SACRED NINE PROJECT 2026 CHORAL CONCERT

This page is about our annual March concert. I only mention those conferences because they explain why there are two versions of a rehearsal schedule (that can’t be finalized until we know whether we have been chosen for a conference.

NOTE: I have not really sat with whether the March New Orleans concert people have to be the exact same people that sing at ACDA. On the one hand, I see the practicality in having a larger group for the March concert, not all of whom elect to go to ACDA. However, I fear that in the rehearsal process, I will constantly have to say, “Ok, now let's run that piece with just the ACDA people to see how it sounds.” More to come on this once I have thought about it more. At the very least, though, the ACDA people would definitely be expected to sing on the March concert, but not necessarily the other way around.

Note: Anyone who DOES sing at ACDA would be expected to sing on the March concert in New Orleans.

2026 is the 250th birthday of our country, and making art has never been more important! We will sing arrangements of hymns that originated around the time of the American Revolution; explore prominent composers of the time, like Billings; and offer various patriotic songs, some familiar, some not. I’m hoping the cornerstone of the concert is a “New National Anthem” (based on a poll I will send out) that gathers the “criteria” for national anthems, as inadvertently codifed by Mark Clague in his book, O Say Can You Hear? (2022). Of course, the aim is not to try to supplant “The Star-Spangled Banner” (as if we could); rather, it is to be introspective about what patriotism—and not the self-serving kind—might look like today!

Incidentally, we will hear from Southern Division on May 16, 2025, and from Easter Division on July 5, 2025. If we are accepted to Southern, I will withdraw my application to Eastern. Eastern is February 25-28, 2026; Southern is March 4-7, 2026.

There are two rehearsal schedules below: The first (and most likely) is for both if we are accepted for Southern ACDA or are accepted for neither. The second is if we are not accepted for Southern, but are accepted for Eastern. Of course, we will only go with one concert schedule, not two! Ideally, we would be doing Option I, where we perform on March 1 in New Orleans (including our conference rep), which is a springboard to the Southern ACDA conference the very next week.

Attendance at all rehearsals is required. You are allowed one absence if you have a conflict. However, I ask that you do not surprise me with other absences, or even with one absence if you have not marked it on your contract. The purpose of allowing one absence is if you already had a conflict at the time of the contract signing, or have a real emergency afterward; it is not a kind of “free pass” to miss at any time.

This “year ahead” system has worked like a charm.. This is how it works: If you plan to participate, please say so on the survey below and put the dates on your calendar (this is key!). If a conflicting opportunity or life situation emerges, you will have all the information you need; you can either sing in Sacred Nine, or you can prioritize the other opportunity or issue. If that precludes you from participating in Sacred Nine, please inform me immediately, but please no later than November 1, 2025. At that time, I will draft contracts for everyone. My plan is to secure at least the same funds for stipends for 2026 ($200).

Please put these on your calendar!

If you forget the rehearsal schedule, this website will stay here, but again…put the dates on your calendar ASAP!

Please consult the schedules below fill out the survey below those no later than Friday, May 2, 2025