| Arkansas ACDA News and Articles by our Officers, R&S Chairs, and Guests | |||||
Your candidates for AR ACDA treasurer: Jo Brinkle and Amber Holden; |
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Jo Arlene Brinkle is in her 21st year of teaching in Arkansas. She is currently in her sixth year as the Choral Director at Valley View High School. While at Valley View her choirs have received Superior Ratings at the Region and State levels, she has had over 60 students from the Valley View Choral Department in the Arkansas All State Choir. Her choirs were pleased to perform in Carnegie Hall in the Spring of 2008 and 2010. For the past three years, her choirs have been invited to perform with composer Tim Janis on his PBS Television Special "Celebrate America". In 2011, her choir was chosen to represent Arkansas at the International Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. Her previous experience was at Buffalo Island Central Schools where she taught all grades levels of vocal music for fourteen years. Ms. Brinkle received her Bachelors of Music Education from Arkansas State University. While there she studied with Alfred Skoog, Julia Lansford, and Dr. Jared Spears. Mrs. Brinkle has been an adjudicator throughout Arkansas and for the Missouri State Choral Festival. She is a member of the American Choral Director's Association. She is a member of the Northeast Arkansas ArkCDA where she has served two terms as the Senior High Event Chair and she currently serves as their Region Chair. She currently is in her second term as the President of the Jonesboro Alumnae and Patroness Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, where she has also served as the Vice President of Membership. Her other memberships have included the Northeast Arkansas Master Chorale where she served on the Board and as their Treasurer, she is a member and Choir Director of the Otwell Christian Church. She resides in Jonesboro with her husband Grant, who is the Band Director at Nettleton Junior High. |
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Amber Holden is currently in her thirteenth year of teaching at Pulaski County Special School District’s, Northwood Middle School. During this time, Amber has been instrumental in placing large numbers of students in the Central All-Region Choir and has consistently scored a rating of Superior at CPA. Also during her tenure, she has been chosen as the Central Region’s Jr. High Choir Director of the Year three times and has served as a CPA adjudicator around the state. Amber has had the opportunity to serve as the Central Region’s secretary for the past ten years and as Ar ACDA Jr. High/Middle School R & S Chair for the past four years. She holds a BME from the University of Central Arkansas and lives in Cabot with her husband, David, and their two children, Jackson (5) and Elaina (2). She would like to credit any professional success to her faith in God. |
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| MS/JH National Conference to be held in Dallas Feb. 29, 2012 Read more...> | |||||
Incredible conference; meeting with friends and wonderful sessions with Denise Gagne By Christine Graham, R&S Chair for Elementary Music We had another incredible summer in Hot Springs! It is always so much fun to meet up with friends, and find out who is new in the field. I want to say a big “thank you” to our in-state teachers (Donna Rose, Janine Eubank, Anissa Manasco) who took the time to prepare potpourri sessions. I’m always on the lookout for people willing to take on such a task. And what a time we had with Denise Gagne! Even though it was a little longer trek to get to the sessions in the Convention Center, it was well worth it. Having taught band, choir, and general music, Denise certainly has a wealth of information to share, and is very generous in doing so. It was like Christmastime, having all those resources to peruse. One teacher especially felt that way—she left on Thursday with the entire Musicplay curriculum (K-5). I really appreciated the material that she donated for door prizes. Whether it was in playing recorders, doing assessments, or playing musical games, I hope you had a chance to talk with Denise over the two days, and if not, she is quick to respond to emails! |
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Cliff Ganus, editor of "accent," Arkansas ACDA's newsletter, is elected to president-elect position
As director of choral activities and professor of music, he directs the Chorus and teaches music history, conducting, music appreciation, and hymnology. He has twice received a Distinguished Teacher Award from the University. He hosts an annual Central Invitational Festival and All-State Audition Workshop. Dr. Ganus completed his undergraduate work at Harding. He received an M.M.E. from North Texas State University and his D.M.A. from the University of Colorado. His groups have performed in 43 states and 38 countries. The Harding Chorus was awarded the Grand Prix at the Mundus Cantat International Choral Festival in Sopot, Poland, in May 2006, and was selected to perform at the Arkansas All-State Conference in February 2008. AR ACDA is grateful for having two marvelous candidates for the position of president-elect. Krisie Holmes allowed her name to be on the ballot. She will continue to be active in the association. She serves as the Northeast Arkansas Region Chairperson and is on the Arkansas Choral Director’s Association Executive Board of Director’s. Ms. Holmes also serves as the Repertoire and Standards Chair for senior high mixed choirs for the Arkansas chapter of the American Choral Directors’ Association. In 2008, she was voted Northeast Arkansas Distinguished Choral Director of the Year. Web Editor's note: While we tend to think in terms of "winners" and "losers" in elections, this association of professionals can only be grateful for fielding winners as candidates. While one is awarded the "title," both have contributed greatly to their profession and both will continue to be influential in leadership in this organization! Thank you Krisie, for consenting to have your name on the ballot. And we wish you the very best, Cliff, as you take on new responsibilities with ACDA.
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From the Arkansas "accent" editor LATEST >accent> |
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It's a privilege to serve Arkansas ACDA by Howard Meharg, Web/Editor, AR ACDA
I've been a member of ACDA since the mid-1960's when one day during my third year of teaching I got a call from my college director, Bernard Regier, from what was then Western Washington College of Education in Bellingham, the college from which I had graduated just a few years before. He said, "you're going to want to join this new organization. It'll help you with your career." Regier actually understated it. ACDA has been a lifeline, a source of knowledge, a means of networking with colleagues. Many of my most cherished friendships were made, and continue to be made, because of ACDA. In short, I believe in ACDA! Already I value my contacts with Rhonda as she has supplied me with material with which to build the site. Cliff Ganus, your "Accent" editor, I already count as a friend for we've had numerous email converations that began with my contacting Cliff about reprinting a great article he wrote on use of the spiritual and how it's considered an American art form around the world. But here's the kicker...it turns out that Cliff knew exactly where to find the now tumble-down house that I lived in as a child in Little Red, Arkansas (a few miles outside of Pangburn) and not far from where I was born. He even took photos of the old place and mailed them to me. (These places just a bit north of Searcy...for those of you who don't know where Pangburn is located.) And, yes, I'm very proud to say I was born in Arkansas. While I have few family members living there now who know who I am, I fully expect to connect with many of you and make claims on you as my extended ACDA family! As to the website, my pledge is to keep it up-to-date and accurate. However, that's where you come in. First, if you see errors, broken links, inaccurate information, or you find that material that should be on the site is missing, please make sure I know about it. If you write directly, include Rhonda with a Cc of the memo. Part of the service is keeping the site updated, but I definitely need your help. I can post no information unless I get it from you...normally through an officer or your newsletter editor. My email address is: hkmeharg@comcast.net
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The ballots have been counted and Cliff Ganus was named President-Elect for AR ACDA. Cliff is in his 43rd year of teaching at Harding University. He is a life member of ACDA and served for 13 years as the Youth and Student R&S chair for the SW division. He is currently the editor of accent, the Arkansas ACDA neweletter. He was the president of AMEA in 1995-97 and served as the editor of SEGUE, the AMEA journal, from 1987 through 1993.
My thanks to Rhonda Hawley, your president, and the AR ACDA board for allowing me the opportunity to serve you as your web/editor. It's been fun developing a site unique to this organization. I hope and believe you'll find it helpful.