State-by-State News

ICDA’s 2016 Robert M. McCowen Memorial Award Recipient: Joleen Nelson Woods

The Iowa Choral Directors Association presented the Robert M. McCowen Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to choral music in Iowa to Joleen Nelson Woods at the 42nd Annual Summer Symposium at the end of July. Joleen is well known and respected for her untiring work serving ICDA.

Joleen was born and raised in Clinton, Iowa, where she attended Clinton High School and sang in the A Capella Choir under the direction of John DeHaan. She graduated from high school in 1975 and went on to earn a BM degree at Cornell College in 1979 and an MA degree from the University of Iowa in 1983. Her first three years of teaching were at North Central CSD in Manly, Iowa. The first two years she taught grades 7-12 and the last year K-12. In the fall of 1982 she began teaching grades 7-12 in Mount Vernon, the first of thirty years in the Mount Vernon school district. During her tenure at Mount Vernon she directed several choirs, gave voice lessons, and taught music theory and music appreciation. She retired at the conclusion of the 2011-12 school year. While at Mount Vernon she was fortunate to have hundreds of students selected for All-State and Opus Honor Choirs, including one as All-State Chorus accompanist. Her students also performed well at State Solo/Ensemble Festival, earning dozens of Outstanding Performance Awards, and State Large Group Festival where they received many perfect scores. In addition, the Concert Choir was selected as a demonstration choir for both national and regional ACDA conventions.

Besides teaching, Joleen has served ICDA as Ninth Grade Opus Chair and overall Opus Festival Chair, and in 1999 she became the first ever ICDA, Inc. Executive Secretary. In 2001, with the resignation of longtime treasurer, Bruce Norris, that title was added to her position and she has remained in that position ever since. She also served as secretary for the Iowa Music Educators Association for six years, continues to adjudicate Opus and All-State auditions, and has constructed the seating chart for the All-State Chorus since 2003.

Joleen is married to Michael, who has been her “roadie” since 2004, and is currently mother to four dogs and twelve cats.

Robert McCowen began his career teaching at Waterloo West High School and served as Director of Choral Affairs at Iowa State University. He was a Charter member of ACDA and served as District, State, and North Central Division ACDA Chair. He was in demand nationwide as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and composer. His love for his work was obvious. The relationships he developed with students in the classroom and with professional colleagues were sincere. His music was his tool to serve humankind. His concern for choral music in the state of Iowa lives on, and it is for this reason that ICDA chooses to honor its friends who carry the Robert McCowen flame for choral music, igniting the torch for all choral participants in Iowa, lighting the way, not only for students, but also for professional colleagues.

Upcoming Events Around the Division

Iowa

Saturday, September 10
ICDA Pre-All State Workshops
Eight sites around Iowa
http://www.iowachoral.org
A morning event to help those auditioning for the Iowa All-State Chorus

Wednesday, September 28, 7:30 p.m.
Grand Re-opening of Hancher Auditorium: Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (“Resurrection”) with Michele Crider, soprano; Ann Cravero, mezzo-soprano; University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra; University of Iowa choirs; Coe College Choir; Kirkwood Community College Choir; and Chamber Singers of Iowa City
Free admission
Hancher Auditorium
141 East Park Road
Iowa City, IA
https://hancher.uiowa.edu/2016-17/ui-symphony-orchestra

Saturday, October 8
Real Men Sing Festival
Wartburg College
Waverly, IA
www.wartburg.edu/fest
This daylong event for men in 7th grade through adult culminates in a 5:00 p.m. festival finale concert and will feature the renowned men’s ensemble Cantus and the select men’s choir from Prairie Point Middle School under the direction of Kelly Truax

Sunday, October 9, 3:00 p.m.
Faure’s Requiem with the Drake Chamber Choir and choirs from Valley, Waukee, Urbandale, and Dowling Catholic high schools, with a professional chamber orchestra
St. Ambrose Cathedral
6th Ave. and High St.
Des Moines, IA

Tuesday, October 11

Simpson College Honor Choir
Smith Memorial Chapel, Simpson College campus
Indianola, IA
http://simpson.edu/music/music-festivals-and-camps/fall-honor-choir/
A daylong event featuring high school singers working with Dr. Tim McMillin and Mr. Matt Oltman

Saturday, October 22
Iowa All-State Chorus Auditions
http://www.iowachoral.org

Friday–Sunday, October 28–30
Kodály-owa, Fields of Opportunity!
Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center
Johnston, IA
http://www.midwestkodaly.org
A weekend professional development conference featuring sessions on choral reading, vocal development, the use and importance of folk songs, and a regional honor choir

 

Minnesota

Saturday, October 29
State SSAA/TTBB Choral Festival
St. John’s University
Collegeville, MN
www.acda-mn.org
A daylong choral festival for gender-specific choirs

Saturday, November 19
State 7–8 Honor Choir Day and Concert
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church
Mahtomedi, MN
www.acda-mn.org
A daylong rehearsal and concert

Saturday, November 19
Middle School Choir Forum
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church
Mahtomedi, MN
www.acda-mn.org
A half-day immersion event for middle school directors

 

Nebraska

Wednesday, September 7
Choral Leadership Workshop
Norfolk High School
Norfolk, NE
Contact: David Sackschewsky, shack@ginorthwest.org
An event that will focus on student leadership in the high school choral program

Thursday, September 8
Choral Leadership Workshop
Grand Island Northwest High School
Grand Island, NE
Contact: David Sackschewsky, shack@ginorthwest.org
An event that will focus on student leadership in the high school choral program

Friday, September 9
Choral Leadership Workshop
North Platte High School
North Platte, NE
Contact: David Sackschewsky, shack@ginorthwest.org
An event that will focus on student leadership in the high school choral program

Monday, October 3
University of Nebraska Men’s Choral Festival
University of Nebraska—Lincoln
http://music.unl.edu/choir/unl-mens-choral-festival
A daylong event open to high school male singers with a free public 6:30 p.m. concert

Friday–Saturday, November 4–5
Sing Around Nebraska Honor Choir
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Lincoln, NE
http://www.nebraskachoral.org/events/sing-around-nebraska/
This select 5th–6th grade chorus of 120–150 students will be under the direction of Mr. Ken Berg

 

North Dakota

Saturday, October 8
Surround the State in Sound
Grand Forks, Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, Minot and Dickinson, ND
http://www.ndacda.com/#!surround-the-state/cwr4
A daylong event with 5th & 6th graders, rehearsing and performing the same repertoire at six sites around North Dakota

 

Wisconsin

Friday–Sunday, September 9–11
NextDirection
Green Lake Conference Center
Green Lake, WI
new.wischoral.org/nextdirection
A three-day conference geared towards high school students that will become future leaders in choral music

Saturday, November 12
Singing In Wisconsin
Chilton, Chippewa Falls, Waukesha and Wausau, WI
new.wischoral.org/siw
A one-day festival in four sites around the state for students in grades 5–12 who love to sing