AVA Updates

The school year 2020-2021 will definitely be one we remember. I hope that someday we can all reflect on this year and realize how teaching in these adverse conditions has actually made us more innovative and creative problem solvers. I am amazed when I hear about the classroom activities music educators have devised and the originality that has allowed students to make music. I look forward to hearing more and celebrating your successes with you at an upcoming round table discussion.

Thank you to all the members of Alabama Vocal Association for your flexibility and grace as we all navigated together the uncharted territory known as teaching during a pandemic. We survived the virtual Fall Workshop, online All-State auditions, Solo and Ensemble, and SCPA; and were finally able to actually make music together at our abbreviated All-State festival. Congratulations to all the district and state winners of the Pat Blackwell Music Education Award, Outstanding Accompanist, and Outstanding Choral Student Awards. A highlight of our All-State festival was the presentation of the Frances P. Moss award to Dr. Carl Davis by Dr. Moss herself. Your AVA Board has spent countless hours listening, planning, and sometimes re-planning events that were meaningful and educational for your students. Hopefully, 2021-2022 will look more like a typical year. At the upcoming summer board meeting we will unpack what we learned from this year so we can plan for the coming year. If you have items that you would like the board to consider, please reach out to your District Chair.

Fall Workshop will be Friday, September 10. Our guest clinician will be Dr. Jaclyn Normandie, our high school All-State SSAA clinician, choral music educator, yoga instructor, and life coach. We will also have reading sessions, round-table discussions, and will preview the All-State music.

AMEA professional development conference will be January 20-22 in Birmingham. The deadline to submit session proposals and recordings for performances is June 1.

All-State will be March 10-12 in Birmingham. Auditions for All-State will be late October to early November.

I hope that you can take some time during summer break to take care of yourself; enjoy some downtime. This year has taken quite a toll on our students, but it has also been taxing for educators. If we have depleted our mental and creative resources, our students won’t get our best – the students deserve our best.

I look forward to hearing from you, and to seeing you at Fall Workshop. As always, if you can think of ways your board or I can better serve you, please reach out.

Enjoy your summer,

Randall