ACE Inspiration Awards

Metro East ACE Award Recipient: Alton Accola

By Shaun Halland

When our dear friend, Bruce Becker, past Executive Director of ACDA Minnesota, was notified about our selection for the Metro East ACE Award, Alton Accola, he said that Alton was the “PERFECT” choice, with perfect being in all CAPITAL LETTERS. 

Alton Accola has lived a life immersed in the choral and vocal arts. From his days teaching choir in the public schools of Wisconsin, to his work as promoter and artist representative for Five By Design and his curation of “Behind the Mic”, a digital platform dedicated to spotlighting vocal artists, he has served as the consummate advocate for the vocal arts and artists. Alton also is a gifted photographer and has been tapped to photograph our wonderful FMC honorees over the years, highlighting the incredible legacy of Minnesota Choral Music.

Advocacy is inherent in the work we do, yet it often feels like an overwhelming task, given the complexity and expectations of our workload. Alton has demonstrated advocacy over and over in his promotion of the choral arts by being the “squeaky wheel”, as he shared with me. He provides a charge to us all in his own words. 

“As an advocate for the choral arts, I encourage members of ACDA to amplify their presence in the broader media landscape. While sports often take center stage, our musical community has powerful stories to share, stories that resonate, inspire, and deserve visibility.”

I am deeply honored to present the Metro East’s ACE Award to Alton Accola.

2025 ACE Award Winners