American Choral Directors Association
The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music. Its membership comprises approximately 22,000 choral directors representing over a million singers.
Background information
ACDA is organized in seven Divisions, i.e., Central, Eastern, North Central, Northwestern, Southern, Southwestern, and Western. Every year, conferences with topics pertaining to choral conductors are held - in even numbered years, a division conference is held in each division, and in odd numbered years, a national conference takes place in a major U.S. city. In 2009, ACDA celebrated its 50th Anniversary in Oklahoma City; in 2011, the national conference was held in Chicago, Illinois. The 2013 national conference was held in Dallas, Texas. James Madison University was the host for the national chapter for 2011. Each year a different university hosts the yearly ACDA chapter.
Conductors can apply to have their choirs perform at these conferences through a blind audition-CD process. Being accepted to sing at an ACDA conference is considered a great honor, both for a choir and for its conductor. Individual singers may also apply to sing with ACDA National or Regional Honor Choirs. About 300 singers are selected from around the country to sing in each national or regional choir.
Their official publications are the Choral Journal, as well as the scientific research journal International Journal of Research in Choral Singing (online only).
In addition to the division organization, a similar break out is done along specialization lines. The specialties are:
- Boychoirs
- Children's Choirs
- College and University Choirs
- Community Choirs
- Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives
- Jazz Choirs
- Junior High & Middle School Choirs
- Male Choirs
- Music in Worship
- Show Choirs
- Senior High School Choirs
- Two-Year College Choirs
- Women's Choirs
- Youth & Student Activities
Each specialty is organized under a Repertoire and Standards (R&S) Committee system, with a National Committee, Division Committees, and State chairpersons. The National Chairperson for each specialty is also a member of the National R&S Committee which meets annually to discuss issues common to all specialties.