Annual Conference | Chorus Leadership Series | Chorus Management Institute | Singer Network Conducting Masterclass | Previous Programs | Leadership Development Forum

Chorus America provides many opportunities for professional development through a variety of programs that address management, board, and artistic issues.

33rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE
	Atlanta, Georgia Hosted by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus Norman Mackenzie, Director of Choruses Lead Sponsor: IMTC Concerts and the Vienna Tourist Board Thank you to all our sponsors, speakers, and attendees! For the first time ever, Chorus America took its Annual Conference to Atlanta, June 16-19, 2010, collaborating with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus to offer a program of extraordinary breadth, diversity, and depth. Visit our post-Conference pages for session resources, photos, and award winners!
32nd ANNUAL CONFERENCE
	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Hosted by The Philadelphia Singers David Hayes, Music Director Lead Conference Sponsor: ACFEA Tour Consultants View session resources, photos, and award winners.
Chorus America returned to its former hometown of Philadelphia for the 32nd Annual Conference, June 10-13, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing and the Independence Seaport Museum. The 2009 Conference was hosted by the Philadelphia Singers, with generous support from the William Penn Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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31st ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Chorus America’s 31st Annual Conference was co-hosted by the Colorado Symphony Chorus and the Colorado Children’s Chorale and held in conjunction with the National Performing Arts Convention (NPAC) in Denver, Colorado, June 10-14, 2008. Top performing arts leaders from opera, dance, theatre, orchestras, and more joined with chorus leaders for five fabulous days of collaboration, communication, concerts, and celebration. Read the NPAC final report (PDF) or View 31st Annual Conference Highlights. Back to top

CHORUS LEADERSHIP SERIES
	Chorus America is experimenting with a new initiative: using web conferencing to connect our members with each other, exchange relevant information, and discuss shared issues in our field. In our pilot stage in 2010, we plan to develop a range of online learning experiences in a variety of presentation and discussion formats, including webinars on topics specifically tailored to choruses' current needs and facilitated group discussions among peers.
As we announce events in this pilot program, we encourage you to participate as much as possible: Let us know what topics you'd like to learn about or what peer groups you'd like to see formed, and help us make effective use of this online communication platform. Whenever you have questions or suggestions, please contact Jonas Cartano at jonas@chorusamerica.org. Refocusing Your Chorus's Fundraising Efforts: Individual Giving - January 20, 2010 In this one-hour online learning session, Chorus America Director of Development Catherine Dehoney provided an overview of the current fundraising climate and offered recommendations for the most important steps your chorus can take to protect your contributed income during these challenging economic times. Designed as a "fundraising fundamentals” level session appropriate for choruses without paid development staff. Members may watch the recorded presentation and download the PowerPoint slides from the Members-Only Section. View the recorded presentation (members-only) Download the PowerPoint (members-only) Emerging Leaders Discussion (35 & under) On December 1, 2009, a group of 20 Emerging Leaders (age 35 & under) -- both artistic and administrative positions -- met to discuss what matters to them as they chart careers in the choral field and to share resources. Chorus America staff members Jonas Cartano and Catherine Davies (who are both under 35) facilitated the conversation. In response to that initial event, Chorus America is now piloting a program for small discussion groups of emerging leaders which would meet in a webinar-style environment or by conference call every two months or so on a specific topic, moderated by members of the discussion groups. Please contact us to be placed on the mailing list to hear about future Emerging Leader discussions.   Emerging Leaders Discussion: Audience Development - for Administrative Leaders March 16, 2010, 1:00pm - 2:30pm ET Moderated by Christi Esterly Schwarten, Executive Director, Fairfax Choral Society We all put ads in newspapers and send out postcards but what else are you doing to expand your audience? In addition, we're always hearing about the great things that social networking can do for an organization, but do sites like Twitter and Facebook actually generate ticket sales? Discussion participants should be prepared to share creative audience development strategies, and thoughts on how social media can be used to build audiences. Emerging Leaders Discussion: Audience Development - for Artistic Leaders April 1, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30pm ET Moderated by Matthew Mehaffey, Associate Director of Choral Activities, The University of Minnesota and Artistic Director, Oratorio Society of Minnesota Discussion leader Matthew Mehaffey (Oratorio Society of Minnesota/University of Minnesota) writes: “I think the days of programming Carmina Burana and automatically expecting a full house are close to being over. How can we keep live choral music performances relevant to our audiences? How can we expand our chorus’ mission to include new constituencies while staying true to our musical identity?” Discussion participants will be asked to come prepared to share programming ideas that take a more grassroots approach than ‘black robe and black folder’ to audience development, both those that have been implemented and those that are in any stage of development.   Back to top

CHORUS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (CMI)
	Our CMIs are professional development opportunities like no other. Attendees work with expert faculty members from across North America in interactive, practical seminars on strategic thinking and planning, governance and board development, marketing and public relations, and fundraising. You will learn best practices from seasoned choral administrators as well as make valuable connections with your fellow attendees. Walk away from these three-day intensive workshops with real tools and strategies you can implement with your chorus and a network of professional colleagues.
Chorus America has offered its acclaimed Chorus Management Institute (CMI) in Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Princeton, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and Houston. Taught by expert faculty, with a honed curriculum and take-home resources, the interactive sessions and dynamic activities are the closest thing to a chorus management "crash course" available. CMIs are offered at economical rates, presented with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and other regional funders in each location. In 2010, for the first time, a CMI was scheduled as a special track of programming in conjunction with the Annual Conference in Atlanta. Conference attendees in the CMI track had the opportunity to take part in Conference concerts and events in addition to attending the CMI. Space was limited to 60 registrants and all spots were filled. Stay tuned for more details about these upcoming CMIs! Upcoming Events: November 12-14, 2010 Boston, MA, hosted by the Boston Children's Chorus Late January/Early February 2011, Dates TBA Washington, DC June 8-11, 2011 San Francisco, as part of the 2011 Chorus America Conference
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SINGER NETWORK
	Singer Network, a Service of Chorus America, is a web-based worldwide community of choral singers that connects singers with each other and provides access to a rich compendium of articles and vital resources to encourage singing for a lifetime.
Singer Network offers a wide range of in-depth articles and a variety of interactive features. Visit www.singernetwork.org to take a tour and get involved!
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CONDUCTING MASTERCLASS
	A Cappella Conducting Masterclass with Podium Coaches Marguerite L. Brooks, Robert Sund, and Special Guest Hans Graf January 14-17, 2010 Houston, TX Hosted by the Houston Chamber Choir, Robert Simpson, Artistic Director
With the guidance of the Conducting Programs Task Force, Chorus America produces advanced education and enrichment opportunities to prepare choral conductors for lifetime professional conducting careers. Conducting masterclasses are designed to give emerging professional conductors the opportunity to work with coaches on skills to help them meet the challenges beyond their university training in choral-orchestral conducting, a cappella repertoire, and the unique challenges of directing a children's chorus. The masterclasses also address non-musical responsibilities of being a conductor and provide other career-enhancing information.
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PREVIOUS CONDUCTING PROGRAMS

A Cappella Conducting Masterclass October 5 - 8, 2007 Chorus America, in conjunction with VocalEssence and St. Olaf, presented the A Cappella Conducting Masterclass on October 5-8, 2007. Participants worked with coaches Phillip Brunelle, Anton Armstrong, Sigrid Johnson, Tom Hall, Kathy Romey, Pearl Shangkuan, Ron Staheli, John Alexander, and Duain Wolfe on classical, spiritual, and contemporary repertoire. Other Masterclass leaders included special guests Osmo Vänskä and Libby Larsen, and Associate program mentors Matthew Mehaffey and Christopher Aspaas. The Masterclass was supported in part by the Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation, Wenger Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and Chorus America's John Alexander Conducting Faculty Chair Endowment. Conducting Masterclass for Conductors of Children/Youth Choruses January 11 - 14, 2007 San Francisco, CA Chorus America, presented the Conducting Masterclass for Conductors of Children/Youth Choruses on January 11-14, 2007, hosted by the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Podium coaches were Joseph Flummerfelt of the New York Choral Artists and Ann Howard Jones of Boston University and Tanglewood Institute Young Artists; private coaches included Vance George, Susan McMane, Barbara Tagg, and Judith Willoughby; David Brunner served as Masterclass composer in residence. The Masterclass was supported in part with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and Keynote Arts Associates. View the Masterclass photo gallery Choral-Orchestral Conducting Masterclass May 10 - 13, 2006 Philadelphia, PA Chorus America, in conjunction with The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Philadelphia Singers, and The Mannes College of Music, presented the Choral-Orchestral Conducting Masterclass on May 10-13, 2006, hosted by The Curtis Institute of Music. Conductors studied repertoire from Beethoven's choral-orchestral works under the guidance of Christoph Eschenbach, Otto-Werner Mueller, David Hayes, Duain Wolfe, Vance George, Alan Harler, Amy Kaiser, and Rossen Milanov. The Masterclass was supported in part by The Helen F. Whitaker Fund and Chorus America’s John Alexander Conducting Faculty Chair endowment. Read about the workshop in the Voice Choral Orchestral Conducting Workshop May 19 - 22, 2005 Cincinnati, OH Chorus America, in cooperation with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Cincinnati May Festival, presented a Choral-Orchestral Conducting Workshop, May 19-25, 2005 on the CCM campus. Orchestral Conducting Workshop for Children/Youth Chorus Directors June 24 - 27, 2004 Chicago, IL Chorus America, in association with Northwestern University, offered its first-ever Orchestral Conducting Workshop for directors of Children/Youth choruses, June 24-27, 2004, at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Read about the workshop in the Voice A Cappella Conducting Workshop June 4-8, 2003 Kansas City, MO Chorus America concluded a successful A Cappella Conducting Workshop June 4-8 in Kansas City under the direction of master teachers Dale Warland and Charles Bruffy. Sixteen Conducting Fellows worked with the Kansas City Chorale and Dale Warland Singers on contemporary American repertoire, with many of the composers in attendance. Chicago Choral-Orchestral Conducting Workshop Chorus America's first Conducting Workshop with the Chicago Symphony Association in October 2002 was a great success and provided valuable podium time for 18 promising young conductors. Read about the workshop in "No Short Cuts to Conducting." Back to top

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FORUM

The Leadership Development Forum (LDF) is a gathering of the executive directors of the largest-budget choruses within Chorus America's membership. These meetings are typically held twice a year with the goal of enabling leading managers to excel professionally and advance their organizations by sharing ideas and experiences in a vibrant learning community. LDF meetings are open to the chief administrative leaders of choruses with budgets of $1 million or more, based on a rolling 3-year average. Back to top