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DUE May 21, 2025 @ 11:59pm CENTRAL TIME

ENVISION: PERFORMING CHOIRS

ENVISION 2026 invites us to visualize and actively engage in creating a world that embraces choral singing as an act of humanity: to ENVISION and shape a society where choral music is fully integrated into culture and daily life, with no barriers to participation, and where every voice has a place. To ENVISION this world requires a persistent commitment to equity and the dissolution of gatekeeping, to ensure that choral singing reflects all of us.

This vision requires and inspires artistic innovation, collaboration, and a collective effort to turn our shared dream into reality—a world where choral music unites, elevates diverse voices, and fosters leadership that is equitably distributed across all communities.

The 2026 ACDA Eastern Region conference asks all auditioned choir applicants to ENVISION the possibilities of choral music and to align your ensemble’s proposal with the conference’s vision of choral music as an inclusive, collaborative, artistically-integrated and human-centered art form. 

  • We welcome applications from all ensembles, highlighting the rich diversity of the choral community throughout the Eastern Region. 
  • Ensembles are encouraged to present diverse, connected and compelling programs that support the conference theme, explore choral and communal singing traditions throughout the world and deepen our appreciation, understanding and connection to current trends in composition and choral sound.  
  • All singing ensembles are welcomed, and all current ACDA members are encouraged to apply. 

Performing Choir Audition Process Timeline 

March 31, 2025 Online application opens 

May 21, 2025 Online application closes 

July 7-12 , 2025 Choirs will be notified of their status via email

Eligibility 

● The director of the ensemble must be a current member of ACDA and must have been employed in the same position with the same organization since the fall of 2022. 

● No ensemble or director may appear at successive national or successive regional conferences. Ensembles/directors that appear at a national conference may audition and appear at the following region conference and vice versa. 

● Co-conductors for a particular ensemble may submit an application for performance together if all of the following conditions apply: 

  • Both conductors are members of ACDA and have been conductors of the ensemble since the fall of 2022, 
  • Both conductors share an equal or similar role as the shapers of the ensemble, and recordings are equally representative of both conductors’ work with the ensemble. 
  • There will be one application on which both conductors will provide their complete information. 
  • Each conductor must submit recordings and programs that represent their own performance with the ensemble. 
  • Programs must clearly show that co-conductors have an equal or similar role in performance with the specific ensemble. 
  • The complete submission (six selections – 3 from each conductor) will be assessed as one performance application. 

*Note: only conductors included in the application will be able to perform at the conference. 

Financial Considerations 

  • ACDA assumes no financial responsibility for travel, food, or lodging for ensembles or conductors. 
  • However, ACDA Eastern Region is committing to assisting with the financial burden of Insight and Performing Choirs’ conference participation through providing counsel and support in the budgeting process, helping ensembles to access resources for funding, (in collaboration with the state chapters) once an ensemble has been invited to perform. 

We hope that potential financial burdens will not stop conductors and choirs from applying. By submitting an application to perform, you consent to being audio and video recorded with no financial compensation from ACDA or the recording company if chosen to perform in the convention. 

Application Details 

The entire Performing Choir application must be completed online through the ACDA platform. The platform assigns each submission a number, assuring confidentiality until after the Eastern Region Audition Committee has completed its consideration. At no time will the choir/conductor identity be known to any of the audition screening committee members. 

An incomplete upload of the audition materials listed below will not be considered. 

Recording Submission Requirements 

  • You must submit three audio-only recordings in mp3 format. 
  • The combined total duration of the three recordings should be no longer than 15 minutes in length. 
  • Acappella and Vocal Jazz applications must include video in mp4 format

IMPORTANT REMINDERS: 

  • Do not include any identifying information within the recording itself (e.g., an announcement of the group or conductor etc.) or in the file names of the recording submissions.
  • Rename all recording files to the title of the piece that is being sung and the year of the recording(e.g. “avemaria-2020.mp3″). 

● The three submissions must include representative examples of the choir’s performances, each from a different academic or calendar year (shown on the list below), and all should be led by the same conductor. 

  • The three recordings must come from the following academic or calendar years:
    • one selection from the 2024–2025 academic year or 2024 calendar year 
    • one selection from the 2023–2024 academic year or 2023 calendar year 
    • one selection from the 2022–2023 academic year or 2022 calendar year 
  • The uploaded mp3 files should contain only complete pieces. 
  • If a multi-movement work is excerpted, an entire movement must be included.. 
  • Recordings must feature the same conductor and  ensemble that are submitting the application to perform. 
  • Recordings of live in-concert performances are preferred and encouraged. 
  • Recordings may not be edited, enhanced or engineered in any way. 
  • Recordings should reflect repertoire similar in complexity and style to the program proposed for the conference performance, but they need not be pieces on your proposed program. 

FOR CONTEMPORARY A CAPPELLA AND SHOW CHOIRS ONLY:

Three video recordings that include both audio and video (or six recordings for co-conductors—see Section I) in digital format are to be submitted. The combined total duration of the three recordings should be no longer than 10–15 minutes in length (20-30 minutes if co-conductors are submitting six records).

The three video submissions (six for co-conductors) should include representative examples of the choir’s performance in each of the last three academic years (September through August) and each submitted recording must be conducted by the same conductor.

i. One selection from the 2023–24 academic year or 2024 calendar year

ii. One selection from the 2022–23 academic year or 2023 calendar year

iii. One selection from the 2021–22 academic year or 2022 calendar

  • For each piece included in the video, include a PDF file of one concert program when that music was performed. Each PDF file should display the program page that includes the repertoire. If the date is not shown on the repertoire page, please also include the page that shows the date of the performance (minus information that identifies the ensemble and conductor).
  • The uploaded video files should contain only complete pieces (each 5 minutes or less). File format is mp4.
  • Submissions must be unedited videos performed by the same conductor and the same ensemble; live in-concert performances are preferred and encouraged.
  • Videos may not have any post-production enhancement or engineering in any way.
  • Videos should reflect repertoire similar in complexity and style to the program proposed for the national conference performance, but they need not be pieces on your proposed program.

Additional Submission Requirements 

●    For each piece included in the submission, provide a PDF file of one concert program on which that music was performed. 

  • Each PDF file should display the program page that includes the repertoire. If the date is not shown on the repertoire page, please also include the page that reveals the date of the performance. 
  • Choirs will be asked to self-categorize as follows:
    • Ensemble Type (select the ONE R&R area that best describes your ensemble)
  • Children and Community Youth
    • Singers in this ensemble are in grades 3-5; fill in % of students in the ensemble
    •  Singers in this ensemble are in grades 5-7; fill in % of students in the ensemble
    • Singers in this ensemble are in grades 7-9; fill in % of students in the ensemble
    • Singers in this ensemble are in grades 9-12; fill in % of students in the ensemble  
  • Junior High/Middle School
    • Small school; 799  and below students
    • Large school; 800  and above students
  • Senior High School
    • Small High School (9-12 enrollment 799 and below)
    • Large High School (9-12 enrollment 800 and above)
  • Two-Year College
  • Four-Year College or University
  • Contemporary A Cappella
  • Show Choir
  • Vocal Jazz
  • Community
  • Music in Worship
  • Professional
  • Voicing
    • Soprano-Alto
    • Tenor-Bass
    • Mixed Voicing

Conductor and Ensemble Biographies/Ensemble Statement 

  • Ensemble Biography (maximum – 900 characters) 
  • Conductor Biography (maximum – 900 characters) 
  • Conductor(s) headshot in .jpg format, 3” x 5”, high-resolution minimum 300 dpi
  • An ensemble photo will only be requested for choirs selected to perform
  • Ensemble Statement (maximum – 1800 characters)
    • To ensure diverse representation, without identifying the name of the ensemble or conductor, applicants are asked to share their ensemble’s mission and practices.. The statement might include:
      • The demographics of the ensemble, institution, and/or the wider community
      • The ensemble’s history, mission, values, and philosophy 
      • The ensemble’s engagement with the wider community 
      • How/If the ensemble meets the needs of a specific population 

Proposed Programs

Program Requirements

  • The program must not exceed 25 minutes of total on-stage time (including applause, changes of formation, etc.).
  • The program must represent diversity in composer, era, and musical style. Specifically, the committee encourages proposed programs that include women-identifying composers, composers of color, composers from the LGBTQ+ community, and composers from other under-represented populations.
  • The committee strongly encourages each program to meet or exceed The Institute for Composer Diversity recommendations for individual concert performances.
  • The conference committee asks that only one manuscript (unpublished) piece may be included. The use of photocopies or duplicated music at ACDA conferences is strictly prohibited.
  • Accepted choirs are expected to perform the proposed program. Any changes to the program should be requested in writing before October 1, 2025.

Applicants will submit:

  • Title, composer and/or arranger, poet/lyricist, publisher and website link for each piece 
  • Approximate performance time in minutes and seconds of each work (e.g., 03:45)
  • A brief statement describing how the proposed program showcases diverse composers, eras and musical styles (maximum – 900 characters)

_______________________________________________________________________________

All 2026 Performing Choir performances will occur in 

VETS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

An application fee of $45 will be required to complete the application. 

Apply Here

OPENS: March 31, 2025 

CLOSES: May 21, 2025 @ 11:59pm CENTRAL TIME

Help desk support is available until 5pm central time on May 21, 2025. Helpdesk is NOT available on the weekends. After that time, no support will be provided, even if technical issues are encountered. Applicants are encouraged to plan ahead to ensure they can complete the submission process. Late submissions will not be accepted for any reason. Help desk can be reached at [email protected].

Please direct any questions or concerns to:

Will Gunn
Performing Choirs Chair, ACDA Eastern Region 2026
Eastern Region R&R Chair – High School Choirs
[email protected]