ISU's ACDA Northwest Conference Performance Previewed in Local Holiday Concert

Idaho State Chamber Choir and ISU Treble Choir will present "Carols, Prayers, and Lullabies" on Friday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 309 North Garfield Avenue in Pocatello.

The public is invited to join the ISU Choirs; admission is by donation which will be given to the church for hosting the event.

The concert will preview a January performance by the Idaho State Chamber Choir, who has a prestigious invitation to perform at the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) Northwest Region Conference January 24-27.

“It’s a celebration of choral music on all levels,” ISU conductor, Dr. Scott Anderson, ISU Director of Choral Activities says. “This is an honor for us to be selected to represent Idaho State.”

The ADCA stands as an exclusive professional association dedicated solely to the realm of choral music.

The Northwest Region is made up six states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Regional conferences, held every two years, feature choirs from every area including public school elementary, middle, and high school choirs, church choirs, university choirs, semi-professional, professional, and community choirs. The conference includes 500-600 choral conductors, the All Northwest high school choirs, and participants from across the region for three days of presentations, workshops, and performances. Each year, the ACDA invites six university groups to perform. 

“It’s a really significant accomplishment for this choir,” Dr. Anderson says. “This choir and this program have established a reputation of excellence.”

Like choirs that follow them, they have this opportunity based on the level of performance of past groups. Anderson explains that the idea is the tradition, that those selected to perform at the conference demonstrate a high quality choir program over time. This is the fifth invitation the ISU Chamber Choir has received during Anderson’s 30 years at ISU. They have been selected each time Anderson has submitted an application.

“This speaks really well of the program and the student’s level of singing,” he says. “Because of this being the fifth time we will be there, it continues to put ISU up front on a regional level. It means something to all those directors, particularly the high school directors. When they think of a place for their students to consider, they think of ISU.”

Dr. Geoffrey Friedley begins his tenure of the newly formed ISU Treble Choir, which hopes to continue the choral tradition established by the ISU Women's Choir. The Treble Choir will present "A la nanita nana" arranged by Daivd Düsing, Allan Naplan's setting of the Yiddish Lullaby "Schlof main Kind," featuring mezzo-soprano, Karin Carson, and "Deep Peace" by Andrew Carter. The Treble Choir will also present five selections from Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols": "There is no rose", "That yongë child" featuring soprano Paige Carlson, "Balulalow" featuring soprano Jodie Schwicht, "As dew in Aprille," and “This little Babe.” Emily Alldrin, a Piano Performance major and student of Dr. Kori Bond, is the pianist for the ISU Treble Choir, and will be featured throughout the program.

Anderson will lead the Chamber Choir in a presentation of "Ring Out, Wild Bells" by English composer Jonathan Dove, written for double choir and an extraordinary piano part, played by Gabriel Lowman. The mixed ensemble will continue with performance of South African composer Franco Prinsloo's setting of "Salve Regina" featuring tenor Karson Goodworth, Gioacchino Rossini's "La Passeggiata" featuring pianist Lowman and soprano Miren Gabiola, the Norwegian carol arrangement of "Eit barn er født i Bethlehem" with Emily Alldrin playing violin, the poignant Dale Trombore setting, "In the Middle" and "He's Got the Whole Word in His Hands" arranged by Cedric Dent, featuring Kyle Bascom, baritone.

Soprano Dr. Diana Livingston Friedley and pianist Mr. Mark Neiwirth will perform Adolphe Adam’s holiday classic, "O Holy Night."