Call for Interest & Poster Sessions 2024

INTEREST SESSIONS

The ACDA Western Region (WACDA) welcomes submissions for innovative, applicable and inspiring interest sessions for our 2024 conference. We encourage submissions that address the conference theme Many Voices, One Song, the diversity of our membership, and sessions that actively engage participants. A large number of students are regularly in attendance, as are choral professionals representing all areas of education, composition and performance. All topics will receive consideration and will be evaluated for scholarly content, variety, innovation, value, pedagogical strength, and relativity to current trends in the choral profession. Special consideration will be given to proposals that particularly focus on how we make music accessible to youth and vulnerable populations. Click here to see the detailed rubric for evaluating proposals.

All proposals must be submitted online at https://acdawestern.submittable.com/submit. Please follow the steps below to prepare and submit your proposal.

  • Prepare the title and description of your proposal. Ensure these are edited and ready to appear in the conference program if selected. The description should not exceed 100 words.
  • Prepare a bulleted outline of your presentation not to exceed 500 words (excluding references). Only the selection committee will view the outline.

In addition, you will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Indicate if you would like your session to be considered for the best practice poster session if not selected for presentation.
  • Session Target Audience/Area of Interest.
  • Indicate if commercially published materials will be distributed.
  • Equipment needs. Every room will have a projector and screen for audio and video. All other equipment requests must be listed on your proposal. Please note: Not all rooms at the conference center will have a piano. If you do not request a piano on your application, then we may not be able to accommodate this request at a later date.
  • A list of previous years/topics you have presented at an ACDA Western Region Conference.
  • Contact information including name, email, phone, address, and name of school/institution.
  • ACDA membership number. Please note: All first authors must be current members of ACDA to submit a proposal. If selected, all presenters must be current members and register for the conference.

POSTER SESSIONS

The ACDA Western Region invites submissions for research and best practice poster presentations. We encourage submissions that address the conference theme Many Voices, One Song, the diversity of our membership, and are theoretically grounded. Presenters will also have the option to participate in a private small group mentoring session before the poster session.

All proposals must be submitted online at https://acdawestern.submittable.com/submit.

Research Posters: 

Submissions involving quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, historical, or philosophical topics related to any aspect of the music teaching and learning process will be considered. Graduate students who are working on or who have completed theses, dissertations, or monographs are encouraged to submit their work for consideration.

Best Practice Posters:

Submissions describing teaching practices, programs, or any aspect of teaching and learning will be considered. Submissions should include a summary of the topic and a description of the context in which it has been or can be implemented if applicable. Topics can include, but are not limited to: instructional strategies, teaching techniques, composition techniques, literature/programming suggestions, choral/vocal pedagogy, technology, classroom management, curriculum design, retention, recruitment, advocacy, assessment, and evaluation.

Please follow the steps below to prepare and submit your proposal.

  1. Prepare a description or bulleted outline of your poster presentation not to exceed 500 words (references are not included in the word count).
  2. Poster title to appear in the conference program if selected.

In addition, you will be asked to provide the following information:

  1. Contact information including name, email, phone, address, and name of school/institution.
  2. Indicate if you would like to meet with a mentor before your poster session.
  3. ACDA membership number. Please note: All first authors must be current members of ACDA to submit a proposal. If selected, all presenters must be current members and register for the conference.

Schedule of Dates:

Applications for Conference Sessions Due: April 15, 2023

Letters of Acceptance/Rejection Sent to Applicants: starting June 15, 2023

Conference Session Presenters Bios/Info Due: September 1, 2023

Conference Session Presenter Photos for Choral Journal/ACDA App Due: October 1, 2023

Final Information Letter to Conference Session Presenters: Early February 2024

submit

Conference Session Application FAQ

What is the difference between an Interest Session and a Poster Session?

Interest Sessions are live presentations during the conference. They include, but are not limited to, the following styles: lecture, interactive workshop, reading session, sample rehearsal, and panel discussions. Poster sessions are visual presentations of research or best practices. Graduate students often present their thesis and/or dissertation research. 

How long are the interest sessions?

Interest Session blocks are one hour long; however, it is not required that the presentation fills the entire time. We suggest leaving time for questions and discussion at the end of the session.

To present a poster, must I be present at the conference?

Yes, in order to talk to attendees during the poster viewing session, presenters must be in person. Virtual presentations are not possible at this time. 

Are presenters compensated in any way?

ACDA does not offer compensation or artistic fees for presenters. All related expenses will be the responsibility of the presenter. Presenters are expected to officially register for the conference event at the posted registration rates. However, Poster Session presenters are offered the opportunity to meet in a small group mentoring session prior to their presentation.