Dear choir directors,
Some fifteen years ago I had never heard of ACDA, even though at that time I had been conducting choirs for more than twenty-five years! That year a college friend invited me to attend the World Choral Symposium in Minneapolis. It was there I first heard about ACDA. Returning to Vermont, I found our vibrant local state chapter, and my musical life took a wonderful leap forward!
A warm, inspiring group of colleagues comprise Vermont ACDA. They offer respect and encouragement, no matter how varied our backgrounds and experience, or how many years we’ve stood before a choir or resided in Vermont. They readily share ideas and perspectives on music and music-making. Members of Vermont ACDA creatively put together opportunities for our choir members to come together in new ways – whether at a one or two day festival for our youth, a great day of singing a variety of works for our community and church choir members, or a two day amazing choral arts conference every other year that inspires singers and conductors alike.
Perhaps most important for me, I found that joining ACDA spurred me on to reinvigorate my desire to lead others in song and to improve my skill as a conductor. Hearing amazing choirs and listening to presentations at state, regional and national conferences provides countless ideas for repertoire and personal development. For students considering careers as vocal teachers and school music directors, for conductors like myself without much formal study of conducting but many years of leading church and community choirs alongside my other careers, and for music colleagues who earn their livelihood teaching, composing and/or conducting, Vermont ACDA offers marvelous opportunities to connect with others who share our passion and joy for building community through singing.
Jeff Rehbach
conductor, Middlebury College Community Chorus
music director, Vermont Choral Union
former music librarian, area director and project manager
for Library & Information Services at Middlebury College
current office manager at Elderly Services, Inc.
Vermont ACDA 