WACDA Composer Track

“A Golden Thread Will Find You” — Kira Zeeman Rugen

Schedule:

• Thursday, March 5, 2026: Concert #4 - 7:30pm
Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph

Presentation of the 2026 WACDA Conference All-Sing commission, awarded to a Western Region ACDA member with a strong history of service and/or involvement in the organization. Special emphasis has been given to commissioning works that are accessible and easily distributable to school and community choir directors.

Scores will be published in time for the conference.

*Fun fact: Composers earn 5–10% through traditional publishers, 50–60% via marketplaces, and 95% on personal stores. Shopping locally matters!

Schedule:

• Thursday, March 5, 2026: 10:00a–12:00p
• Thursday, March 5, 2026: 5:30p–6:30p
• Friday, March 6, 2026: 11:30a–12:45p
• Saturday, March 7, 2026: 10:45a–12:45p
LL Prefunction, McEnery Convention Center

Looking for repertoire you’ll fall in love with? Start with a local Western Region composer! Find us in the Lower Level Exhibits, grab a Composer Crawl BINGO card, and start exploring. Visit composer tables, browse scores, scan QR codes, listen to recordings, and have real conversations about real pieces. Fill your card by connecting with composers — then turn it in for a small prize. Lots of music. Zero awkward speed dating — just organic discovery, with a little game built in.

Reserve a table: Half-table $75 / Full-table $150 (if available)

Presented by Kate Crellin & MaryAnne Muglia Smith

Schedule:

• Thursday, March 5, 2026:1:15p–2:15p
San Jose McEnery Convention Center, Lower Level (LL21F)

This session explores effective strategies for composing and arranging music tailored to the unique strengths of your ensemble. Led by choral composers and arrangers MaryAnne Muglia Smith and Kate Crellin, the session will cover techniques for assessing vocal abilities, balancing accessibility with challenge, and crafting engaging textures that enhance ensemble cohesion. Attendees will gain insights into the commissioning process, hear examples of successful custom compositions, and explore ways to adapt existing works for specific groups. Interactive demonstrations will illustrate practical tools to create music that not only suits their singers but also elevates their artistry.

Featuring:

• Amy Gordon (CA), Composer
• MaryAnne Muglia Smith (AZ), Composer
• Clark William Lawlor (UT), Composer
• David García Saldaña (CA), Composer

Schedule:

• Friday, March 6, 2026: 10:45a-11:45a (Los Gatos High School Treble Choir)
• Dir. Maricel Riley
LL21F, McEnery Convention Center


• Saturday, March 7, 2026: 9:30a–10:30a (Green NV)
• Dir. Kimberly Barclay Ritzer
LL21F, McEnery Convention Center

Observe professional Western ACDA composers work with a live choir as they experiment with a new piece for the first time. Watch musical wrinkles get ironed out in real time and see a new work come to life.

Workshop of SSAA compositions by WACDA composers. “The River’s Path” by Clark William Lawlor (UT). “La Catrina Calavera” by David García Saldaña (CA).

Workshop of SATB compositions by WACDA composers. “Constant” by Amy Gordon (CA). “Common Ground” by MaryAnne Muglia Smith (AZ).

Schedule:

• Friday, March 6, 2026: 2:00p–3:00p
LL21F, San Jose McEnery Convention Center

Read through a selection of works by Western Region composers, both experienced and emerging. Discover the types of pieces that our composers are writing and publishing.

Featuring works by Michael Kaulkin (CA), Brandon Chase Di Noto (CA), Molly Pease (CA), Diego Hellewell & Julie Hinton (CA), Dave Layne (CA), Vera Ivanova (CA), Mark Smythe (CA), Emily Jiang (CA), Jeffrey Gordon Evans (AZ), Byron J. Smith (CA), Katherine Saxon (CA), Logan Severson Willson (AZ)

Panelists:

• Thomas Goedecke
• Katherine Saxon
• Andrew Howden
• Amy Gordon
Moderator: David García Saldaña

Schedule:

• Thursday, March 5, 2026: 2:30p–3:30p
LL21F, McEnery Convention Center

Invest in your singers and students by beginning in your own backyard. This panel explores how a “shop local” mindset connects ensembles with living creators and strengthens the creative ecosystem our students will inherit. Explore practical ways your programming can shape a more equitable, community-rooted choral future.

Schedule:

• Thursday, March 5, 2026: 10:15a-11:15a
LL21F, San Jose McEnery Convention Center


• Saturday, March 7, 2026: 10:45a–11:45a
LL20D, San Jose McEnery Convention Center

Open to conductors who compose and emerging composers. Share works-in-progress and receive constructive feedback from established composers.

A low-stakes environment to get some feedback on pieces from fellow composers.

Browse the WACDA Composer Catalog

The WACDA Composer Catalog is a searchable, conference-tested directory featuring regional composer contributions to the WACDA conference — from reading sessions and performances to interest sessions, panels, and other presentations — so conductors can continue exploring and programming the music they encountered onsite. Built from past conference participation, the catalog gathers works by Western Region composers and organizes them with practical programming details such as voicing, duration, level, descriptions, images, and direct purchase links, making it easy to “shop local” and move from conference discovery to real-world programming.

Free Web Resource

This is a free tool to connect composers with conductors looking for local voices. The composer profiles here will allow choral conductors to recognize composers at our upcoming conference and connect with them before and after! More info can be found below.

Sign up today: