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Here are some thoughts and observations I have regarding the past and future of Samford
A Cappella Choir.
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Samford's A Cappella Choir was founding in 1939 as the Howard College Choir under the
direction of Kathleen Martinson, an instructor at Howard College (now Samford
University). In 1949, George W. Koski, a graduate of St. Olaf College and student of F.
Melius Christiansen, took over direction of the choir. The St. Olaf tradition must have
made a big impact on Koski because he wove many of the St. Olaf traditions into the fabric
of the A Cappella choir. Koski's St. Olaf influence continues today, most prominently in
the choir robes and the traditional concert-ending performance of "Beautiful Savior."

Koski¶s St. Olaf experience also made a significant impact on the next director of the choir,
Gene Black. In a document concerning the selection of a new conductor for the Samford
A Cappella Choir, Dr. Black penned these words:

Beginning with Dr. Koski and continuing through my tenure as conductor

the Choir wasmodeled with the philosophy of Dr. Christiansen and the St.
Olaf Choir traditions. From itsinception this covered a span of 50 years -
1949-1999.

Two conductors followed Gene Black, Milburn Price (1999-2006), and Timothy Banks
(2006-2010). All four of the conductors have toured regionally and internationally with
the choir. Dr. Price is the only conductor who has led the choir to a performance at a
regional conference of the American Choral Directors Association ± a performance that
took place right before his retirement in 2006.
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Samford¶s A Cappella Choir has incredible potential for the future and many important
building blocks are in place:

ac the choir is well known and valued by administration

ac the choir has a passionate alumni base
ac the music faculty is very strong and the voice faculty has demonstrated teaching
excellence in their yearly performance in NATS and strong reputation in the state
and region
ac a strong music major recruiting program is in place

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With a few changes in the current choral structure, I think the choir is destined for a great
future. I see this as my five year plan:

ac 2010-2011: Familiarize myself with the choral program, analysis of practices,

routines, and fundamentals of the choir and my place on the music faculty.
Produce a recording of one great piece of choral music.
ac 2011-2012: [institution of new rehearsal plan] Instill work ethic, recruit heavily,
CD recording project at end of year. (international tour)
ac 2012-2013: Tour regionally, record often, recruit heavily. Perform at winter
conference of Alabama Music Educator¶s Association (AMEA).
ac 2013-2014: Perform at Regional ACDA Conference. (UAB Concert Choir
performed at 2006 and 2010 ACDA Regional Conferences)
ac 2014-2015: National ACDA Conference possibility (a national performance will
be a real challenge, but within our grasp)

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I strongly believe that the A Cappella Choir is lacking in some basic fundamentals for
future success: educational teaching space, adequate rehearsal time, and non-music major
scholarship support.

1. 

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. The current teaching space, Brock Hall, is a beautiful performance
space. As a teaching room, however, it is inadequate for the A Cappella Choir. Over the
past few years, choir members have had to set up Brock Hall for every rehearsal ± a process
that is quite draining over time. The size of the room and nature of the space works
against student concentration; it is difficult to find the necessary rehearsal intensity in that
particular space.

Although Brock Hall is a wonderful place to sing and attend concerts, it is lacking in
educational support materials ± there is no place to store music folders, write on a
chalkboard, play a recording, or post announcements.

Because of these limitations, I¶ve moved our rehearsals to the third floor of Buchanan
(#304 and #310) for the Spring 2011 semester. While this space has advantages over Brock
Hall, it is not ideal: the rooms are too small and there are no built-in risers in the room.

In the near future, I hope to find a time in the teaching schedule when the choir can use a
room better suited to the learning and performance of choral music (Bolding Studio).

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2. 

c  ± Excellence, when it comes to choral music, is purchased through
rehearsal minutes. The current rehearsal time of 195 minutes per week is inadequate,
especially in comparison to other university choirs that perform at regional and national
conferences. I hope to convince faculty and administrators to support the choir with a
daily rehearsal plan that encompasses a300-450 minute range (per week). This weekly
rehearsal time is more in line with other high-achieving university choirs as well as the
choral program that Samford University
Weekly Rehearsal models: St. Olaf.

Minutes As I stated in the brief history, the Samford

A Cappella Choir is founded in the ³St.
ÿÿ
ÿÿ Olaf´ tradition based on the connection of
ÿÿ the second conductor of the ensemble (G.

ÿÿ Koski) who was a graduate of St. Olaf and
ÿÿ 
ÿ student of F. Melius Christiansen.

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c However, if you compare Samford¶s A

Cappella Choir to St. Olaf, you see a huge
disparity in the amount of rehearsal time per week (195 minutes vs. 450 minutes). St. Olaf
rehearses 90 minutes per day, five days a week.

When you expand that comparison over the

course of the entire year, you find that the St. Olaf
Yearly Rehearsal
Choir rehearses more minutes in the fall semester Minutes
than Samford¶s A Cappella Choir rehearses for the ÿÿÿ
entire year. ÿÿÿ
ÿÿÿ
In one year, the St. Olaf choir rehearses 6750
ÿÿÿ 
minutes and Samford¶s A Cappella choir rehearses ÿ
2925. 
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Most university choirs across the USA don¶t get

450 minutes per week. However, the choirs that frequent the stage of ACDA Regional and
National Conferences get significantly more rehearsal time than the top choral ensemble at
Samford University. In my experience and analysis, most outstanding university choral
programs rehearse around 300 minutes per week.

If possible, I¶d like to move Samford¶s A Cappella Choir rehearsal to the 300+ minute
standard and institute a daily rehearsal plan. Three hundred minutes is the rehearsal time
threshold that we need to find and daily rehearsal reinforcement is an important
component of success. Daily rehearsal multiplies the effectiveness of the choir and builds
in excellence.

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In the possible scheduling options listed below, I acknowledge that not all students will be
able to attend all rehearsals. The increased amount of rehearsal time builds in a certain
amount of grace; there will be enough time to allow for a lab conflict or similar issue.

3. 
 c ± The music department has excellent scholarship support from
the university, especially when it comes to supporting students majoring in music. Unlike
other colleges and universities, it lacks significant scholarship monies directed towards the
non-music major.

In the coming years, I hope to develop a financial means of recruiting top singers to
Samford University that want to major in something other than music. For instance, if
there is an outstanding bass or tenor that wants to come to Samford, I would like to be
able to use the financial resources afforded to other outstanding students and athletes to
support their matriculation and involvement in the A Cappella Choir.
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Samford University¶s A Cappella Choir has the opportunity to achieve true excellence in
the coming years. In my interview for this position, I heard the faculty say they wanted a
nationally and regionally recognized choral program.

The choir already enjoys a certain prominence at the school and serves as an ambassador to
the community through performances at area churches, Baptist conventions, and other
high profile events. At the current time, there is a certain mismatch in ³reputation´ and
what the choir can actually deliver in terms of excellence and accomplishment.
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cc The time and space inadequacies associated with A Cappella
Choir can be solved with a time shift in the class scheduling system:

#$c Move A Cappella Choir away from the time conflict with University Chorale so
that both ensembles can use the Bolding Studio ± the best space on campus for
choir rehearsals.

$c Increase the amount of time allotted for A Cappella Choir, probably through the
utilization of two time periods, a MWF time slot and a TR time slot. A few options
proposed below.

J$c After the section on ³Possible Scheduling Options,´ you see a presentation of some
of the data I¶ve collected from other Alabama University choral programs, other
regional Baptist Universities, and national programs of considerable stature. All of
them have significantly more rehearsal time than the Samford A Cappella Choir.

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MTWRF: 4:30 ± 6:00

St. Olaf rehearses 90 minutes per week ± they schedule their rehearsals at the end of the
day from 4:30 ± 6:00 p.m. It might be possible to place this time period at the end of every
academic day.

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MWF: 3:30 ± 5:00 (90 x 3 = 270)
TR: 2:30 ± 3:20 (50 x 2 = 100)
(with this option, opera would move to TR 3:00 ± 4:50, M 7 ± 9 )
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MWF: 2:15 ± 3:10 (50 x 3 = 150)
TR: 3:00 ± 4:50 (110 x 2 = 220)

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MWF: 2:15 ± 3:10 (50 x 3 = 150)
TR: 3:30 ± 5:00 (90 x 2 = 180)

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Rehearsal Minutes per week

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Rehearsal Minutes per semester

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Samford 1-2:05 3 x 65 195

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University of Montevallo 11-11:50 MW; 11- 2 x 50, 2 x 75 250
12:15 TR
University of Alabama 2-2:50 MWF, 2- 3 x 50, 2 x 75 300
Birmingham 3:15 TR
University of Alabama 2-2:50 MW, 2-3:15, 2 x 50, 2 x 75 250
Tuscaloosa TR
University of Southern 2-3:15 MWF, 2:30- 75 x 5 375
Mississippi 3:45 TR
University of Mississippi 2:30-3:45, 75 x 5 375
MTWRF
Mississippi State University 6-7:15, MTR 75 x 3 225

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Baylor 11:15 - 12:35 80 x 3 240
MWF
Carson Newman 3-3:50 MTWR, Lab 50 x 4 200
Mercer University 1-1:50, MWF 3 x 50, 2 x 75 300
12:15-1:30 TR
Stetson University 60 x 5 300
Belmont Chorale 12-12:50, MTWRF 50 x 5 250
Mississippi College 12-12:50 MWF, 1- 3 x 50, 2 x 75 300
2:15, TR
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Concordia 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. 90 x 5 450
St. Olaf Choir 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. 90 x 5 450
Brigham Young 1-1:50 MWF, 3 x 50, 2 x 80 310
12:30-1:50 TR
University of Utah 11:50-12:40 MWF, 3 x 50, 2 x 80 310
12:25-1:45
Millikin University 12-12:50 MWF, 5 x 50 250
12:30-1:20 TR

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Gn Tuesday, April 19, 2011 the Samford music faculty agreed increase the
current A Cappella rehearsal time from 195 minutes per week to 300-325
minutes per week.

Here are the scheduling options we are currently discussing.

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