As if free hoodies weren’t enough, Catherine Dehoney introduces you to the wealth of support available through Chorus America. She and Ryan also discuss the changing choral landscape, and exactly what it takes to thrive as a professional community chorus. And yes, for real...free hoodies. Listen: Highlight to Tweet: “Choral singing creates community like no other activity on the planet.” - Catherine Dehoney Show Notes:

• Chorus America primarily assists those choruses serving their communities as 501c3 organizations, but their larger focus is choral arts advocacy.
• Many of the choral fields (church, school, community) overlap, and chorus directors tend to wear more than one hat.
• Chorus America tries to translate non-profit management principles to choruses, to help them survive and thrive in the world of grants and public monies.
• Having a well defined mission is essential.
• Choral music educators are essential in the overall health of the choral field. They are the ones who control the supply pipeline.
• Professionals: support choral educators! Offer up an in class clinic, free concert tickets...anything to help school choirs and their directors, and to refresh their spirits!
• Chorus America provides a tool to survey your audience about their preferences and motivations for attending your concerts.
• If you are not constantly trying to expand your audience, you are losing relevance in your community.
• Choir Nation...Chorus America is giving you hoodie!!!

3 Key Takeaways: 1. Chorus America primarily serves the 501c3 choral community, but networks with all organizations in the choral field. 2. Choral music educators control the future of choral singing. 3. Register for Chorus America, and then email your receipt to membership@chorusamerica.org to claim your hoodie, a special gift for Choir Nation from Chorus America!

Resources/links Mentioned: * Chorus America * NEA - National Endowment for the Arts * Definition of insanity * Cantus * Intrinsic Impact Audience Survey – audience surveying data from 23 different choruses about the value audiences get from different types of choral programming. https://www.chorusamerica.org/advocacy-research/intrinsic-impact-audience-project-executive-summary * Chorus America 2009 Chorus Impact Study – this research shows the civic impact of choral singers plus provides data on the benefits of choral singing for kids in schools. https://www.chorusamerica.org/publications/research-reports/chorus-impact-study * https://www.chorusamerica.org/advocacy-research/intrinsic-impact-audience-project-full-repo * Email Patreon - Support the podcast!

Biography: Catherine Dehoney, president and CEO of Chorus America, brings a wealth of experience in arts management and fundraising to her work in the choral field. She took on her current role at Chorus America in 2015, coming from the position of executive director of development at the Castleton Festival. Dehoney previously served as the chief development officer at Chorus America for over ten years. Her other experience includes a nine-year tenure as senior director of development at Gallaudet University, capital campaign management, development consulting for a variety of arts nonprofits, and fundraising positions at the League of American Orchestras, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the Friends of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Dehoney received her BA in music from the College of William and Mary and continues to be an avid singer, having sung professionally in church choirs and with a jazz band. Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!) My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)