Voices of the NE District

by Chris Mason

The NE District is enthusiastic about our return to choral music in a new program year. Our replenished sense of energy is well-paired with the enthusiasm from our students who have missed singing over the summer. Creative approaches and investment in teaching fundamentals abound, as do consistent efforts at fostering welcoming and inclusive environments for our young artists.

We are looking forward to quite an array of upcoming events this year. The College of St. Scholastica will co-host a festival led by Dr. Giselle Wyers and premiere a newly commissioned work. Duluth East HS will take a trip to NYC which includes an invited performance as part of Lincoln Center’s Octavo Series. Cloquet MS and HS celebrate increasing momentum – growing skill and enthusiasm – as Ms. Card’s intentional sequencing and inclusive spirit permeate her two-school appointment. Mr. Pelerin’s numbers continue to grow at Lincoln Park MS where he was recently made full-time on that campus after nearly a decade splitting between two campuses. The UMD University Singers will welcome over 100 high schoolers to campus for their annual Big Sing and take a recruiting tour to the western suburbs of Minneapolis. Many more exciting events are ahead in the Northland.

But, we are not without our challenges. Retaining tenors and basses and recruiting singers in general is a larger trend. One school reports an imbalance in 6^th grade offerings where only band, not choir, is offered, leading to reduced numbers in choir as most students who want to elect music in 6^th grade choose band. That teacher shares uncomfortably uneven numbers in 7^th grade rosters. A high school director reports continuing efforts to combat a “COVID mentality” which includes a reluctance to engage in non-required courses, or doing so with noticeably reduced commitment and energy as compared to pre-COVID times. Others mention the challenges of selecting repertoire for small or unbalanced ensembles as schedules are often determined, not by the teacher, but by the school counselors.

While our challenges are not new, our long-standing sense of pride and perseverance sustains us. We know that choral music offers a richness to our human experience. Psychologist Brené Brown exhorts us to have a “strong back, a soft front, and a wild heart” in this challenging world. Musically speaking, we offer our students the strong back of rigorous technique, the soft front of an openness to expression, and the wild heart which drives us to connect with others. Students come away having learned more than just a few songs. In this new year we renew our efforts to offer students access to the experience of inspired living.

About the Author

Our NE District Representative is Dr. Christopher Mason. Mason is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Founding Artistic Director of Vox GR Choral Ensemble in Grand Rapids Michigan, and Choir Director of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth. His interests range from the Latin American Baroque to hiking and biking along Lake Superior. For assistance with NE ACDA MN choral information he can be reached at Mason421@d.umn.edu.