Finding Aid for American Choral Directors Association Special Collections, ca. 1950-2000 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Spring 2023 IS562A Class: D. Berdan, H. Cox, B. Eskin Shapson, M. Fabian, K. Fata, R. J. Johnston, I. Michael, L. Musil, K. Nowlan.

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Collection Overview

Title: American Choral Directors Association Special Collections, ca. 1950-2000

ID: 12/9/172

Primary Creator: American Choral Directors Association (1959-)

Other Creators: Brown, Elaine (1910-1997), Christiansen, F. Melius (1871-1955), Collins, Walter S. (1926-1997), Decker, Harold A. (1914-2003), Farkas, Ferenc (1905-2000), Glarum, L. Stanley (1908-1975), Haberlen, John B. (1940-), Hayes, Morris D. (1919-2006), Hirt, Charles C. (1911-2001), Keister, Elwood (1920-2003), Kirk, Colleen J. (1918-2004), Mathis, Russell (1926-2014), Maze, Glen L. (1928-2002), Page, Ronald Royce (ca. 1940-), Shaw, Robert Lawson (1916-1999), Snyder, Ellis Emanuel (1898-1969), Snyder, Robert Ellis (1930-2021), Waring, Fredrick Malcolm (1900-1984), Yamron, Janet (1932-), Youngberg, Eva Mae Struckmeyer (1930-)

Extent: 72.0 cubic feet

Arrangement: Organized in 15 record groups: Record Group 1, Harold A. Decker Papers and Sound Recordings; Record Group 2, Colleen J. Kirk Papers and Sound Recordings; Record Group 3, Russell Mathis Papers; Record Group 4, Stanley Glarum Papers and Sound Recordings; Record Group 5, Morris D. Hayes Papers and Realia; Record Group 6, Elwood Keister Papers; Record Group 7, Ferenc Farkas Collection; Record Group 8 Charles C. Hirt Papers; Record Group 9, Walter Collins Papers; Record Group 10; Elaine Brown Music and Papers; Record Group 11, Fred Waring Collection; Record Group 12, F. Melius Christiansen Choral Scores; Record Group 13, Robert Shaw Collection; Record Group 14, Robert and Ellis Snyder Choral Library and Personal Papers; and Record Group 15, Small Collections which consists of 5 series including the Eva Youngberg Papers, Ronald Page Collection, John Haberlen Robert Shaw Collection, John Haberlen Research Files on William L. Dawson, and the Glen Maze Collection of Choral Method Books. Record Groups will be processed over time.

Date Acquired: 01/06/2022

Subjects: Books, Choirs, Choral music, Choral singing -- Instruction and study, Choral Society, Church music--Catholic Church, Civil Rights, Class Record Books, Compositions-Music, Folk music, Folk songs, Magazines, Music -- Brazil, Music -- China, Music -- Illinois, Music -- Illinois - Education, Music -- Japan, Music -- Korea, Music -- Russia, Music - United States, Musical Repertoires, Music Library, Music Publishers, Music teachers, Music teachers - Training of, Music Teachers National Association, Teaching Methods, Vocal music

Formats/Genres: Scrapbooks

Languages: English, French, Italian, German, Polish, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian, Hebrew, Yiddish, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish;Castilian, Thai, Swedish, Chinese

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of correspondence, programs, lectures, photographs, research files, newsletters, newspaper clippings, sound recordings, meeting minutes, awards, publications, music scores and parts, and personal papers documenting the careers of major American choral directors and leaders of the American Choral Directors Association between the 1950s and 2000.

Biographical Note

Concerned by the lack of resources available to American choral directors, Robert Landers (director of the US Air Force Choir), Archie Jones (director of choirs at the University of Texas), and Maynard Klein (director of choirs at the University of Michigan) first conceived of a national choral association in 1957. The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), originally called the American Choirmasters Association following the American Bandmasters Association, was founded two years later in Kansas City, Missouri during the biennial conference of the Music Teachers National Association. The ACDA, which began with 35 members, was established to serve the needs of pubilc school, collegiate, community, sacred, and professional choirs by sponsoring choral workshops, international conventions, concert exchanges, and symposia.

The first executive board was led by Archie Jones (president), R. Wayne Hugoboom (executive director), Earl Willhoite (treasurer), Charles Hirt, Warner Imig, James Aliferis, Elwood Keister, and Harry Robert Wilson. During their first meeting, the executive board established a set of bylaws and yearly dues of $6.

In March 1960, the organization held its first biannual convention in conjunction with the 1960 Music Educator's National Conference. This conference consisted of concerts, reading sessions, workshops, and panel discussions. The following May, the ACDA published the first issue of the Choral Journal. Eleven years later, the organization held its first independent conference in Kansas City. Since then, the ACDA conference has expanded to include honor choirs and multiple sessions.

In addition to their biannual conference, the organization has fostered the annual Schmitt and Pepper Choral Composition Competitions since 1962. In 1991, the ACDA added the Raymond W. Brock Student Composition Competition. In addition, the ACDA also provides awards for dissertations and professional research on choral music.

Since 1961, the ACDA has been governed by both national and regional officers from six regions. In 1979, the ACDA added a seventh region to accomodate expanding membership.

Subject/Index Terms

Books
Choirs
Choral music
Choral singing -- Instruction and study
Choral Society
Church music--Catholic Church
Civil Rights
Class Record Books
Compositions-Music
Folk music
Folk songs
Magazines
Music -- Brazil
Music -- China
Music -- Illinois
Music -- Illinois - Education
Music -- Japan
Music -- Korea
Music -- Russia
Music - United States
Musical Repertoires
Music Library
Music Publishers
Music teachers
Music teachers - Training of
Music Teachers National Association
Teaching Methods
Vocal music

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: American Choral Directors Association

Acquisition Method: Transfer through deed of gift.

Appraisal Information: 10 boxes of loose choral music in the Decker Record Group (box 7-8,10-11, 13-15, 18, 23 and one unlabelled box) was deaccessioned June 24, 2022.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Record Group:

[Record Group 1: Harold A. Decker Papers and Recordings, 1902-2009],
[Record Group 2: Colleen J. Kirk Papers and Sound Recordings, 1949-2003],
[Record Group 3: Russell Mathis Papers, 1960-1977],
[Record Group 4: L. Stanley Glarum Papers and Audio Recordings, 1930-1977],
[Record Group 5: Morris D. Hayes Papers and Realia, 1956-1991],
[Record Group 6: Elwood Keister Papers, 1958-1995],
[Record Group 7: Ferenc Farkas Collection, 1933-2001],
[Record Group 8: Charles C. Hirt Papers, 1923-2001],
[Record Group 9: Walter S. Collins Papers, 1940-1996],
[Record Group 10: Elaine Brown Music and Papers, 1880-2005],
[Record Group 11: Fred Waring Collection, 1937-1997],
[Record Group 12: F. Melius Christiansen Choral Scores, 1918-1954],
[Record Group 13: Robert Shaw Collection, 1954-2005],
[Record Group 14: Robert and Ellis Snyder Choral Library and Personal Papers, 1935-1999],
[Record Group 15: Small Collections, 1893-2006],
[All]

Record Group 15: Small Collections, 1893-2006

Consists of sheet music, correspondence, news clippings, concert programs, research files, and method books. Materials are arranged into five series: Series 1) Eva Youngberg Papers, Series 2) John Haberlen Robert Shaw Collection, Series 3) John Haberlen Research Files on William L. Dawson, Series 4) Ronald Page Collection, and Series 5) Glen Maze Collection of Choral Method Books.

Series 1: Eva Youngberg Papers, 1893-1985

Series 1 consists of Eva Youngberg's collection of published choral music. Materials are arranged alphabetically by title.

Box 1

Folder 1: "Aeolian Collection of Anthems" by Peter Christian Lutkin - "Heritage of Song" by Walter Ehret, 1932-1985: "Aeolian Collection of Anthems" by Peter Christian Lutkin, 1932; "Billy Graham Campaign Songs: Singing Evangelism" compiled by Cliff Barrows, 1950; "Canciones para la clase de Español (Songs for the Spanish Class)" by Ruth de Cesare, 1960; "A Canticle of Praise: A Sacred Anthem" by George Frideric Handel, 1963; "Centennial Songbook" by Silver Burdett, 1985; "The Galaxy Junior Chorus Book" by Katherine K. Davis, 1945; "Heritage of Song" by Walter Ehret, 1966
Folder 2: "High School Songs" by Sara Boyer Callinan - "Olivet to Calavari" by J.H. Maunder, 1893-1960: "High School Songs" by Sara Boyer Callinan, 1917; "Hora Novissima" by H.W. Parker, 1893; "Lieder Für die deutsche Klasse (Songs for the German Class)" by Ruth de Cesare, 1960; "Moravian Chorales" edited by Thor Johnson, James Christian Pfohl, and John Kenneth Pfohl, 1957; "Olivet to Calavari" by J.H. Maunder, 1904
Folder 3: "Renaissance to Baroque: Three Centuries of Choral Music" Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 by Lehman Engel, 1939-1956: "Renaissance to Baroque: Three Centuries of Choral Music" Vol. I: French-Netherland Music by Lehman Engel, 1939; "Renaissance to Baroque: Three Centuries of Choral Music" Vol. II: Italian Music by Lehman Engel, 1940; "Renaissance to Baroque: Three Centuries of Choral Music" Vol. III: English Music by Lehman Engel, 1939; "Renaissance to Baroque: Three Centuries of Choral Music" Vol. IV: German by Lehman Engel, 1942; "Renaissance to Baroque: Three Centuries of Choral Music" Vol. V: Spanish Music by Lehman Engel, 1956;
Folder 4: "Salvation Echoes" - "Songs of the Hills and Plains" by Harry Robert Wilson, 1900- 1968: "Salvation Echoes" edited by B.E. Warren, A.L. Byers, C.E. Hunter, and D.O. Teasley, 1900; "Sing Together Hymns," Selected and Arranged by Gerhard P. Schroth, 1968; "Songs of Stephen Foster" edited by Will Earhart and Edward Birge, 1940; "Songs of the Hills and Plains" by Harry Robert Wilson, 1943
Folder 5: "Supplementary Singing Exercises" - "Hull's Temperance Glee Book" by Asa Hull, 1946: "Supplementary Singing Exercises" edited by Walter Damrosch, George H. Gartlan, Karl W. Gehrkens, 1946; "Hull's Temperance Glee Book" by Asa Hull, undated

Series 2: John Haberlen Robert Shaw Collection, 1976-2004

Consists of correspondence, news clippings, photographs, and concert programs, documenting John Haberlen's interest in Robert Shaw and his involvement in bestowing Shaw's honorary doctorate at Emory University. Materials are arranged alphabetically.

Box 1

Folder 6: Robert Shaw Choral Institute Correspondence, News clippings, and Programs, 1985-2000
Folder 7: Robert Shaw Correspondence, Concert Programs, and Photographs, 1976-1996
Folder 8: Robert Shaw Honorary Doctorate Files and Obituaries, 1986-2004

Series 3: John Haberlen Research Files on William L. Dawson, 1952-2006

Consists of scores, dissertations with annotations, research files, and archival deed of gift records, documenting Haberlen's interest in and research on William L. Dawson. Materials are arranged alphabetically.

Box 1

Folder 9: Annotated Copies of Dissertations about William L. Dawson, 1981 and 1987: Includes: Mark Hugh Malone, "William Levi Dawson: American Music Educator," PhD Dissertation, Florida State University, 1981; and David Johnson Lee, "The Contributions of William L. Dawson to the School of Music at Tuskegee Institute and to Choral Music," EdD Dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1987.
Folder 10: Annotated Copy of William L. Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony, with Correspondence, 1952-1983
Folder 11: Emory University Archives Deed of Gift, concerning Haberlin Addition to Dawson Papers, 2006
Folder 12: William L. Dawson Research Files, ca. 1981-1991

Series 4: Ronald Page Collection, 1958-1960

Consists of concert programs and correspondence collected by Page while he was a student at the University of Illinois. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Box 1

Folder 13: 1958 Singing Illini European Tour, Correspondence and Programs, 1958
Folder 14: Concert Programs by University of Illinois Men's Choral Groups, 1959-1960

Series 5: Glen Maze Collection of Choral Method Books, 1946-1958

Consists of choral method books. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Box 1

Folder 15: Junior High Choral Method Books, 1946-1958: Also includes short biographical entry from 2002. "Choral Program Series: Book Four" by Harry Robert Wilson, Silver Burdett Company, New York, 1946; "See and Sing: A Basic Approach to Singing, Book 3" by Walter Ehret, Pro Art Publications, U.S.A., 1957; "See and Sing: A Basic Approach to Singing, Book 1" by Walter Ehret, Pro Art Publications, U.S.A., 1957; "See and Sing: A Basic Approach to Singing, Book 2" by Walter Ehret, Pro Art Publications, U.S.A., 1957; "The Chorister's Daily Dozen" by A. Louis Scarmolin, Pro Art Publications, New York, 1951; "Sing Boys, Sing: A Choral Collection for Boys' Changing Voices at Junior HIgh Level" by Irvin Cooper, Carl Fischer Inc., New York, 1957; "the 'Four-Part' Choir Trainer: 'A Song Book with a Plan'" by Carl W. Vandre, Handy-Folio Music Company, Milwaukee, 1948;