Message From the President (June 2026)
Dear Friends and Members of ACDA-MI,
Summer in Michigan… Is there any better place? There is so much to do, to explore, and to enjoy in our Great Lake State, including chamber music festivals, concerts in the park and summer concerts by our many professional and semi-professional ensembles throughout our state. If you are involved in a summer concert, let us know so that we can help spread the word about all of the wonderful things that are being played and sung within our state. If you happen to have a day or two, please explore one or both our state summer camps, Interlochen Center for the Arts and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. I am sure that your colleagues who are teaching at either institution would be glad to see you and have you in the audience and maybe sneak in a dinner or dessert before or after the performance.
Since school was let out, I have been casually reading a book to be reviewed at a later date. As I have been reading, many thoughts, ideas and moments of “oh, yeah” have occurred. Reading has prompted me to pause and reflect (there’s that word again) on this past year and even the past several years. I need to be more diligent about taking personal notes on my experiences, thoughts, reflections and questions and quotes that I have come across and even my own moments of “oh yeah.” As I think about the many wonderful members of our ACDA-MI organization, there is so much knowledge and wisdom that should be shared with each other individually or in small and large group settings. Our collective knowledge and wisdom is great!
The week that school ended, the music team at my school sat down for a wonderful, casual and thought-provoking lunch that lasted longer than each of us anticipated. It was worth it! We had many successes to share regarding our students’ growth and insights on how we could each “do better” for our students and ourselves. Let us challenge one another onto good work, good teaching and good musical experiences for our stdents AND ourselves.
The Socrates’ quote that I wrote about last month has continued to remind me of what my conversations ought to be. Have I succeeded? Not all of the time but I have reminded myself more than once that:
“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people”
It is for you, Michigan’s choral conductor that we exist. So be encouraged and take the time to seek out ways to become involved and find ways to share in conversations about ideas! “Where Great Lakes Meet, Voices Rise” is the theme of our ACDA-MI Fall Conference for 2026. Dr. Jerry Blackstone and Dr. Derrick Fox will be our headliner clinicians for this conference. We also have several different interest sessions – nine in total! This will be a great time for you to re-connect with colleagues, re-acquaint with friends and introduce yourself to several of Michigan’s future choral conductors. We want to see YOU at our ACDA-MI Fall Conference.
“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
*Take advantage of the ACDA website, the ACDA-MI website and our monthly ACDA-MI newsletter, Bella Voce. We, the board, want to improve our reach to our membership and to meet your needs as a conductor, educator and performer. Be in touch with us and your R&R Representatives. Let us know of any events that you are involved in, write a short article for Bella Voce and come to the conference to be encouraged.
The Mission of ACDA 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
