Honor choir auditions open September 1, 2025 and close October 1, 2025. Accepted singers will be notified on November 1, 2025.

The 2026 Northwestern ACDA Conference gathers six honor choirs for students from grades 4 to 12. This opportunity brings students together with passionate and talented peers from across the Northwestern region in a supportive choral community. Singers will be transformed through an experience with diverse and inspiring conductors from across the United States.

OUR HONOR CHOIRS

AUDITIONS

Audition Materials - Now Available!

Audition Timeline

Due to timeline logistics, these dates are non-negotiable. All deadlines must be met to participate in an honor choir.  

Audition Fee

Audition Fee Payment Process

• Credit/Debit Cards Only: We will only accept credit or debit cards for audition fee payment. Check or Purchase Orders will not be accepted.
• Processing Fee: A 3%-4% processing fee will be charged at checkout when submitting auditions.
• Teachers/Directors can choose…

• Individual Payment: Teachers can pay for each student individually after uploading their audition materials
• Bulk Payment: Teachers can pay for all their students at the same time after uploading all their students’ auditions
• Forward Payment to Parent: Teachers can send a link directly to a parent email address for the parent/guardian to pay the audition fee

Important Notes on Audition Requirements

• Teachers/Directors will submit auditions on behalf of their students. Students or parents/guardians CANNOT submit honor choir applications.
• ACDA Membership Validation: Teachers/Directors must be an current ACDA member with a valid ACDA membership number in order to submit their singer’s audition. They will be required to log into their ACDA membership portal prior to uploading and submitting their singer’s audition.
• Singers may only audition for ONE voice part.
• Auditioning for Multiple Honor Choirs: Singers who are eligible for multiple honor choirs (e.g. Children’s and Middle School), are welcome to audition for multiple choirs, but must submit separate auditions and pay both audition fees, and may only audition for one voice part per choir. If accepted to both choirs, they must choose which ensemble to participate in.

EXPECTATIONS OF ACCEPTED SINGERS

Accepted singers MUST…

• Be present at all scheduled rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and performance.

• Local, commuting students: Singers who live in local boundaries (i.e.  Tacoma School District, Fife School District, Federal Way School District, Kent School District, Auburn School District, Sumner School District, Orting School District, Puyallup School District, Bethel School District, Franklin Pierce School District, Clover Park School District, Steilacoom Historical School District, and University Place School District boundaries) and commute to/from rehearsals MUST arrive at rehearsal on time. Any commuting singer who misses more than 15 total minutes of rehearsal throughout the conference will no longer be allowed to participate in the honor choir.

• Arrive at the first rehearsal having learned their voice part in all music. Rehearsal tracks will be provided so singers can learn their part on their own without their choir director. Singers who arrive to the first rehearsal unprepared will not be allowed to participate in the honor choir.
• Abide by all NW ACDA Honor Choir behavioral policies. If rules are broken, singers will be sent home at their own personal expense.

REGISTRATION FEES

Important Notes on Registration Fees

• If the singer is accepted, their registration fee must be paid by December 1, 2025 and is absolutely NON-REFUNDABLE.

• Credit/debit cards are the only acceptable form of payment. Purchase Orders or checks will not be accepted.
• No extra processing fees will be added on top of the stated registration fee costs.

• The registration fee covers the cost of sheet music, guest instrumentalists, part tracks, concert recordings, t-shirts, facility use, extraordinary accompanists, and world-renowned conductors.
• The registration fee DOES NOT cover transportation, lodging, or meals.
• All transportation and lodging arrangements and expenses will be made by and paid for by the honor choir participants. Northwestern ACDA assumes no financial responsibility for transportation to and from Tacoma, and no financial responsibility for lodging. Thank you for your trust and confidence that our conference committee works hard to ensure that each singer will have the best experience possible for the best price possible.
• Scholarships are available. Financial need will have no impact on a singer’s audition outcome.

CHAPERONES

• Each singer MUST have a designated chaperone. All singers must provide their own chaperones staying in each room with the singers OR follow their school/district/organization policy as it applies to overnight trips.
• One chaperone may serve more than one singer.

Chaperones are a vital part of the success of these honor choirs. Each student needs a chaperone, whether it is a parent/guardian or a teacher, but one chaperone may serve more than one singer.

• Chaperones are responsible for reserving the singer’s hotel room.
• Chaperones are responsible for singers at all times, except when in rehearsal.
• Chaperones are not required to pay any fee.
• Chaperones will not be granted access to any NW ACDA events without purchasing conference registration or concert tickets.
• Chaperones will not receive breakfast provided at the College Fair.

LODGING

Singers who live in the Tacoma School District, Fife School District, Federal Way School District, Kent School District, Auburn School District, Sumner School District, Orting School District, Puyallup School District, Bethel School District, Franklin Pierce School District, Clover Park School District, Steilacoom Historical School District, and University Place School District boundaries are not required to stay in conference hotels; they are welcome to stay at home and commute to/from rehearsals, but are strongly encouraged to stay in the conference hotels. Singers who live outside of these boundaries must stay in either one of the conference hotels using the discounted NW ACDA Honor Choir room block.

Important Notes on Lodging & Transportation

• Honor Choir members are responsible for arranging and paying for their own room for their required nights of the conference.
• Singers who live in local boundaries and commute to/from rehearsals MUST arrive at rehearsal on time. Any commuting singer who misses more than 15 total minutes of rehearsal throughout the conference will no longer be allowed to participate in the honor choir.
• If the accepted singer lives outside of local boundaries, their chaperone must make reservations at the conference hotels no later than December 1, 2025 in the Honor Choir block using the provided link. Failure to make reservations at either of the conference hotels may result in being removed from the honor choir.

FINANCIAL AID

The Northwestern Region of ACDA aims to provide as many students as possible with access to this life-changing opportunity and lessen their financial burden. We understand that participating in this experience is no easy monetary feat, so we aim to offer as much financial assistance to as many accepted students as possible.

Honor Choir acceptance emails, delivered to the teacher/director on November 1, will include a link to a financial aid application, due November 10, 2025 at 11:59pm. Financial aid will only apply to registration fee, not lodging, travel, or meals. Financial aid applications must be completed by the student’s teacher/director with a valid ACDA membership number. Financial aid is available to students who request it on a first-come, first-served basis. No financial aid requests will be considered after 11:59pm on November 10, 2025.

CONTACT

Annie Stanger, Honor Choir Chair

anniestanger@nwacda.org