QuickLinks:
Joan Conlon - 1996, Rebecca Rottsolk - 1997, Paul Schultz - 1998, Howard Meharg - 1999, Robert Northrup - 2000, Richard Sparks - 2001, Twyla Brunson - 2002, Peggy Burrough - 2003, Paul Dennis - 2004, Scott Peterson - 2005, Judy Filibeck - 2006, Neil Lieurance - 2007 , Karen Fulmer - 2008 , Leslie Guelker-Cone - 2009

The criteria...

Beginning in 1996, the Washington ACDA has given the prestigious Leadership and Service Award to a member of the association who has exhibited the following characteristics:

The recipient of this award should demonstrate outstanding qualities in the areas of musicianship and leadership. These qualifications should be in, but not limited to, the following areas:

1. Producer of outstanding choirs, worthy of performing at regional or national conventions of ACDA.

2. Programmer of literature of the highest quality representing all periods of music, and appropriate to the ability level of the performers.

3. Demonstrated excellence in rehearsal with singers of all ages and ability levels. Singers are inspired to become sensitive, skilled musicians with a real love and appreciation for the art of singing.

4. Proven abilities as an inspiring clinician, adjudicator and conductor.

5. Articulate both verbally and in writing; a skilled and effective communicator.

6. An unrelenting loyalty to ACDA at the local, state, regional, and national levels resulting in proven leadership that has made a strong difference in opportunities for singers and choral directors in every area of choral music.

7. A strong recruiter of new members and new opportunities for ACDA members of Washington State.

8. A person of strong character and integrity.

Joan Conlon

This article appeared in the Fall, 1996 issue of UNISON, WA-ACDA's newsletter to members.

Washington's ACDA presented it's Outstanding Leadership and Service Award to former University of Washington choral director, Joan Catoni Conlon on Friday, August 2nd, at the First Annual ACDA Summer Reading Session in Tacoma. State board members unanimously and enthusiastically agreed that Joan's work and contribution to the choral art met the criteria outlined for this award.

From 1976 until 1995, Joan directed choral music at the University of Washington. She was an active member of ACDA and served often as an adjudicator, a festival organizer and leader. In the Fall of 1995, Joan accepted a position as Professor of Music at the University of Colorado in Boulder where she is now the Director of Graduate Choral Research and Conductor of the Graduate Vocal Ensemble and the University Singers. She also teaches graduate courses in choral literature and conducting.

Recently, she released the CD "The Romantic Gypsy" in collaboration with guitarist Steven Novacek and the Pacific Northwest Chamber Chorus, the Seattle ensemble she conducted for 25 years while living in Seattle.

She is active as a conductor, and also is known for her research on the choral works of the composer Georg Philipp Telemann. Following research travel to Frankfurt, Brussels and London, she has researched, transcribed, and edited Telemann choral cantatas and motets. Her editions are published by Augsburg Publishing House, Lawson-Gould, and Southern Music.

She is national chair of the Research and Publications Committee for the ACDA. Currently, she is preparing a conductor's guide to the vocal music of Claudio Monteverdi, who live 1557 to 1643.

During two sabbatical leaves, she has studied Hindustani classical vocal music in India, and she retains an active interest in choral music from around the world.

Update:
Joan Catoni Conlon is Director of Graduate Choral Research for the College of Music at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is active as a conductor, presenter, editor, and arranger.  Dr. Conlon has chaired the Research and Publications Committee of the American Choral Directors Association.  She currently is compiling essays for a book on American Women Choral Conductors.

Rebecca Rottsolk

This article in UNISON, the state ACDA newsletter, announced Rebecca's award in the Fall of 1997.

The WA-ACDA Board recently voted to award this year’s Choral Leadership Award for the state of Washington to Rebecca Rottsolk.

Rebecca’s work in choral music meets the criteria for the award beautifully. She has produced outstanding choirs which have sung in numerous prestigious venues. ACDA for the state is proud to claim Rebecca Rottsolk as one of its members.

Rebecca is the Artistic Director of the Northwest Girlchoir in Seattle, Washington. Under her leadership since 1982, the Choir’s creative and varied performances, recordings and workshop demonstrations have served as an artistic and organizational model and resource for other choirs and music educators.

An accomplished soprano, Ms. Rottsolk has distinguished herself in both the fields of music education and choral conducting. She received the degree of Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from St. Olaf College, continued vocal study at the University of Washington and received her MA from Pacific Lutheran University.

In demand as a lecturer and clinician, she regularly presents workshops on treble voices and serves as guest conductor for festival choruses.

Rebecca is Director of Choirs at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church where she conducts two children’s choirs and the adult choir. She is the NW Regional Chairperson for the ACDA National Committee on Children’s Choirs.

The Northwest Girlchoir has consistently distinguished itself as a model of the highest standards of artistry and performance, and it is a valued participant in national and international choir festivals. Among the Choir’s credits are invitational performances at the Regional/National Conventions for the American Choral Directors’ Association; 1992 triple-award winners at Hungary’s Bela Bartok International Choral Festival, among many other awards.

Rebecca Rottsolk will be conducting the North Central ACDA Children’s Regional Honor Choir in March, and will be adjudicator/clinician for the Anaheim Children’s Heritage Festival as well as Choristers Guild festival in Seattle.

Update:
Rebecca serves as guest conductor and clinician for numerous festival choruses throughout America, adjudicates for Heritage Festivals and Worlds of Fun Choral Festivals, and is a series editor for Alliance Music Publications, Inc. She served on the 2001 National Endowment of the Arts review panel for ArtsLearning applications. Rebecca conducts several adult community choral ensembles and sings in the Wild Rose Chorale in Port Townsend.

Paul Schultz

This article was in the Fall, 1998 issue of UNISON.

Paul Schultz, director of choral activities at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, was named the recipient of this year’s Service and Leadership Award from the WA-ACDA at the Summer Institute, Friday, July 31, 1998.

President Twyla Brunson cited Schultz’s contributions to ACDA, as a past president during whose tenure the organization grew and offered new services, and for his continued leadership, including playing a major role in helping develop and chair the on-site arrangements for the Summer Institute itself.

She also noted Paul’s outstanding work in the year after year excellence displayed by the Adelphians and other choral ensembles from UPS and in the Tacoma area. Paul wrote an eloquent response to the award which UNISON wants to share with readers:

I was greatly surprised and deeply honored as the recent recipient of the Service and Leadership Award at our July Workshop. As Twyla was presenting the award she presented a long list of ACDA activities in which I had been involved over the years and it struck me that this sounded like a quote from a history book. I suddenly realized that in music, in its study and performance, one is a part of history. Then I thought perhaps this award signified that I was history!

To be a part of history, or to be history. In my mind, there is really little difference, for history is a process. Nothing is for sure for very long. “It was a time of great change” is an apt beginning for the discussion of any segment of our past. So, for me to “be history” is to acknowledge that I am a part of a process.

Permit me to share what I think that process is all about and why it is so important. First, it is to know who we are. We are each a product of our past. To understand who we are, we must understand how we arrived at this moment. Historical dates and facts have little meaning unless they contribute to that understanding.

Secondly, as we understand this process...what has brought us to this moment, we, as performers are better equipped to present who “they” are...what a Bach fugue or a Beethover sonata or an Ives song is really all about. No one is allowed to recarve Michelangelo’s David, or to repaint Monet’s Water Lilies or to rebuild the Cologne cathedral. But, we are the fortunate ones who are allowed to breathe new life into Bach’s Italian Concerto or Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony or Schubert’s Winterreise...whatever we perform, whenever we perform it!

Thirdly, the more we learn, the more we discover what we don’t know! The more that this simple truth comes upon us, the more our sense of humility should grow...our humility before the vastness of our art and our humility before our colleagues. The rashness of youth knows it all. To “be history” is to discover that one’s knowledge is so fleeting in time that one should hardly dare to speak!

Fourth, the more we don’t know, the more we should respect what we do know. To know is to be blessed, to be the recipient of a great gift. Thankful for what we can do, for what we do know, we can live in the balance of the known and the unknown. We can be grateful for the gifts of knowing and humble (and excited) for the gifts of the unknown.

Caught in the tension of the past and the present, we can realize that the past is not dead. The past is us. The future is us. The process is us. The real trick now is to remain and keep it all in perspective, challenged by what we were, what we are, and what we can be!

Most sincerely,
Paul W. Schultz

Update:
Dr. Schultz founded the Northwest Repertory Singers in August 2001. They are a very select group of distinguished Puget Sound musicians dedicated to performing a wide variety of quality choral music at a high artistic level. Performances during their first five seasons have received hearty acclaim and played to capacity audiences.

Dr. Schultz is very active as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States. He resides in Gig Harbor with his wife, Dr. Donna Gartman Schultz. Their son, David, is a graduate student at Michigan State University pursuing a master's degree in orchestral conducting.

Howard Meharg

The following article appeared in the WA ACDA newsletter, UNISON, in the Fall edition of 1999.

Howard Meharg, Editor of UNISON, and a past-president of the WA- ACDA, was awarded the 1999 Leadership and Service Award in a brief ceremony at the Summer Institute on July 30, at the University of Puget Sound. President Twyla Brunson presented the award.

Howard has been involved in ACDA since 1965. He served as state president two times, the first in 1969, filling the remainder of a term of office left at the resignation of Jerry Semrau. Howard’s recent presidency was 1995-1997.

With Howard’s leadership and that of the 1996 state board, the state convention, held in the fall of every other year, was dropped in favor of the annual summer reading session. He was involved in establishing the format for the summer event, now the called the Summer Institute.

After graduating from WWSC in 1959, Howard taught for two years in Castle Rock, thirteen years at Kelso and 15 at Mark Morris High School in Longview. He consistently developed outstanding choirs. His 1968 high school choir sang for a national ACDA convention in Seattle and on several occasions his groups were invited to perform for MENC and ACDA conventions. He retired from full time choral work in the public schools in 1995.

In 1996, Howard took on the job as the newsletter editor for Washington’s ACDA. He suggested the name UNISON based both on the concept as a goal for choirs and on the hope that choral directors could be unified in their efforts to promote the art form. UNISON was awarded the national ACDA award for “Superior Newsletter Achievement” at the national convention in Chicago in 1999. He also edits NW-Notes, the six state newsletter for the Northwest Division of ACDA.

In other professional accomplishments, Howard toured twice with the Norman Luboff Choir and is the founder of Male Ensemble Northwest. He received the WEA’s prestigious “Teacher Advocate of the Year” award and is a regular contributor to his local paper’s reader commentaries and guest columns, most often on the subject of education. Currently he works part time at Mark Morris High School as Coordinator of the Freshstart program, a “school-within-a-school” program for at-risk ninth graders.

Howard says, “While I can claim no credit for their hard work and dedication to choral music and teaching, I am particularly grateful for having been a small part in the lives of some high school “kids” who have gone on to make an enormous impact in this business. I think especially of Paul Dennis, Karen Fulmer, Neal Lieurance, and Jeff Mitchell (whose son, Brian, now has my old job at Mark Morris).” He adds, “I’m so proud of them and others who continue to direct and sing in choirs. There’s great satisfaction in feeling you’ve been a part of enriching lives through this wonderful medium.”

Howard’s still directs a church choir, a community women’s ensemble, and a Compline men’s choir. He and his wife, Karen, now live in Vancouver, Washington.

Update:
Howard is now the webmaster for several ACDA websites including the NW Division, and the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. He remains active in ACDA and still conducts a church choir in Longview. He and his wife, Karen, now live in Vancouver, Washington.

Robert Northrup

The following article appeared in the Fall, 2000, UNISON.

Robert K. Northrop was awarded the Leadership and Service Award from the Washington ACDA on Friday, July 28, 2000 during the Summer Institute sponsored by WA-ACDA and held on the campus of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. Family members accepted the award on his behalf.

Bob was a long-standing member of ACDA, serving as state treasurer for five years.

He had been suffering from brain cancer for some time and died August 14, 2000, two weeks after family members accepted the award on his behalf. Sarah Graham, a former student of Bob’s at Curtis High School in Tacoma, said he knew of the award and appreciated it very much.

Bob Northrop was a career member of the MENC. His choirs consistently received the highest honors. He was also an accomplished tenor soloist, singing in Tacoma and Seattle opera productions.

Bob was commited to excellence in his church music work also. He was the Director of Music at University Place Presbyterian Church for 36 years. Nothing pleased him more than developing a concert program for choir, orchestra, handbells, and brass.

His ability to develop superior choral ensembles was legendary in the northwest. In fact, Bob Northrop epitomized all seven of the qualifications necessary to be the recipient of the Leadership and Service Award for WA-ACDA.

He is survived by his wife, Thama, his parents, the Rev. Chester and Grace Northrop, a daughter, Cindy, a son, Seven Keith, and three grandchildren.

A celebration of his life was held on Thursday, August 17, at the University Place Presbyterian Church. ACDA members may make memorial donations to the church music fund at UPPC.

Richard Sparks

This article appeared in Fall, 2001 issue of UNISON.

Richard Sparks was awarded Washington state’s ACDA Leadership and Service Award on Friday, July 27, at the annual Summer Choral Institute sponsored by WA-ACDA. His friend and colleage at PLU, Richard Nance, made the presentation.

Richard Sparks grew up in Seattle and attended Shorecrest High School, where Neil Lieurance was his choral director. Dick then went on to the University of Washington and did his undergraduate study with Rod Eichenberger.

After his time at UW, he founded and was the Artistic Director of Seattle Pro Musica for seven years. This highly successful community-based program recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. While with that organization, Dick conducted 71 different programs with three ensembles: the Pro Musica Singers, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, and the Bach Ensemble.

Dick began teaching at the collegiate level in 1980 at Mt. Holyoke College in Massachu- setts, where he stayed for three years before coming back to the Northwest to succeed Maurice Skones as Director of Choral Activities at Pacific Lutheran University.

He has served in that position for the past 18 years, and he has had a profound influence on the lives and careers of untold numbers of choral musicians. During his time at PLU, Dick also conducted the Seattle Symphony Chorale for four years, and guest conducted the Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orhcestra, Portland Symphonic Choir and other organizations. In 1993 he substituted for an ailing Robert Shaw, conducting the Brahms “Requiem” at the Anchorage Music Festival, subsequently appearing twice more at that festival. Dick was also conductor at the International Singing Week in Veszprem, Hungary, in 1996.

At the 1999 ACDA National Convention in Chicago, Dick received the prestigious Julius Hereford Award for his outstanding doctoral dissertation, which has now been published as a book, “The Swedish Choral Miracle.”

Dick has recently left his position at PLU to pursue the further artistic development of his two professional choirs, Choral Arts Northwest (which many ACDA members will remember for their outstanding performance at the 2000 NWACDA convention) and Edmonton Pro Coro.

Update:
Richard Sparks continues to conduct professional choirs. He still directs the Edmonton Pro Coro and recently spent several weeks in Sweden where he conducted the Swedish Radio Choir and other ensembles. Read about Richard's Swedish trip at: www.acdaonline.org/Northwestern

Twyla Brunson

This article, written by Judy Herrington, past-president of Washington ACDA, appeared in the Fall, 2002, edition of NW Notes, the newsletter of the NW Division, ACDA.

ACDA members in Washington are proud to share another wonderful leader with Northwestern constituents. Twyla Brunson is taking over the position of President for our Northwestern region and was honored (in July) for her leadership in ACDA and years of commitment to music education as the recipient of the Washington ACDA Leadership Award.

Behind every leader is a unique history of experiences and significant individuals that shaped their direction. The following is a summary of an interview/lunch conversation with Twyla last summer:

To talk with Twyla is to recognize an individual who is a life-long learner, passionate about music and young people. As with any successful person, there is a teacher or mentor who motivated and shaped that person's direction. Twyla grew up in Weiser, Idaho, a town of 5,000 that is famous for it's summer fiddle festival. The school in Weiser had a strong band program but not a strong choral program. However, Weiser had Esther Binning. This powerhouse of a teacher gave Twyla lessons in trio ensemble, sextet ensemble and solo lessons.

Twyla continued her education at the University of Idaho, receiving a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Her thoughts upon graduation were, "I will never teach choir and certainly not junior high." (This is from a woman whose career includes 30 years of junior high choral teaching).

Three years of teaching elementary music classes led to a desire for performance opportunities available in working with junior high students. Reflecting on her career spanning 33 years of teaching in Walla Walla, Tacoma and Sumner, Twyla shared “I can't imagine doing anything else.”

Meeting former students who are now adults is an affirmation of what she has accomplished in her work. Twyla's professional performance work has included singing with the Seattle Symphony Chorale, Opus 7 and in many opera and musical theater productions.

ACDA has been the fortunate recipient of Twyla's work “in the trenches” – running registration for regional convention, hospitality chair for the national convention in San
Antonio, serving on the WA-ACDA board as President-elect, President and
Past President.

As NW-ACDA President-elect, her primary responsibility will be to plan the next NWACDA convention to be held in Boise, Idaho, in Feb. 2004.

Thank you Twyla for the joy, enthusiasm and expertise that you bring to this new level of leadership. Washington is proud to call you one of our own!

Update:
Twyla Brunson continues to sing in Opus 7, a Seattle professional ensemble. She serves ACDA in many behind-the-scenes projects and, while retired from full-time work in the public schools, still accepts long-term teaching roles as a substitute.

Peggy Burrough

Written by Linda Hamilton.  Wa-ACDA President-elect and Junior High Director Choral Director at Kenmore Junior High in the Northshore School District.

Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart.  Leadership is about inspiration of oneself and others.  Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes.  It is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others.  It is an attitude, not a routine.

This statement from Lance Secretan is a wonderful introduction to this year’s recipient of the 2003 Washington American Choral Directors Association Leadership award.

Peggy Burroughs impact on literally thousands of lives over the last 38 years of public school teaching is awe-inspiring.  When you think about all the students that chose to take an elective choral class because of her, not to mention those students’ parents who saw and heard their kids grow and be challenged, because of her, the schools who listened to her choirs with pride and wonder on a consistent basis, the community who was extremely proud of the director and the choirs reputation, other schools from other districts who looked forward every year to hear that choir perform (or be glad that they did not have to perform after them!). 

All or these wonderful influences and more are a product of Peggy’s dedication to excellence, high expectations and insatiable love for music.  Over the years, Peggy was able to get ordinary young people to do extraordinary things. 

As a former student of hers it is hard to explain the passion and fervor that this incredible woman has in the classroom.  She will be missed tremendously as a teacher but she is still available to be our mentor and friend.   I often think that one of the best quotes to describe Peggy’s teaching is “the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best” Henry Van Dyke.  Her belief that she could make a difference to any kid that walked in her door has been one of the greatest impressions on me in my own teaching. 

Truly a diamond among us in our profession would you please help me congratulate and honor Peggy Burroughs as this years 2003 Washington American Choral Directors Award recipient.

Update:
Peggy Burrough is now retired from full time school work. She is still active in ACDA, currently serving as chairperson for the Men's Honor Choir for the NW ACDA Convention in Vancouver, B. C., February 20-23, 2008.

Paul Dennis

Paul Dennis spent 32 years teaching junior high and high school choral music in Washington State.  After graduating from the University of Puget he taught in the Longview School District from 1968 until 1975.  In the fall of 1975 he moved to Walla Walla and accepted the choral music position at Walla Walla High School. 

Paul taught Wa-Hi’s highly acclaimed vocal music program until his retirement from teaching in the spring of 2000.  During the 25 years Paul taught at Wa-Hi his Concert Choirs and Chamber Singers groups never received less than Superior ratings at regional and state choral contests and festivals.  In addition, the Chamber Singers twice won the WIAA/WMEA State Mixed Vocal Ensemble championships.

During the years Paul taught at Walla Walla High School he served several terms as treasurer and president of the YVMEA and CBMEA and in 1986 was elected 2nd Vice President of the Washington Music Educators Association. 

He is a member of the inaugural class of the WMEA “Hall of Fame”.  He has been an active member of the American Choral Directors Association and the Washington Choral Directors Association and in the summer of 2004 was honored to be awarded the prestigious “Washington ACDA Leadership and Service Award.” His son, Rob, also an active ACDA member, presented the award. (See photo to the left.) 

As one of the charter members of “Male Ensemble Northwest”, the Northwest’s premier professional men’s ensemble, Paul spent 18 years promoting “male singing” in the public schools of the Northwest.  While a member of “MEN” Paul performed at numerous state and regional conferences of ACDA as well as at the National ACDA Convention at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Paul is married to Karyl, who is also a retired teacher from the Walla Walla School District, and has two children.  His son, Robert, is currently the choral director and student activities director at Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup.  His daughter, Lindsey, recently graduated from Western Washington State University and is employed in Bellingham as a sales representative for a major import wine distributor.

Update:
In his retirement, Paul has stayed active in choral music.  He is a member of the Whitman College Chamber Singers and also “Consort Columbia”, the Tri-Cities’ premier choral group.  He also sings with the Walla Walla Choral Society and is an active member of their Board of Directors. 

To round out his weekly singing experiences, he is 28 year member, and 14 year director, of the Pioneer United Methodist Church choir.

Scott Peterson

The recipient of this year’s WA ACDA Choral Leadership Award has taught for 29 years on the faculty of Yakima Valley Community College where he is Director of Choral Activities. At YVCC, he conducts the Concert Choir and the YVCC Chamber Singers.  
 
He holds a doctorate from the University of Washington in Choral Conducting.

This individual is Chorusmaster of the Yakima Symphony Chorus and also conducts the Yakima Chamber Singers, a group he founded in 1985. He fulfilled a dream many musicians have…a performance at Carnegie Hall. This came about in 1993, when our award winner made his Carnegie Hall debut, conducting the Yakima Symphony Chorus and the Manhatten Philharmonic in a performance of Mozart's Requiem in D Minor. 

He has also been conductor of the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival Chamber Chorale since 2002 and will return in 2005.

No mystery now…
Scott Peterson is active as a vocal performer as well. He has appeared with the symphony orchestras in Yakima and Wenatchee and frequently is called upon for solo work with Male Ensemble Northwest.

Twice, Scott has been accepted as a member of the Robert Shaw Festival Chorus at the Carnegie Hall Choral Workshops in New York. He has also sung with the Bach Festival Chorus in Eugene, Oregon.  He has studied conducting with Abraham Kaplin, Robert Feist, Richard Clark, Maurice Skones, Robert DeCormier, and Dale Warland.  

Scott has served as president of the Washington ACDA and was elected President Elect for the Northwest Division of the American Choral Directors Association this past summer. He’s currently serving as program chair for the March, 2006 convention in Portland.

Scott and his wife, Jane, have two children, Kristina and Karl.  Jane is a music specialist in the Yakima public schools.

He is also the proud owner of a 30 foot power boat called the M.V. Svensk Sang (Motor Vessel Swedish Song)…his second such craft as he moves on up charts.  He’s getting it spiffed up right now in Scappoose, Oregon. If all goes well, I fully expect to cruise from there to Astoria with him next week…the first leg on a trip up the coast to his harbor in LaConner.

I’m proud to present this year’s Choral Leadership Award to my friend and colleague, Captain, Doctor Scott Peterson.

(Scott was unable to attend because he was conducting choral groups at the Alaska Music Festival in Fairbanks.)

Scott's response...written in Fairbanks, after being notified of the award:

In about 1975 while still a grad student at CWU, I was invited by Rush Chase to a meeting in Seattle of choral types who were looking for new members and trying to promote choral music in the state of Washington. The meeting I attended was held at the Swedish Club and the guest personality was some choral director with whom I was not familiar, some guy named Douglas McEwen from Arizona State University. Needless to say I was quite impressed by Dr. McEwen and my first exposure to the group known as the Puget Sound Choral Conductors Guild. That has developed into a life long association with what has become the Washington State Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

It has been fascinating to observe ACDA’s growth in Washington State. We members owe much to people like Karen Fulmer, Twyla Brunson, Paul Schultz, Howard Meharg, Leslie Guelker-Cone and so many others who have nurtured Washington ACDA into the active, vital organization it has become. The list of dedicated persons who are responsible would fill several pages and Washington is recognized as one of the most successful states in ACDA due the diligence and work of all those people.

To be mentioned in the same breath with all those people is a terrific honor for me and I want to extend my gratitude to all of you at the Institute in Tacoma. I wish I could be there, to see old friends and to enjoy the picnic. I’m afraid I can’t because I’m doing what we all love: conducting choral music and working with our wonderful singers. I thank my colleagues in the Washington Chapter of ACDA for this honor. To be recognized by one’s peers is a precious thing and I am truly grateful.

Please accept my best wishes for a successful institute and upcoming year in choral music.

Sincerely,

Scott Peterson

Judy Filibeck

Neil Lieurance

Neil Lieurance retired in 1993, from teaching choral music at Shorecrest High School, whose choirs, under Neil’s direction, performed at national conventions of both ACDA and MENC and received many awards, including First Place in the Best in the Northwest Festival. Selected as the 1991 “Teacher of the year” in the Shoreline School District and the 1988 Washington Music Educators Association “Outstanding Music Educator,” Neil was also inducted to the WMEA “Hall fo Fame” in 1998. In 1991, he received the Generations United “Hand in Hand” award for outstanding efforts to promote intergenerational relationships. He is an active adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor in the Northwest.

Neil has led student and church groups on European concert tours, including that of the 1988 Montana State Youth Choir. He has served as interim conductor of the Seattle Symphony Chorale and was Associate Conductor of the Choir of the Sound, a 110-voice adult choir associated with Shoreline Community College.

Neil has filled sabbatical teaching positions  in choral music and conducting at the University of Puget Sound and Edmonds Community College. Currently, he is an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University, where he directs the Women’s Choir, teaches sight-singing and ear-training, and supervises student teachers.

Also a church musician for over 25 years, Neil served as co-director of the Worship Choir for the Sixth Assembly of the World Council of Churches held in Vancouver, B.C. in 1993 and presented subsequent workshops in Toronto, Canada, and Manila, Philippines. His church positions included Director of Music at Seattle First Baptist Church and Seattle First United Methodist Church in downtown Seattle.

Neil attended Lower Columbia College and hold bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Washington University. He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and the International Federation of Choral Music (AFCM), and has served on the state boards of both MENC and ACDA.

Neil  lives in Shoreline, north of Seattle, and enjoys hiking, gardening and nature photography.

Introduction by Howard Meharg
I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to present this year's Leadership and Service Award.

I have been privileged to have been the high school director of what will now be the third person to receive this award. I just happen to be a lucky man...it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time, I suspect. The first, Paul Dennis of Walla Walla, the second was Neil Lieurance who taught at Shoreline High School, and now the third...today.

This individual graduated from Kelso High School in 1972, from PLU in 1976 with a Bachelor's degree, and in 1978, she received her Master's degree.

She did her student teaching in Sumner. They were instantly impressed with her and hired her to teach elementary music for one year, then moved her to a new junior high school. She taught at Sumner Junior High for 28 years. She recently opened a new school...Bonney Lake High School in the Sumner district...as a high school director there.

In 1997 she was awarded Washington state's "Teacher of the Year" award. This is what the Seattle P. I. had to say:

"From 7:30 a.m. until noon, she taught four back-to-back vocal music classes at rapid-fire pace, moving seamlessly from one activity to the next, coaxing solo performances from even the most sheepish students."

"It is a tough act for any teacher - getting students to step out on their own, to try something new, to risk failure and embarrassment. But maybe more so for a music teacher working with students of such a tender age, when braces and blemishes, changing voices and developing bodies can consume them, make them want to hide, become invisible."

"That the students in (this person's) classes seem so willing to take chances is one small measure of her success, one of many accomplishments that led a panel of parents and teachers to chose her from a field of 48,000 as Washington state's 1997 Teacher of the Year."

This individual was in the inaugural group named as a member of the Washington Music Educator's Hall of Fame.

She has served ACDA so capably. She was WA ACDA president in 1993, Divisional President in 2000, on the national Advocacy Committee, and gave presentations at the national ACDA conventions on that subject at the Chicago convention. She gave another on the subject of assessment at the Washington, D. C. convention. She's now the organizing chair for high school choir for the upcoming Oklahoma City convention.

In my opinion she would make a fantastic national ACDA president.

You know who I'm talking about...our Leadership and Service Award for 2008 goes to Karen Fulmer.

"It is a distinct honor to receive the Washington ACDA Leadership Award and I am very appreciative to our state board and membership for this recognition. 

Membership in ACDA has crafted my professional life like no other opportunity in education.  Through ACDA I have been challenged to hone my teaching skills, to develop a discerning ear, to experience a wide variety of musical styles and genres and to become a leader and advocate for choral music. 

I have had the opportunity to meet conductors and singers from all parts of the world, serve on state, division and national boards, and influence my local school district, recognizing that my musical world was so much larger than my classroom. 

Through involvement in ACDA I have had the opportunity to travel, to present interest sessions at state, division and national conventions and learn valuable leadership skills that strengthened my work as a teacher and district music coordinator. 

Volunteering and getting involved in the organization has opened so many doors for me, including the opportunity to be a voice for music education as the Washington State Teacher of the Year in 1997, with several trips to Washington, D.C. and a visit to the White House.

Through ACDA, I have worked with many wonderful people and established significant lifetime friendships.

Words of advice to the young teachers: Get involved, take advantage of professional opportunities, learn something new, develop acquaintances and expand your resources, integrate fresh ideas into your rehearsals, don't be afraid to ask for help and share your passion for singing with your students.  Inspire them to follow their dreams and life's passions. 

Little did I know when, as a junior at Kelso High School, Howard Meharg stopped me one day after class in the hall and asked what I planned to study at college.  I had many interests but I didn't know what my focus would be.  Howard said he thought I'd be a good teacher.  Amazing how those few words uttered at the right time in my life made all the difference in determining my life's roadmap.

I thank ACDA for all the side trips I've experienced on this journey and look forward to what is yet to come!  Thank you again for this award, I truly appreciate it very much.”

Tim Fitzpatrick, R&S Chair for Women's Choruses for WA ACDA, and a colleague on the staff at Western Washington University, presented this year's Leadership and Service Ward to Leslie Guelker-Cone, Director of Choral Activities at WWU.

Tim said, " I have known Leslie now for 13 years and have worked with in in many capacities. She has been a steadfast friend, a strong advocate and an extremely helpful mentor. I  would not be were I am today without her support.  She is dedicated to the ACDA community, her colleagues, her students and the choral arts in a way that one does not often see."

Leslie Guelker-Cone is director of Choral Activities and Coordinator of Vocal Studies at Western. In addition to conducting the Concert Choir and the Western Voices chamber ensemble, she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting and choral music education.

Her reaction to the award was, "what an unexpected and touching surprise to receive this award--I couldn't feel more honored!  The outpouring of love and support from all my ACDA friends and colleagues has been really overwhelming for me.  I feel so fortunate to live and work here among so many wonderful people--including all the past recipients of this award--who have shaped choral music here in Washington in profound and important ways, and who have supported and encouraged me from the beginning.  Thank you all--I am so grateful!"

Leslie is not only well known for her leadership in ACDA, she is recognized (literally) world-wide for her superb choral work. She recently conducted Western's Concert Choir on tour in Eastern Germany and Poland; under her direction, the choir has sung at national and divisional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and regional and state conferences of the Music Educators National Conference.

She received her Doctor of Musical Arts from The University of Colorado, Boulder in choral conducting and literature. She has served as a Repertoire and Standards chair for the American Choral Directors Association at both the national and local levels and on the boards of both the California and Washington Music Educators Associations. She is currently the past President of Washington ACDA and is in frequent demand as a choral adjudicator, honor choir conductor, and guest clinician throughout the United States and Canada. Dr. Guelker-Cone received a WWU Summer Teaching Grant to assist her in the study of university choral conducting programs in Australia and New Zealand; current research includes study of the incorporation of the movement theories of Dalcroze and Laban into the teaching of choral conducting. She is a recipient of the university's highest teaching honor, the Excellence in Teaching Award.