NCCO9 National Conference
4-6 November 2021 * Atlanta, Georgia
Hosted by Morehouse College, the Morehouse College Glee Club and Dr. David Morrow
NCCO9, the ninth national conference of the National Collegiate Choral Organization, will take place November 4th through 6th in-person this Fall in Atlanta, Georgia on the campus of Morehouse College, one of the most storied and renowned historically Black institutions of higher education in America.
Joint Statement on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations and Best Health Practices
On June 23, the National Association of Teachers of Singing Voice Science Advisory Committee and multiple organizations including NCCO shared a joint statement regarding COVID-19 vaccines and best health practices.
“In an effort to continue speaking with a unified voice on the importance of the singing community becoming as fully vaccinated as possible, our organizations have issued this joint statement which we are sharing widely,” says Allen Henderson, executive director of NATS. “We urge everyone to become fully vaccinated as soon as possible.”
The National Association of Teachers of Singing Voice Science Advisory Committee, the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Performing Arts Medicine Association, the Pan American Vocology Association, Opera America, and National Collegiate Choral Organization strongly recommend that all singing teachers, choral conductors, collaborative pianists, and singers eligible to receive an FDA authorized vaccine follow CDC guidance and become fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
We collectively support public health education efforts at the local, state, and national level that offer accurate information about vaccine efficacy and safety and that encourage all persons to become vaccinated.
We recommend that unvaccinated teachers, conductors, collaborative pianists, and singers continue to follow COVID-19 prevention and mitigation practices that have been effective in reducing the spread of the disease in indoor public areas. These include but are not limited to the use of masks, physical distancing, increased ventilation, reduced contact time, regular cleaning of common surfaces, and vigorous hand washing.
NCCO Adopts Vision and Mission Statements
At a meeting on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, our NCCO National Board voted to adopt our organization's first-ever vision and mission statements, as recommended by our Task Force on Mission, Vision & Principles.
Our vision:
NCCO believes that singing together in post-secondary spaces can be a vital force for culturally responsive teaching and learning, one that connects us with each other, builds empathy, and inspires joy.
You may also read our full mission statement here.
National Board Forms New Committee and Affinity Group Structure
The National Board also voted to form the Mission and Vision in Governance Committee, who will work to ensure that the actions, structures, and activities of NCCO consistently serve and embody the mission and vision of the organization, including supporting the NCCO’s efforts in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In forming this committee, the National Board also voted to create a new ex officio (non-voting) Executive Board position: the Director of Affinity Groups. With the input of the committee, this person will propose the creation of Affinity Groups.
Our NCCO Affinity Groups will affirm the importance of embracing our complex web of identities and seek to honor those identities by serving as brave and safe spaces for our members to seek mentorship, community, and sustaining professional development. The types and names of affinity groups will be proposed through a collaborative process with the full membership, reflecting the needs of the membership.
Affinity groups may include opportunities for discussion among individuals sharing particular aspects of their identities, or individuals sharing similar conducting/teaching positions. Further details will be elaborated after requesting feedback from the membership.
Read the full changes to our newly adopted Constitution and Bylaws here.
NCCO Announces Major Strategic Initiatives
Building on membership feedback gained as a result of our member survey from November and December 2020, President Dominick DiOrio compiled and analyzed and President-Elect Miguel Ángel Felipe designed the NCCO Member Survey Report, which we are releasing to you today.
The Executive Board of NCCO today also announces the formation of two Task Forces that will help to guide our organization's planning, policy, and principles in the current and coming years. Click below to learn more about the charges and the membership of these task forces.
- Task Force on Mission, Vision & Principles, chaired by Vice President Elizabeth Swanson
- Task Force on NCCO9 National Conference Strategy, chaired by Treasurer Matthew Ferrell
Both Task Forces will report back to the Executive Board with their recommendations in the next month, which will in turn be considered by our 50-member National Board when they meet again in May 2021.
New Journal Announcement:The Choral Scholar & American Choral Review
With our just-released Fall issue, the NCCO receives custodianship of two of the longest-running choral research publications in the United States: the American Choral Review, and Research Memorandum Series. You will see from our new masthead that The Choral Scholar and American Choral Review are merged into one publication. Acknowledging our indebtedness for nearly six decades of sterling choral scholarship, this first issue of The Choral Scholar & American Choral Review is published under the numbering system of that venerable antecedent publication: Volume 58, Number. 3. Our thanks to chief editor of publications, Mark Nabholz, for his work in realizing this new acquisition for the NCCO.