The Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble will perform at the Palmer House Grand Ballroom on Thursday, February 25, as part of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Central Division Conference.

The concert, which is only open to registrants of the ACDA conference, will be held at 2 p.m. and feature works by Santa Ratnice and Ted Hearne. Several hundred choral conductors, singers, and educators are expected to attend.

Donald Nally, John W. Beattie Chair of Music and director of choral organizations at the Bienen School, conducts the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble. He is also conductor of The Crossing and chorus master of the Chicago Bach Project.

In addition to several performances, the conference will feature numerous interest sessions, including one co-presented by Bienen School faculty member Karen Brunssen on “A Lifetime of Singing: Choral/Vocal Techniques and Expectations for Healthy Singing at Any Age.” Brunssen is associate professor of voice and co-chair of the Department of Music Performance.

The ACDA Central Division encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, with conference locations rotating each year. The Chicago conference will be held February 24-27, 2016.

For more information, visit www.acdacentral.org


  • Donald Nally
  • Karen Brunssen