A Message From the President (Nov. 2026)
Dear Friends and Colleagues of ACDA-MI,
“Where Great Lakes meet, Voices Rise” was a wonderful conference opportunity for those of us who attended. It was our ACDA-MI community at work and regardless of where we conduct, teach, or sing, we gathered for our annual ACDA-MI Fall Conference. I read today this Annie Dillard quote in another email and I thought that this is exactly what we witnessed at the conference.
The impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open the safe and find ashes.
–Annie Dillard, The Writing Life
Our inclinations to share what we know, what we do and how we accomplish it is the key. We all have something to share as evidenced by our performing choirs, interest sessions, director’s chorus and the collegiate chorus. We gave freely of time and talent and we gave abundantly and thus nothing was lost but everything was gained. We “opened the safe and found treasure.” Thank you, to our Executive Board and the Full Board for organizing and providing a wonderful 2026 ACDA-MI Fall Conference for our Michigan membership! One of our best!
Thank you to our membership for attending our wonderful ACDA-MI Fall Conference.
Congratulations to our Maynard Klein Award Recipient Shirley Lemon!
Congratulations to our Legacy Members:
- Roger Dehn (62 years)
- Duane Davis (61 years)
- Susan Matych-Hager (58 years)
- James Parker (53 years)
- Barbara Conroy (52 years)
- Brad Holmes (51 years)
- Dennis Lundgren (50 years)
- Les Rowsey (49 years)
- Will Nichols (48 years)
- David Rayl (46 years)
- Gary Weidenaar (46 years)
- Meg Ideker (44 years)
- Clayton Parr (43 years)
- Tom Hodgman (42 years)
- Sandra Snow (42 years)
- John Tyner (41 years)
- Wendy Treacher (40 years)
Thank you to our Guest Clinicians & Conductors Dr. Jerry Blackstone and Dr. Derrick Fox. Thank you to our Friday Evening Choirs: Carolyn Mawby Chorale, conducted by Dr. Matthew Thompson, and Detroit School of the Arts Concert Choir conducted by Julian Goods. Thank you to our Conference Choirs, Las Almas, conducted by Pam Pierson, Hope College Chapel Choir, conducted by Eric Reyes, Portage Central High School Treble Ensemble, conducted by Randi Simons-Miller, and Vanguard Voices, conducted by Kevin Dewey. Thank you to our Interest Session Presenters Katie Huzinga, Thomas Larner, Clayton Parr, Dusty Francis, Rose Rodrigue, Andrew Martin, Amanda Goldberg, Ryan Bowie, Sadarra Fields, and Darrius Washington.
The Executive and Full Board are already gathering ideas and planning the ACDA-MI Fall Conference 2027!
PLEASE take advantage of the ACDA website, the ACDA-MI website and our monthly ACDA-MI newsletter. We, the board, are continuing to improve our reach to you, our membership and to meet your needs as a conductor, educator and performer.
We, as an organization, feel called to fulfill the Mission of ACDA, and that is – to inspire excellence and nurture lifelong involvement in choral music for everyone through education, performance, composition, and advocacy.
It is a privilege to serve and be a part of ACDA-MI.
Thomas Blue
President, ACDA-MI
“If we hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of children’s education.” (Yo-Yo Ma)
“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” (Amy Poehler)
