Community Choirs

Tom Porter, North Central-ACDA Chair

Welcome to the Community Choir page of NC-ACDA.

In the spirit of “community,” I want us to consider this “our” page and to include links and information about successful programming, fundraising, promotion and marketing, auditioning and sustaining membership, and all of the other important aspects of building and maintaining a successful community choir. So the page, in a sense, carries rights and responsibilities. It can be a place for community choir directors and members to go for resources or resource people, but it can only be that if everyone is willing to be a contributor as well as a customer. 

The first thing to do as a contributor is to make sure your community choir information is current.  You can check your information as listed on the ACDA webpage at this link. To enter or update your information, use this link. 

Second, I offer a challenge. Note that there are five recommended pieces at the bottom of this page. They will be part of the NC-ACDA Repertoire Bank, which is under construction. Please submit your No.1-all-time-favorite piece of music to the database for community choir in the same format (title, composer, arranger, etc.) to judy.graphicsink@gmail.com. Then, to follow up, send your favorite piece of music from each concert you perform this year to that same address. It will take less than two minutes, and it will be a wonderful way to connect with other community choirs in the region. 

One of the concerns I hear from community choir directors and members in our region is that they feel isolated and disconnected. In North Dakota, I would have to travel over 100 miles to attend a concert of another adult community choir. Online resources can help us solve the issue of isolation and can help us build community within our region. We all have something to offer and we all have something to learn. 

Finally, the region has budgeted $3,000 for R&S areas to use creatively. What do you think? Sponsor a day of singing in our communities? Commission a composition for community choirs around the region? Fund the production of a public service announcement about the benefits of lifelong singing? Let’s get the ball rolling and spend some money on something that is important to us and promotes our choirs within our communities. 

So, once again, welcome to our page, and let’s all take it from here. 

Tom Porter
Bismarck Mandan Civic Chorus, 1993-present
www.bismanchorus.org
Dakota Chamber Chorale, 2001-present
University of Mary, 2008-present
7500 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504
701.355.8137
tomjenporter@aol.com