Welcome to Louisiana ACDA! FROM OUR PRESIDENT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Summer 2008   I can hardly believe the Spring semester is behind us. Whether you are a teacher, a church musician, or a student, all of us need an opportunity to relax, unwind, and reflect. The May 2008 edition of the Choral Advocate will also allow you to be introduced to the new Elementary, Junior High, and Women’s All State audition pieces and procedures.  All of the needed audition information is available and music can be ordered by AMC Music at 1-800-833-8432. Please plan to order your music early since our audition deadlines  ( August 29th) will be earlier this Fall. (Click on the All-State link to the left for all information and downloadable forms!) Congratulations to our Louisiana American Choral Director’s Association teachers and students for their selection to the Southern Division Children’s Honor Choir, Junior High Honor Choir, and High School Honor Choirs.  The concert session on Saturday, March 8th at the Kentucky Center for the Arts was superb. The Southern Division Convention in Louisville was wonderful, even though some of us were a bit unprepared for the weather! Fabulous interest sessions, excellent reading sessions, worship services, and my personal favorite, Dr. Don Hustad’s noon session on Saturday, March 8 . Dr. Hustad, accompanied by his wife, shared a personal autobiography of his life, his education, and so much more.  Although I never had the opportunity to study with him, our room was full of former students, filled with admiration and respect for this remarkable church musician. It was an amazing session and each of us left the session in anticipation of the upcoming Festschrift and Tribute at Christ Church Cathedral that evening. Please be reminded of the dates for our 2008 Fall Vocal Conference. The Conference will be Thursday, October 16th through Saturday, October 18th.  Our conference hotel will be the Holiday Inn Select Executive Center in Baton Rouge. Deadline for our room block is September 19th. Our CODE is N57, please mention this special code when you reserve your room. DEADLINE for Registration to the Fall Vocal Conference is September 15th. Please observe this deadline to avoid a late reg. fee.  We will be including an exciting new College Honor Choir this Fall.  Chairperson, Debi Chandler, is pleased to announce  the clinician, Dr. Jeffrey Ames, from Baylor  University. College audition information will be mailed to college directors. The College Honor Choir concert will take place on Friday evening, October 17th. Our College participants will have the opportunity to attend sessions on Saturday morning at the Fall Vocal Conference. Thanks and best wishes, Pam Givens,                                                                              La-ACDA President                              pam_givens@hotmail.com Copyright © 2008 LA-ACDA. All rights reserved.