President's Message - Sept 2019

Dear CT-ACDA Members,

I am truly overjoyed to be writing my very first monthly letter to all of you, as President of our Connecticut Chapter of ACDA.  ACDA has been so instrumental in my journey, development and connection as a choral musician. As I sat down to write this letter, I kept coming back to the theme of connection. Connection matters in all areas of life, and connection to our profession and colleagues is a vital element in career growth, satisfaction and evolution. It is my sincere desire that the Connecticut ACDA will be a source of connection and joy for every single member.

Here are some of the many ways you can CONNECT to ACDA. Follow the links!

CONFERENCES!

THE CT-ACDA WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA

  • Please FOLLOW CT-ACDA on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CTACDA) and Instagram (connecticutacda). Be sure to sign up to receive notifications from ALL posts to stay updated!

  • Visit www.ctacda.net to explore Member Resources, including The Concert Calendar, Repertoire and Resources Representative Contact Information, Reading Session Database, Job Listings...and much more!

  • Contribute to the CT-ACDA CALENDAR by posting YOUR CONCERTS! Invite ctchoralcalendar@gmail.com as a guest/invitee in your own google calendar and join the collection of amazing choral events taking place in our state!

MEMBERSHIP!

  • Make sure your Membership is up to date! The Annual Membership Drive will be taking place from September 15-November 15 - be on the lookout for emails with info and details.

  • Encourage colleagues and friends to JOIN and RENEW!

  • Reach out to our Membership Chair, Dale Griffa, with questions or for more information.

It is my honor to be your President and I am truly looking forward to connecting with all of you in the coming weeks and months. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions, concerns or ideas. We are better together - reach out and CONNECT!

With Gratitude,

Amanda Sprague Hanzlik

President
Connecticut ACDA

President's Message - May/June 2019

NEWS

ACDA at All-State

First of all, many thanks to everyone who made CT-ACDA's "All-State Boot Camps" a success - Amanda Hanzlik, Joshua East, Sarah Bowe, Tim Mascarinas, Nick Tedeschi, Spencer Sonnenberg, Matt Harrison, Dale Griffa, Theresa Voss, Gwynne Wittman, Sarah Gleason - this couldn't have happened without you! We hope to continue offering this event in the future as a resource for CT directors and their All-State singers!

CT-ACDA also had a significant presence at the actual CMEA In-Service Conference. Congrats to Chris Stanley, Ellen Gilbert, and Amanda Hanzlik on their wonderful showcase performances; thanks to Jake Narverud and Cara Bernard for the (very well-attended!) CT-ACDA sponsored reading session; and thanks to Chris Wasko for organizing the happy hour with the All-State choral conductors. What a great weekend it was!


New Leadership

May wrapped up the elections for CT-ACDA President and President-Elect, and on July 1 I will be passing the torch to Mrs. Amanda Hanzlik as she takes over as President. I am excited to imagine what lies ahead for our organization with Amanda and President-Elect Matt Harrison at the helm!
 

COMING UP

2019 Summer Conference

Mark your calendars! Our annual CT-ACDA Summer Conference will take place on Saturday, August 17th at Westbrook High School. Join us for a fun and rejuvenating day to close out summer and get refueled for a new year. (added bonus - we are air conditionedand only five minutes from the beach!!)

2019 Fall Conference

Our Fall Conference will be held once again at the lovely Guilford High School on Saturday, October 19th. Planning is in progress, so reserve the date and keep an eye out for more details on the website!

**Don't forget to submit a proposal form if you have an idea for an interest session at either of our conferences.
 

RESOURCES

Choral Calendar

Please remember to keep submitting those concerts for the weekly bulletins! Most of us are currently setting dates for next year, so this is a great time to get it done. Here's a refresher on how: 

  • Create an event in your phone or online calendar

  • Specify title, location, date, time, etc.

  • Click on "invitees" and enter ctchoralcalendar@gmail.com

National Conference Thoughts from our Student Conference Scholarship Winner!

Attending the 2019 ACDA National Conference in Kansas City, MO was a humbling experience for me as a prospective young music educator. Not only was there much to learn from leaders in the field presenting their own professional experiences but there were also many concerts to attend and immerse myself in rich choral literature performed by top national and international ensembles. It was a long weekend filled with opportunity to be curious and open minded toward new ideas.

I’ve found that attending and participating in state, divisional, or national conferences over the course of my undergrad career are valuable experiences that have helped shape me into the young educator I am today, and I find this to be especially true of ACDA conferences. I have always tried to engage myself with this organization and in return I have been rewarded with educational and professional experience. I would highly encourage all collegiate students to take full advantage of these opportunities because now is the time in our lives to be sponges and absorb as much as possible!

-Kaylin Spaulding, student member (Western CT State University)

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