or-acda-gold-award/

Festival managers should go on-line and complete the form as soon as their festival or contest is complete and scores have been attained.

Something New: ACDA Gold

Choral directors-- you may find something new and positive  from ACDA to encourage you and your choir’s efforts upon opening your mail this spring!

In keeping with Oregon ACDA’s Mission Statement to recognize and encourage excellence in performance by Oregon’s choirs, Oregon ACDA Board has approved, will initiate, and will sponsor a new awards program this year. In addition, it is our wish to continue the award annually. While many choirs, high school or otherwise, earn superior ratings at events, they often receive little or no recognition unless they qualify for state. ACDA believes this recognition is vital to highlight the excellence and contribute to a sense of accomplishment of these choirs by implementing this awards process statewide. 

Beginning in the spring of the 2007-8 school year at the close of the festival season, outstanding choirs will be recognized with a GOLD AWARD certificate which ACDA will send to the choral directors whose choirs earn at least two scores of 81 points or more at an ACDA-sanctioned choral festival or contest. In order to be sanctioned, these events would need to include Oregon ACDA certified adjudicators and ACDA approved adjudication forms.

The GOLD AWARD certificates would be distributed by ACDA in the spring subsequent to reports by festival chairpersons to ACDA or OSAA of scoring results of participating choirs. Festival chairpersons will be able to print blank copies of the Report of Festival/Contest Results from our <oregonacda> website.to report the results in performance scores at high school and middle school ACDA-sanctioned District, League, and Invitational Choral festivals and competitions state-wide.

Since the GOLD AWARD certificates system primarily recognizes choral performance excellence, it would:

• Reward any choirs achieving the 81 point standard, as well as those that qualify for State Choral Championships or its tape pool.
• Remove the need for a tape pool to qualify.
• Allow any size choirs.
• Exclude scoring of sight-reading.
• Include choirs of single gender such as SSA, TTBB, etc.

In cases where a single choir qualifies at multiple sanctioned events, a single award would be made by ACDA. In addition, if more than one choir from any school choral department qualified for the GOLD AWARD, each would be recognized by receiving a certificate.

Although it is likely that perhaps 100 choirs might receive this award each year, Oregon ACDA believes that any choirs having earned at least two 81 scores in a single event are deserving of our recognition of their achievement of excellence. They will have attained a superior level measured by a set of performance standards well delineated by our judging system.

It is our hope that the ACDA GOLD AWARD certificate will be looked upon with pride by choirs and their directors around the state as a positive emblem of excellence attained. If you have questions about this new awards program, contact Jim Angaran at info@info@juniperjewel.com

Oregon...great living, great choral music!