Click the above photo for more information about the 2012 NCDA Summer Conference.

Deadline Looms!

The Annual NCDA Summer Conference Deadline is May 15th. Don't miss this 50th Anniversary Celebration!!! Visit the conference section by clicking the tab at the head of this page for more information.

Thinking...

The last few days I decided I would pick up a new book, one that I could read for pleasure and also for growth. As most of you know, I am not a reader. I have a very small attention span, and reading seems to be a great cure for insomnia. This, along with the fact that I am married to a habitual reader, has led me to strive to grow my reading repertoire. The past year or so I have really pushed to read books for pleasure. I read through the Hunger Games trilogy, "I Am Number For" and "The Power of Six" for example.

To be or not to be...average

This past few weeks I have really been wrestling with the following questions in regards to my career, my students, my marriage, etc. "Am I okay with being average?" As my choirs have been rehearsing the past week, I reflect on what I am accomplishing. Do I push them constantly? Do I expect their best, and in turn do I expect MY best? Too many times I have fallen into the trap of accepting average. I even will accept sub-par because it is just too much work to shoot for par, or even better than par.

Congratulations to the 2012 All-State Jazz Honor Choir

Congratulations to the following students who were selected into the Nebraska All-State Jazz Choir to be held at the NCDA Summer Convention at Doane College on July 8-10.

Soprano: Mollie Shevlin, Chloe Schwarting, Samantha Noonan
Alto: Madeline Noonan, Megan Sparling, Taylor Brunken
Tenor: Matthew Eschliman, Adam Widhalm, Chad Atkins
Bass: Joe Fitzgerald, Ryan Bennett, Nathan Augustine,

Alternates:
Rachel Atkins - Soprano
Jocelyn Tierney - Alto
Kyle Wisecarver - Tenor
Brandon Burget - Bass

Historical relics needed!

We are celebrating our 50th birthday this year! I am hoping that our members have some old pictures of choral events, NCDA, events, mentorships, etc. that we can incorporate into our conference this summer and in Short Notes for the 2012-2013 publication season. It's time to pull out that dusty old photo box and see what you have!!! I am also interested in any stories you may have that we can publish in Short Notes. How about a story about YOUR mentor and choral experiences? Do you have a particular moment in your career that stands out? Let's hear your stories!

Random Thoughts

This past Friday/Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the SWC Fine Arts Festival and spend some time with some highly respected colleagues of mine. As we were sitting around chatting, Stacie Blackmore found it necessary to make fun of me because I haven't bugged anybody with my blog posts lately...so this one is for you Stacie!

2012 SAN Honor Choir Dates are November 2nd - 3rd!

Hello everyone! Here were are in March, with one more SAN to finish up (due to weather) and 11 sites already finished! Thank you again site chairs and clinicians, for a very successful start to our 20th year!

The deadline for Nebraska All-State Jazz Choir auditions are coming up!

Mail-in auditions for the All-State Jazz Choir directed by STEVE ZEGREE at our summer convention are due March 9th. Students will be asked to sing a major scale, a chromatic scale, and a jazz standard song. This can be a song of your choice recorded with or without accompaniment as long as it demonstrates the students range, ability to sing in pitch with good rhythm, and be able to improvise on the melody. Follow the instructions on the attached form for specific instructions.

Music with a Mission is just around the corner

Let me begin by recognizing two gentlemen who have made a tremendous effort to bring this festival and concert to life: Jim Larrabee and Dana Sloan. Thank you so much.

So, the exciting development for this the eighth edition of the Omaha Church Choir Festival--now called MUSIC WITH A MISSION--is that we've more than doubled the number of choirs and the number of singers who are participating this year. We are expecting 16 choirs, 250 singers.

Shout outs to....

Oh the life of a choir director. Today I just got back from the Singing Youth of Nebraska Honor Choir. Saturday I have the privilege to conduct & take students to the Sidney site for Sing Around Nebraska. On the following Monday I will load a bus full of middle school kids to participate in the Western Nebraska show choir festival site. I don't say this to show you how busy I am...but to show you how much NCDA does.

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