Cynthia Nott has been artistic director of the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas (CCGD) since its inception in 1997.  Under her leadership the chorus has grown dramatically, earned the respect of the Dallas area music community, and impressed audiences by its artistic excellence.  In addition to its own concert schedule, Ms Nott has prepared the chorus to perform with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Opera, the Mesquite Civic Chorus, Orpheus Chamber Singers, and the Voices of Change.  Prior to becoming full-time artistic director of the CCGD, Ms Nott taught public middle school choral music for 23 years. 

Mary Goetze, accomplished clinician, author and conductor, arranged a folk song for young singers to be performed by our 2012 Honor Choir.  Goetze came upon this Newfoundland folksong called “The Liar’s Song,” and presents a nonsense text with little jokes in the accompaniment and a special chorus of pitched animal sounds for fun. This premier performance, conducted by Cynthia Nott, will take place on July 25th.

Convention Headliner

Craig Hella Johnson

“Hearing The Call To Be An Artist-Teacher”
A three-part series of sessions that will emphasize inspiration (literally, “to breathe life into…”) and will bring focus to the notion that every participant is an artist-teacher.  For those who are interested, we encourage a commitment to all three sessions, if at all possible.  Use this as a time apart – a gift of renewal – a retreat.
In Craig's words:  “In presentations and dialogues, we would address the question of what it is to be an artist in every task and explore ways in which this reclaiming of one’s own artistry as a musician can permeate even the most ordinary, everyday tasks.  I would like to cultivate a learning circle in which we encourage each of the participants to inhabit the idea that inspiration is in every task, gesture and action.”

Ken Medema has been unable to see with his physical eyes since birth. His sight is limited to distinguishing between light and darkness and seeing fuzzy outlines of major objects. 

Music early became a major component of Medema’s life. When I was eight years old my parents got me a wonderful teacher who taught me the classics with Braille music and taught me to play by ear.” His teacher also taught him to improvise. “Every time I learned a piece my teacher would tell me, ‘Now you improvise in that style.’ So music became a second language.”                      
Medema studied music therapy at Michigan State University in Lansing.  He worked as a music therapist in Fort Wayne, Indiana, then worked for four years as a music therapist at Essex County Hospital in New Jersey. It was while employed there he began writing and performing his own songs. “I had a bunch of teenagers who were really hurting,” he says,  “and I started writing songs about their lives. Then I thought, ‘Why don’t you start writing songs about your Christian life?’

In 1973, Medema left his work as a therapist and began a career as a performing and recording artist. He recorded albums for Word and Shawnee Press, then in 1985 founded Brier Patch Music. Brier Patch is an independent recording, publishing, and performance-booking company with headquarters in Grandville, Michigan.

Eric William Barnum, currently a Lecturer in Choral Music at the University of Wisconsin, teamed up with Robert Bode, University of Missouri at Kansas City, to create a powerful setting of an original poem entitled "Conflagration".  The text is presented in three stages and depicts the redemptive power of peace and love over war and destruction.  On July 24, this timely work will be performed by the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, conducted by John Silantien.