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High Notes Blog

Chorus America's High Notes blog is curated by the Chorus America staff. Here, find articles on what our members are up to, and links to the latest news and commentary on the issues that matter to the choral field. High Notes also includes information about policy issues and advocacy alerts.

Additional Advocacy Information

Chorus America is a member of the Performing Arts Alliance (PAA), a national coalition of nonprofit arts service organizations advocating for federal policies that impact the nonprofit performing arts sector. Membership in Chorus America includes membership in PAA and you can learn more about PAA's policy agenda in the PAA Advocacy Center.

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  • Tesfa Wondemagegnehu's "To Repair" Premieres at Lincoln Center with University of Michigan Men's Glee Club
    by Mike Rowan

    On April 7, 2022, at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in New York City, the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club will give the world premiere of To Repair, a multi-movement work reflecting on what is necessary to bring repair to Black communities in America written by composer and educator Tesfa Wondemagegnehu.

  • Chorus America’s 2022 Awards Recognize Outstanding Choruses and Individuals
    by Chorus America Staff

    Chorus America has announced the recipients of its 2022 awards program, recognizing a broad range of achievements in choral music and service to the choral field. The awards program celebrates and fosters meaningful contributions from remarkable individuals and choruses. 

  • Responses and Resources: The Singing Community Lifts Up Ukraine
    by Mike Rowan

    Members of the choral and vocal music communities have responded with an outpouring of compassion and support for the people of Ukraine, as the world witnesses heartbreaking violence and loss of life in the wake of Russia’s brutal invasion.

    Resources for Relief Efforts

    Organizations and individuals in our field with particular knowledge of the region have been sharing their recommendations on ways that people can contribute to much-needed relief efforts to assist Ukrainians. We share the resources that we have seen thus far below.

  • Celebrating Black Choral Music All Year Long
    by Mike Rowan

    Black History Month was first celebrated in 1924 as “Negro History Week,” founded by Black historian Carter G. Woodson with the aim that Black students in particular would be formally taught about their own heritage and the contributions of African Americans in their schools.

  • Five Questions the Chorus Operations Survey Answers for Your Chorus
    by Karyn Castro

    The Chorus Operations Survey (COS) is the most comprehensive source of data on the administrative and programmatic practices of nonprofit choruses in the United States. It builds upon SMU DataArts’ Cultural Data Profile, which collects financial and programmatic data from nonprofit arts, culture, and humanities organizations to paint a picture of the sector’s impact in the US.

  • First Round of 2022 NEA Grants Announced

    by Chorus America Staff

    On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, the National Endowment for the Arts announced the recipients of its first round of 2022 grants. Chorus America is honored to be a recipient of a $90,000 Grants for Art Projects award, among nearly $33.2 million awarded to individuals and arts organizations across the United States.

  • The Return of In-Person Holiday Choral Performances
    by Eduardo Coyotzi Zarate

    During the 2020 holiday season, singers, groups, and organizations shifted in the face of the ongoing global health crisis and produced virtual or recorded holiday performances. This December, fueled by love for singing, the desire to share joy, and an emphasis on health and safety protocols, choruses adjusted to the times, and shared holiday glee with live audiences once again in innovative ways. Here we spotlight a few unique performances filled with the holiday spirit from this year’s season! 

     

  • Joint Statement on Continued Safety Measures During the Holiday Season

    by Chorus America Staff

    Chorus America, American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) have collaborated since the beginning of the pandemic to provide our members with the best and most current guidance from the CDC, as well as the latest research on singing and COVID-19. As we convene this winter to share cheer through song, it is crucial that health and safety continue to be at the forefront of organizing. We urge individuals and groups to appropriately assess the personal and organizational risk factors of operating in

  • How Chorus America Centered ADEI in Our New Grant Program

    by Chorus America Staff

    by Alysia Lee and Diana Sáez

     

    It’s no secret that these have been difficult times for choruses and choral music educators lately. It’s why, as board members of Chorus America, we are delighted to share some wonderful news – the launch of Chorus America’s Music Education Partnership Grants. This new funding partnership will be awarding over $900,000 this grants cycle to support collaborations between community organizations and elementary, middle, or junior high schools during the 2022-23 school year.

  • Cultivating Connection: Choral Educators Embrace Improv, Find Meaning During COVID
    by Irene Idicheria

    As early as May 2020, researchers identified COVID-19 to be highly transmissible through singing and choral musicians had to pivot quickly. Overnight, music educators and choral conductors became experts in planning asynchronous Zoom rehearsals and producing virtual choirs, allowing their ensembles to continue creating through the pandemic. 

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