Convention Performing Groups
(in order of performance)
Note: Most performances during the convention will held in the auditorium of the Special Events Center on the campus of Boise State University. Cor Vivaldi will sing at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The Boise Master Chorale's performance of the Dvorak Stabat Mater will be in the Morrison Center as will the honor choirs concerts.
Vocal Jazz I
7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Grove Hotel Ballroom
 Vijay Singh, Conductor
Vocal Jazz I is the select vocal jazz ensemble at Central Washington University, Ellensburg. It's one of three vocal jazz ensembles. VJI consists of 16 vocalists, 4 rhythm section instrumentalists, and a sound technician. The group has performed a regional and national festivals and was recently invited to the International Association of Jazz Education's National Convention 2002 in Long Beach, CA and the MENC's National Conference in Nashville.

Vijay Singh
 Vijay Singh directs Vocal Jazz I at CWU. Vijay is known internationally for his eclectic musical abilities, compositions, teaching, and performing. He has performed with such diverse groups as the Oregon Symphony, the Robert Shaw Chorale, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Chicago Baroque Orchestra, and the a cappella jazz quartet Just 4 Kicks.
Willamette Singers
7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Grove Hotel Ballroom
 Wallace Long, Conductor
The Willamette Singers is a 15-member ensemble that explores music for highly skilled and flexible vocalists. Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, is one of the few four-year universities in Oregon that offers experience in vocal jazz. The group has performed for regional, national, and international conventions of ACDA. OMEA, MENC, and IAJE. The Singers performed for the 1999 ACDA National Convention in Chicago and for the 2003 national in New York. They just released their seventh CD "New York Afternoon" this past fall.

Wallace Long
 Dr. Wallace Long has been Director of Choral Activities at Willamette University since 1983. Wallace holds a Doctorate in Choral Conducting from the University of Arizona. He has performed and recorded with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers in Carnegie Hall and in France. In March of 2001, he performed with Male Ensemble Northwest for the ACDA National in San Antonio. Wallace sang with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus at the Sixth World Symposium of Choral Music in Minneapolis in 2002. He is a past-president of the Oregon ACDA.
Soundsation
7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Grove Hotel Ballroom
 Kirk Marcy, Conductor
Soundsation, from Edmonds Community College, Edmonds, Washington is a musical organization dedicated to the advancement of singing America's only true art form-jazz! Founded in 1974 by highly respected educator Frank DeMiero, Soundsation has enjoyed a twenty-eight year heritage of establishing, advancing and preserving the integrity of vocal jazz education. Comprised of fourteen vocalists, piano, guitar, bass, drums, and sound technician, the group has toured extensively over the years, including show-stopping performances at the prestigious Concord Jazz Festival, and both the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals in Europe. Recently, Soundsation was honored by downBeat magazine, as one of their "2001 Outstanding College Vocal Jazz" groups.


Kirk Marcy
 Kirk Marcy co-director of the Soundsation Jazz Camp, is in his fourteenth year as director of Choral Activities at Edmonds Community College. At Edmonds, Kirk directs internationally-acclaimed vocal ensemble, SOUNDSATION, as well as Edmonds Community College Symphonic Choir. Prior to coming to EdCC, Kirk was a member of the Four Freshmen, singing bass vocals and playing keyboards and brass. He currently sings with JUST FOR KICKS, a zany A Cappella jazz group based on the west coast. An active writer and arranger of vocal jazz music, Kirk has music published through the UNC Jazz Press and Sound Music Publications. Kirk is a member of MENC, ACDA, and has served as president of the Washington Unit of the International Association Jazz Educators (IAJE).
Treasure Valley Children's Chorus
10:45 a.m
Thursday
Linda H. Walker, Conductor
The Treasure Valley Children's Chorus was founded in 1988 by Linda and Bruce Walker. It includes four choirs with 150 singers who come from sixteen small towns in Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho. The chorus is open to audition to students who are ages six through eighteen. They rehearse weekly, perform two concerts annually and sing a variety of styles. Their emphasis is on proper vocal production, musical understanding, and technical excellence. This is the choir's third appearance at a northwest regional convention.

Linda Walker
 Linda H. Walker, Artistic Director of Treasure Valley Children's Chorus and adjunct faculty member at TVCC, has a wealth of experience as a voice teacher and conductor. She has taught studio voice for many years and conducted numerous college, church and community choirs. Linda is an accomplished soprano soloist and a skilled arranger and composer. She says, "I thrill to help children discover that they can use the gift of muic to create beauty and bless the lives of others."
Boise State University Meistersingersxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 10:45 a.m.
Thursday 		Giselle Wyers, Conductor
The BSU Meistersingers, the premiere classical chorus of the university, performs often, including frequent television appearances and on tour. The group has sung for numerous conferences including the Music Today Festival (2003), Idaho ACDA's Annual Retreat (2202), and the Idaho MENC All-State Convention (2202). The chorus prides itself on its close collaboration with contemporary American composers, and has garnered praise from audiences and critics for its performances of world premiere works.

Giselle Wyers
 Dr. Giselle Wyers is Director of Choral Activities at Boise State University, where she conducts four choruses and teaches choral literature and conducting. Currently she serves as NW Regional Chair of Youth and Student Activities for ACDA, and is National Chair of College Music Society's Student Concerns Committee. She has published numerous articles, presented papers and led workshops at national and international conferences, and has conducted honor choirs across the western states. Her setting of "Ave Maria" (published by earthsongs) won the Cambridge Madrigal Singers Annual Composition Competition in 2003.
Bonnevaires - Bonneville High School
Idaho Falls, Idaho		 10:45 a.m.
Thursday 		Steve Dresen, Conductor
The Bonnevaires are part of a large and active choral community at Bonneville. Four choral ensembles and a musical theater class involves more than 200 students, or approximately 20% of the school enrollment. This group, mainly juniors and seniors, is auditioned. The Bonnevaires have performed for Idaho Choral Director's Association Retreat, the Idaho State University Choral Invitational, and the Olympic torch ceremonies in Idaho Falls. Combined with singers from Madison High School, they performed for the NW-MENC convention in Portland.
 
Steve Dresen
 Steve Dresen is completing his fourteenth year of teaching the public schools and at the collegiate level. His degrees are from Ricks College and Utah State University. He first taught four years in St. Anthony, Idaho, then served as a teaching assistant while obtaining a Master's Degree in conducting at Brigham Young University. He then taught at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho), conducting choirs, teaching voice and other music classes. Steve has been at Bonneville High School for five years. He also serves in a supervisory capacity for district music and continues to teach as an adjunct vocal faculty member at BYU Idaho in Rexburg. Rexburg is home for Steve, his wife and five children.
Hellgate High School Chevaliers
Hellgate High School, Missoula, MT		 3:30 p.m.
Thursday 		Dean Peterson, Conductor
The Hellgate High School Chevaliers is a 24 voice group of vocalists selected by audition and committed rehearsing outside the regular school day. The Chevaliers perform at many community events, concerts, school functions, and festivals. They are honored to perform and record with the Montana based String Orchestra of the Rockies and are excited to make their first appearance at a NW-ACDA convention.

Dean Peterson
 Dean Peterson is in his eighteenth year as Director of Choirs at Hellgate High School in Missoula. He holds degrees from the University of Montana and Holy Names College of Oakland, CA. He co-founded and directs the Missoula International Choral Festival. In 1997 he was honored to be presented with the National $25,000 Milken Educator of the Year Award. He is past-president of the MT ACDA and a current board member for the Missoula International Choral Festival.
Camerata
Seattle Children's Chorus		 3:30 p.m.
Thursday		 John Hendrix, Conductor
Camerata was created in 1999 as an extension of the Seattle Children's Chorus to provide an opportunity for mature and motivated singers to receive advanced choral instruction and exposure to choral literature for mixed voices as well as specific vocal instruction for the adolescent male voice and preparation for the transition to vocal music at the college level.The group has travelled in the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Norway, and Sweden. Plans are underway for a tour to France and Spain in the summer of 2004.

John Hendrix
 John Hendrix presently teaches choral music at Shorewood High School in Shoreline, Washington. He has taught vocal and instrumental music in Minnesota and in Washington and has directed church choirs for many years. He is on the vocal faculty of Midsummer Musical Retreat the Whitman College. John is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University and has a Master's Degree in choral conducting from Western Washington University.
Gonzaga University Gregorian Schola
3:30 p.m.
Thursday
Edward Schaefer, Conductor
The Gonzaga University Gregorian Schola provides music for a Gregorian liturgy held each Sunday evening on campus. The group was founded in 1997 and sings Gregorian Chant and Renaissance polyphony in addition to the congregational chants. The Schola performed at the national ACDA convention in San Antonio in March of 2001 and at the MENC All-Northwest Convention in Portland on February 16, 2003.

Ed Schaeffer
 Edward Schaefer is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Gonzaga University in Spokane, where he has taught since 1986. He has a particular interest in Gregorian chant, its interpretation and its restoration to the liturgy.
He holds the DMA degree from The Catholic University of America. He has done post-doctoral study in the field of chant, including studies at Le Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris. He sang for six months with Le Choeur Grégorien de Paris.
Dr. Schaefer has published translation of Dom Daniel Saulnier's Les Modes Grégoriens and Le Chant Grégorien. He is also author/editor of Missa Cantata: A Notated Sacramentary, and a series of materials to support its implementation in parishes. He is a lifetime member of ACDA.
  
 
Varsity Ensemble of St. Mary's International School - Tokyo, Japan 8:00 p.m.
Thursday 		Randolph C. Stenson, Conductor
The Varsity Ensemble is an auditioned male group that has performed with Japanese-American Opera singer John Ken Nuzzo, appeared on Asahi Television, toured Australia and New Zealand, and won top honors at festivals in Japan and in the United States. All students speak at least two languages. They come from Asia, Africa, and North America.
 
Randy Stenson
 Randy Stenson came to St. Mary's International School in 1983. his responsibilities include five choirs, two bell choirs, high school theory, and elementary general music. He is a graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, MN. His mentors include Paul Christiansen, Larry Fleming, and Rodney Eichenberger. His choirs have performed for members of the Japanese Imperial Family and on national radio and television.
Male Ensemble Northwest 8:00 p.m.
Thursday 		 
Celebrating its 21st season, Male Ensemble Northwest was founded by Howard Meharg to promote excellence in the choral art in the public schools by setting an example in performance and by teaching fundamentals through workshops and festivals. Individual members of MEN are accomplished performers in choral positions in schools, community colleges, universities, church and community groups. They sang at national ACDA conventions at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C. and in San Antonio, and have performed at regional conventions in Eugene and in Seattle. MEN performed and presented a workshop at the ACDA National Leadership Conference in Lawton, as well as at the Wisconsin state ACDA convention.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  

Conductors/singers: l-r (seated)
Ken DeJong, Tim Russell, Wallace
Long, Robert Trainer,Steve
Stevens. (Standing) Reginald
Unterseher, Dan Davison, Scott
Peterson, Kirk Marcy, Vijay Singh,
and Paul Klemme
Casper Children's Chorale 11:00 a.m.
Friday 		Marcia Patton, Conductor
The Casper Children's Chorale was founded in 1979, funded by member dues and by donations and grants. Membership in the eighty voice chorale is by audition to boys and girls in fourth through eighth grade. Rehearsals are held once a week for ninety minutes. The Children's Chorale has been chosen through taped auditions to perform at state WMEA, regional ACDA and MENC, and national MENC conventions. The young singing ambassadors from Casper, population 50,000, have performed throughout the United States sharing their love of music and their pride in Wyoming.
Marcia Patton		 Marcia Patton is founder and conductor of the Casper Children's Chorale. Her undergraduate and graduate degrrees are from the University of Wyoming, with further studies in Orff, Kodaly, and Dalcroze. Marcia is director of choirs and chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper. Her A Cappella Choir has been featured on regional MENC and ACDA conventions. She has served ACDA as Wyoming president and as the NW Women's R&S Chair, and is the organizing chairman of the Wyoming ACDA Children's Honor Choir. Marcia was recently honored as the 2002 Wyoming Teacher of the Year.
Aylen Falconnaires
Aylen Jr. High, Puyallup, WA		 11:00 a.m.
Friday 		Joyce M. Larsen, Conductor
The Aylen Falconnaires is an auditioned choir whose membership is comprised of eighth and ninth grade boys. The school's choir curriculum consists of a seventh grade cadet girls choir and cadet boys choir, an intermediate girls choir, the Choraliers of selected ninth grade girls and the Falconnaires. These boys performed at the MENC Washington State Convention in 2002. They were invited to perform at the ACDA National Convention in Chicago and performed at the MENC National Convention in Indiana.
 
Joyce Larsen
 Joyce Larsen is a twenty year teaching veteran of the Puyallup School District. She received B. A. in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Whitworth College. Joyce has directed choirs at Aylen for the past five years. She is a private voice teacher and an active clinician at festivals in the area. Her professional memberships include ACDA, MENC, and Mu Phi Epsilon and is she is a member of the Northwest Repertory Singers.
The Royal Blue Ensemble
Skyline High School, Idaho Falls, Idaho		 11:00 a.m.
Friday 		Gail Birdsong, Conductor
The Royal Blue Ensemble from Skyline High School in Idaho Falls was extablished eight years ago by it's director, Gail Birdsong. The group is made up of 20-28 singers auditioned from the 100 member Skyline Chorale. Each year this group tours to various places such as New York, Las Vegas, and California. In the past four years, Royal Blue has been invited to perform at the ACDA NW Convenion in Seattle, the IMEA Convention in Boise, and the MENC NW Convention in Portland.

Gail Birdsong
 Gail Birdsong has been teaching at Skyline High School for the past eight and one-half years. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in vocal performance and a Master's Degree in conducting from San Jose State University under the tutelage of Dr. Charlene Archibeque. Gail has toured extensively as a singer and a conductor to over fifteen countries. She has sung professionally in California and often sang backup for Rosemary Clooney. While in college, Gail served as the only student member of the ACDA National Board and started the ACDA Student Newsletter.
  
 
Novum Chamber Singers 3:45 p.m.
Friday 		Thomas A. Miller, Conductor
Novum Chamber Singers was founded in 1985. The singers are from all walks of life and share a common love --- performing great choral literature. Ten of the charter members still sing with the choir whose mission statement calls for the performance of music of all styles and genres. The 2004 Boise convention will mark Novum Chamber Singers' fourth NW-ACDA appearance.

Thomas A. Miller
 Thomas A. Miller, is Director of Choral Activities at Warner Pacific College in Portland. He holds degrees from Anderson University, Wichita State University, and a DMA from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He has conducted choirs from three different institutions at ACDA conventions, and is a past president of NW-ACDA. Dr. Miller was recently honored as the 2003 recipient of the Kendall Award for Excellence in Scholarship at Warner Pacific College.
Ambiance
Helena High School		 3:45 p.m.
Friday 		Steven Michelson, Conductor
Ambiance is an auditioned treble choir whose members are selected from grades 9-12. Health vocal production, musical expression, and solo singing are emphasized in this choir. Proficiency in sight-singing is expected. Students are also encouraged to improve themselves vocally through private vocal instruction. The group sings literature covering several centuries and in numerous languages and styles.

Steve Michelson
 Steve Michelson has been the Director of Choirs at Helena High School for the past eleven years. He received his DMA degree from Arizona State University and is the author of a book entitled "Getting Started in High School Music," published by MENC as part of their educational series, "Getting Started." He has taught at the high school level in California, at Michigan State University, and at Murray State University in Kentucky.
Western Washington University Concert Choir 3:45 p.m.
Friday 		Leslie Guelker-Cone, Conductor
 The WWU Concert Choir is a select ensemble of sixty singers. Most members are undergraduate music majors and minors in vocal performance or music education. The choir performs challenging literature of all periods and styles, specializing in the music of contemporary American composers. This group sings frequently in the Bellingham community and throughout Western Washington. It combines annually with the Whatcom Symphony to present a major choral-orchestral work. In June 2003, the choir performed in Bulagaria and the Czech Republic.

Leslie Guelker-Cone
 Leslie Guelker-Cone is Director of Choral Activities and Coordinator of Vocal Studies at Western Washington University in Bellingham. She conducts the Concert and Chamber Choirs and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting and choral music education. She earned a DMA in Choral Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder and currently serves as president of the Washington ACDA. In the spring of 2002, she received WWU's highest teaching honor, the Excellence in Teaching Award.
  
 

Cor Vivaldi

The Cor Vivaldi: Petits Cantors de Catalunya, (Vivaldi Choir: Young Singers from Catalonia), is composed of forty girl students at the Institució Pedagògica Sant Isidor in Barcelona, Spain. Its members are girls aged from ten to sixteen, some of whom also study musical instruments. They reach the choir through a natural selection process involving singing in different groups, according to their aptitude, until they reach the standard required to join Cor Vivaldi. It has toured Europe and sung to audiences in Argentina and won prizes and grand prix at well known international competitions such as Arezzo, Tolosa, Mendoza (Argentina), and Cantonigros.

8:00 p.m.
Friday
Oscar Boada

Oscar Boada, Conductor

Oscar Boada is the Head of Music at IPSI School. An excellent piano accompanist, familiar with almost the entirety of the symphony-choir repertoire, he accompanied the Orfeo Català from 1995 to 1998 and was the Society's Assistant Chorus Master in 1997-98.

Mr. Boada has performed with the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Suisse Romand Orchestra, among many others. He has worked as a pianist with today's major conductors including S. Comisiona, Z. Mehta, and M. Rodetzvensky.
Note: The performance by Cor Vivaldi will be at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 8th and State Street.
Whitworth Chamber Choir 10:45 a.m.
Saturday 		Deborah Hansen, Conductor
The Whitworth Chamber Singers is a select ensemble auditioned from members of the Whitworth Choir, with whom they often tour and perform. The ensemble sings chamber choral literature from a wide range of eras and styles, with a particular focus on contemporary works. Concerts in recent years have included madrigals, folksongs, spirituals, and gospel songs, as well as major works such as Morten Lauridsen's Mid-Winter Songs and Benjamin Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb.

Deborah Hansen
 Deborah Hansen is associate director of choral activities at Whitworth College in Spokane. She conducts the Chamber Singers as well as teaches conducting, choral literature, and music theory. Hansen holds degrees in choral music from Arizona State University (DMA), California State University (MM), and Occidental College (BA). She serves a Director of Music at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Spokane, and is a resident musical director for the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre.
Cheyenne Chamber Singers 10:45 a.m.
Saturday		 Jane M. Iverson, Conductor
The Cheyenne Chamber Singers are recognized for their beautiful choral tone, and their commitment to quality to choral literature. Founded in 1991, this volunteer chorus has performed a wife variety of repertoire. It has collaborated with such choruses as the San Francisco Chorale and is a frequent guest of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. The choir has also commissioned works by Ben Allaway, Bob Chilcott, and James mcCray. CCS's first CD is "Christmas with the Cheyenne Chamber Singers." It was recorded in 1997. A second recording is planned for 2004 and will include several commissioned works.

Jane Iverson
 Jane M. Iverson is the founder and music director of the Cheyenne Chamber Singers. Jane is a native of Minnesota where she completed undergraduate studies at St. Olaf College, received her Master's Degree from Mankato State University, and her Doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado. She was Coordinator of Music at Laramie County Community College for nine years. During that time she received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Arts and Humanities Division three times. She directs music at Ascension Lutheran Church in Cheyenne, is a past president of Wyoming ACDA, and currently serves as the state's R&S Chair for church choirs.
   
Boise Master Chorale 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 		Jim Jirak, Conductor
The performance of Antonin Dvorak's "Stabat Mater" by the Boise Master Chorale and members of the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra will be in the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts
The Boise Master Chorale is a 100 voice auditioned community choir that has served the greater Boise area since 1975. The Chorale has produced more than twenty-five years of choral masterworks, often collaborating with local arts groups including the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra, Ballet Idaho, the Treasure Valley Concert Band, Idaho Dance Theatre, and others.
The group's mission is to establish and maintain a tradition of choral excellence, to be a vital part of the arts in Idaho, and to enrich our communities through choral music education and performance of major choral works.
The Chorale maintains membership with Chorus America and is funded in part by the Idaho Commission on the Arts.

Jim Jirak
 James Jirak, Associate Professor of Voice and Choral Music Education at Boise State University, has been Artistic Director/Conductor of the Boise Master Chorale since 1996. Jim earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Colorado State University, a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from the University of Wyoming, and Doctor of Arts degree in Choral Conducting and Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. His professional memberships include the National Association of Teachers of Singing, MENC, International Jazz Educators, Idaho Jazz Society, and he is a life member of ACDA.