Building Communities with Song

~Hospice, Homeless, Special Needs, and Prison Choirs

Jason Thoms, DMA, Coordinator

Including 7 Interest Sessions:

1. Mainstreamed Into Music- Christine Wineberg
2. Forming an a cappella SATB Hospice Singing Group- Peter Amidon
3. Recovery, Healing, & Wholeness: How Music Can Feed the Homeless- Amanda Weber
4. Singing locally, giving globally: Why intergenerational community choirs matter- Stephanie Davis
5. Choirs in Unlikely Places- Jamie Hillman and Andre Quadros
6. Building Communities with Song Director's Panel "The 'Hows' and 'Whys' of Therapeutic and Service Choirs- Jason Thoms
7. Melodies That Sing: "We Love to Sing This Song"- Allison Fromm

Festival Choir Presentation

BUILDING COMMUNITIES FESTIVAL CHOIR - Choir will rehearse Friday afternoon and evening under the direction of Allison Fromm, Alice Parker, and Nick Page. They will be the session choir for the Sat. AM session "Melodies That Sing".

This year at the ACDA Eastern Division Conference there will be an additional track of interest sessions focused on therapeutic and service choirs. These choirs usually have healing, either for the singer or the listener, as a primary focus. The healing provided may be emotional, spiritual, social, and maybe even physical. These choirs include: Hospice Choirs, Homeless Choirs, Prison Choirs, Senior Choirs, and Special Needs Choirs.

We have been able to select some outstanding interest sessions for the Building Communities with Song conference. These sessions will provide information about how these different ensembles function, what their mission and vision is, why these choirs are successful and also provide information to help interested director in starting their own ensembles, or modifying existing ensembles to have a therapeutic or service component. Many sessions will include repertoire suggestions and challenges, and resources to help interested directors and leaders learn more about what is happening on a national level.

The highlight of the mini-conference will be the Building Communities with Song Festival Choir. This choir for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries, will be led by Allison Fromm, Alice Parker and Nick Page. The Festival Choir performance will not only feature the choir in performance, but also be an interactive experience for the audience and singers alike.

We believe that directors at every level will find these interest session informative and relevant. It is our hope that new choirs with a focus on healing, therapy and service will grow out of this conference around the Eastern Division and the nation.

Dr. Jason Thoms
Building Communities with Song, Chair

Last revised pan> September 29, 2011