Continuing our tradition of featuring Connecticut ensembles who have been selected to perform at ACDA Eastern Division Conferences, we’re proud to welcome:
The Gertrude Banks Gospel Choir, who appeared as an Insight Choir at ACDA East 2024. (They were originally scheduled to perform at our 2023 Fall Conference but had to withdraw due to illness. We’re so glad to finally have them join us!)
The Ledyard High School Chamber Choir, who will represent Connecticut at Envision, the 2026 ACDA Eastern Division Conference—an exciting recognition of their excellence and artistry.
And we continue to celebrate the Yale Camerata, who will also represent Connecticut at Envision, though they are unavailable to perform at our fall conference this year. We hope to see them in the future!
The Ledyard High School Chamber Choir, conducted by LHS alumna Melanie Wade Cometa, is the premier choral ensemble at Ledyard High School. This auditioned group is comprised of 20 students in grades 10-12. The group performs at dozens of events during the school year and has enjoyed success at national music competitions for many years.
During the Covid-19 shutdown, the group produced dozens of virtual choir performances, which were shared all over the world, including by ChoirBuzz, The Choir Project, Billy Joel, and Sara Bareilles, and helped to raise over $5,000 for charities and scholarships.
The Ledyard High School Chamber Choir has premiered several new choral compositions, including music from Rob Dietz, Tehilla Alphonso, Jared Gravely, Shawn Kirchner, Stacey Gibbs, and Jim Papoulis.
The LHS Chamber Choir was a National Finalist for the 2024 American Prize in Choral Performance.
The Gertrude Banks Gospel Choir was founded in 2019 as a way to bridge gaps between students at Simsbury High School.
It has since developed into an intergenerational ensemble ages 11 through 70 including middle school students, high schoolers, parents, grandparents, and local gospel professionals.
The ensemble celebrates the American art of Gospel music and provides a place for singers of all levels to perform, learn, and sing together.
