to create a spectacular 200 voice reunion choir.  Thanks to the generous support and gift from Mrs. Dione Peterson (former Fine Arts Coordinator of the Sioux Falls School System and Choral Director from Washington High School) the Reunion Choir and Honor Choir performances were held in the Sioux Falls Washington Pavilion with a full house of delighted patrons attending.  Under the expert baton of Dr. Tim Peter from Luther College the Reunion Choir rehearsed for several days and performed in concert on August 1^st in conjunction with the SD-ACDA Senior Honor Choir.  The Senior Honor Choir was conducted by the energetic and charismatic Sandra Peter, also from Luther College.  The Senior High singers were housed at the Augustana College Campus as they rehearsed for a full week before they performed a spectacular concert in the Washington Pavilion.  This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that all participants will not soon forget! 

The SD-ACDA Summer Conference was honored to have the National President of the American Choral Director’s Association present at out Summer Conference to offer words of inspiration and encouragement.  Dr. Hillary Apfelstadt from The Ohio State University joined the SD-ACDA membership and the entire Reunion Choir for a wonderful inclusive message entitled “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing”.  She spoke of the importance of music in all of our lives – professional musicians and patrons of the arts – and the importance of affirming all of the different corners from which our music emanates.  It was truly an honor to have her in attendance, and she was thrilled to hear the quality of our Sr. Honor Choir! 

During the Sr Honor/Reunion Choir concert, the SD-ACDA Executive Board awarded the prestigious Encore and Lifetime Achievement Awards.  Both awards are nominated by the membership and voted upon by the Executive Board.  The Encore Award is intended for a Choral Music Educator who is achieving excellence in his or her career and has immense promise for the future.  This year’s award was given to Mrs. Ann Deckert, Head of Choral Activities at Rapid City Stevens High School.  The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an outstanding Choral Music Educator who is achieving  excellence in Choral Music Education, is seen as a role model, and is viewed as a Director who has produced season after season of outstanding choral music excellence.  In an unprecedented unanimous vote – this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Mrs. Cathy Britton from O’Gorman High School.  Both women were in attendance at the celebratory concert event, were participants in the Reunion Choir and received generous applause from the audience and their colleagues as recognition of their outstanding choral leadership.  The Executive Board congratulates Ann and Cathy and we look forward to many more years of choral music excellence from both of these outstanding choral technicians!

The SD-ACDA has been experiencing record growth thanks largely to the tireless efforts of President-Elect Kathy Sundvold (Memorial Middle School Sioux Falls).  Under Kathy’s leadership, the SD-ACDA has begun an Associate Membership.  This new membership possibility is completely free for any choral director who is new to the state of South Dakota, is a beginning choral music educator, or an experienced choral director who has never been a member of SD-ACDA.  In an effort to bring choral musicians together and offer interest sessions, reading sessions, choral technique offerings, and membership with friends of common interest, the SD-ACDA offers Associate Membership completely free of charge to any South Dakota choral musician who fits into the above mentioned categories.  We often find that our choral friends are not aware of the diverse offerings of SD-ACDA – we are so much more than our outstanding Junior and Senior Honor Choirs!!  We are a support team, a resource group, a collegial crowd of friends who gather to learn from each other and support each other.  I encourage any choral music educator who is not a member of SD-ACDA to be in contact with Kathy Sundvold.  We look forward to seeing you at future conventions and gatherings!

This coming Fall the SD-ACDA is preparing for our Mid-Winter Conference and Junior Honor Choir Concert being held in beautiful Rapid City.  Executive Directors of the Junior Honor Choir Gloria Harrison and Judy Fauss have been diligently working on the Jr. Honor choir and have contracted Judy Bowers from Florida State to conduct the mixed choir and Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer (former MENC President from Texas State University)  to conduct the girls choir.  Audition deadlines are Monday October 6^th and the performance is set for Saturday January 17^th 2009 in Rapid City.  Our West-River Representative Mrs. Kari Tucker (Custer High School) is planning an outstanding Mid-Winter Conference with performing groups, reading sessions and special interest sessions.  Mark your calendars now for January 16-17, 2009 !!

This March SD-ACDA is on the move to Oklahoma City Oklahoma!!  Our bi-annual National Conference is just down the highway in Oklahoma being held March 5-8th!  Much closer than National Convention in Miami 2007!!  We are planning quite a caravan to Oklahoma in March and would welcome any SD-ACDA or future ACDA member to join us for our bi-annual infusion of fantastic choral performances, interest sessions, social events (all are welcome) and a booster shot of exciting events!  Please feel free to contact me if you have any interest in joining us so that I can fill you in on our SD-ACDA group of choral friends growing as choral musicians in Oklahoma!  The more the merrier!

I close with a reminder that any and ALL information you may need about choral repertoire, programming, networking, techniques is just a click away at the SD-ACDA website at sdacda.org.  Our outstanding webmaster Dr. Jim Feiszli from the School of Mines (and ChoralNet) is fantastic about keeping all of South Dakota connected chorally.  We are so grateful to Jim and his expertise.  Feel free to peruse the website anytime and feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about SD-ACDA or the state of choral music in South Dakota.  I’ll do my best to answer your questions or direct you to one of our outstanding SD-ACDA choral representatives, or repertoire and standards chairs.  We’re only a click away!  Feel free to contact us about membership, upcoming events, or questions.  As Cathy Britton says – “Many hands make light work”!  It’s a great Native American proverb that the SD-ACDA follows diligently!!  Have a great school year and enjoy making music daily!!

Laura Diddle