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January 2, 2008

Leesa Kuhlmann, Wyoming's new ACDA president greets NW membership
It's happening in Wyoming

Hi. I’m Leesa Kuhlmann, Wyoming’s ACDA State President. It’s windy and cold as winter sets in here, but we have some exciting things to look forward to this year.

We will be having our All-State meeting in Sheridan this year in conjunction with MENC’s All-State conference.  We help to finance a workshop for our seven community colleges and our university students to get together and work under a clinician during this time. This year’s director is Dr. Nathan Leaf of the University of Wyoming. He is new to our state and we are looking forward to meeting him. 

In April, our directors around the state will be presenting their students for adjudication, performing at district festivals. The first day is large groups and the second day is solos and ensembles.  Each district lines up their own adjudicators, and it is always a good experience for the students to hear comments from someone new.

The Wyoming ACDA Children’s Honor Choir is set for June 6 & 7 in my hometown, Rock Springs. Thanks to the diligence of my friend, Sarah Wessel, this is sure to be a success. Sarah has contracted with Susan Brumfield from Texas Tech to work with the children, so the students and directors alike are in for a real treat! She will be giving a workshop for the directors on Friday night and then working with the children all day on Saturday.  The Sweetwater Children’s Honor Choir, sponsored by BOCES, is the host choir, and will also be performing at the concert on Saturday night.

One of the concerns in our state is the new requirements for the state college scholarship, called the Hathaway. There are so many academic requirements, and the performing arts are completely left out. It is going to make it a lot harder for students to sign up for and take our classes, especially staying in the program throughout their high school years.

I hope to meet you at Vancouver in February. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for increasing membership. We are such a small state with lots of miles between towns. How do you get the word out to your prospective members about ACDA and the benefits of being a member of this illustrious organization?  Let me know at kuhlmanns@wyoming.com.  See you in Vancouver!