NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT

DEB HILD

Welcome to North Central District ICDA! I am proud to be representing a district with a long history of outstanding musicians, dedicated professionals and eager learners. Throughout my years at MCHS, I have found that teaching life skills through music has become more and more prominent. We educate students on what it is like to work as a team, why we work for the greater good instead of for ourselves as individuals, timeliness is key, professionalism doesn’t start in adulthood, music can carry you through some of the greatest joys and the greatest pains of your day and of your life. While reading James Jordan’s A Musician’s Walk: An Ethical Labyrinth, I came across his chapter on Ethics and The Music Educator as submitted by Kenneth Raessler. He defines ethics as the “idealistic standards of right and wrong”. A music educator’s ethics encompasses three basic values that lead to success as human beings,

- Aspiration
- Leadership
- The quest for excellence.

I was struck by the circular nature of these three principals. For each class that we meet, each school year that begins and ends, and each student that we continue to work with over the next years, we cycle through these three values repeatedly. Music is a vehicle that we have be privileged to navigate throughout more than just our classrooms, but our communities and our world of listening ears. It has become a duty of our classroom to assist learners to persevere through the deceptive cadence in search of the authentic cadence of their journeys. Thank you for your continued support of each other and the continued dedication to our students here in the North Central District. I look forward to meeting with you over the next year at each of our events!

Gratefully,
Sarah J. Bouska
North Central District Representative
northcentral-chair@iowachoral.org

North Central District Events 2012-2013
Saturday	September 8	Pre-All State Workshop Belmond-Klemme High School, Luick Memorial Auditorium 411-10th Ave. NE, Belmond, IA 50421 8:00am-12:15pm Host: Jackie Burk and Sarah Bouska District Chair: Sarah Bouska Guest Conductor: Dr. Adam Luebke, Waldorf College Registration: at the door, 8:00-8:30am Fee: $25 per school for ICDA members $35 per school for non-ICDA members Checks payable: ICDA, Inc. Please bring payments to the event! Information
Tuesday	Sept 18	OPUS POSTMARK DEADLINE Opus Festival will be held on Thursday, November 15 Iowa State University, Ames Contact Opus Chair, Nancy Ewing 712-541-8192 / 712-548-4508 or email to opus@iowachoral.org
Sunday	Sept 30	All-State Vocal Clinic Music Man Square, Mason City, IA 2:00pm - 4:00 pm Information and Registration
Saturday	Oct 20	All-State Auditions
Saturday	Oct 27	Fall Symposium www.iowaalliance4artsed.org
Monday	Nov 5	North Central 7th-12th Grade District Honor Choir Festival NIACC, Mason City, Concert at 7:00pm Guest Conductors: Dr. John Wiles from UNI will conduct the 10th-12th grade Mixed Choir. Opus director, Dr. Gerald Kreitzer from Mt. Mercy will conduct the 9th-10th grade Honor Choir. Opus director, Linda Ferjak from Bishop Garrigan in Forest City will conduct the 7th - 8th Grade Girls Honor Choir. Opus director, Kelly Truax from Cedar Rapids Prairie Point will conduct the 7th-8th Grade Boys Honor Choir. Registration is due: Friday, October 19, 2012 7th-12th Grade Schedule - to come 7th-12th Grade Literature 7th-12th Parent Letter All Registration/Meal Forms Director Notes tba - to come
Thursday	Nov 15 Nov 15-17	OPUS Honor Choir Festival @ ISU Ames All-State Music Festival @ ISU Ames
Mon	Feb 25, 2013	5/6 Honor Choir Festival NIACC, Mason City (snow date Monday, March 4) Guest Conductor: Opus director, Roger Hatteberg Concert at 7:00pm Registration is due, Monday, January 28, 2013 5th-6th Grade Schedule 5th-6th Grade Literature 5th-6th Grade Parent Letter 5th-6th Grade Registration/Meal Forms
	July 21-25	39TH ANNUAL ICDA SUMMER SYMPOSIUM NIACC, Mason City