Please email ceascchair@gmail.com to make sure your name is on the email list! We look forward to singing with you. 

To the best music teachers in the state of Colorado:

Many of us attended CMEA this year, watching countless presenters, attending concerts of the many outstanding ensembles across our state, and applauding as a select few of our colleagues received well-earned awards and accolades. Yet, I cannot help but feel that you, the music teachers in the trenches who brought twenty...ten...or even three young children to participate in the tenth Colorado Elementary All-State Choir are the true heroes. YOU are the best of the best!!!

Years ago, I was invited to apply for a prestigious music teaching position at a 5A high school. When I declined, I was told I was "wasting my talents in Fort Morgan." While I knew it was meant as a compliment, I could not help but envision the beautiful young faces I served every day prior to that conversation. I will never regret my reply, essentially thanking the speaker for their kind thoughts and respect, and insisting that I was fulfilled teaching each of the students in my tiny community, regardless of economic status, racial and ethnic diversity, English language proficiency, educational background, or any other divisions we create as a society.

I spoke at length with Dr. Eychaner and with Mrs. Meek as well about this very topic. Even as music educators, we create divisions based on these very precepts. How many of us went to college with professors who encouraged us to see ourselves as the future director of a state-renowned 5A marching band or madrigal choir, or even as the infamous recipient of the Grammy Music Educator of the Year? (By the way, those of you with us when Dr. Jeffrey Murdock served as a guest conductor, he actually did win the Grammy that year!) We tout the adage that music is the universal language and thus indispensable on a global level, but often fail to see the impact we could have and SHOULD have on those who fall in or straight through the cracks.

I can assure you the difference you made in the lives of every student you brought with you to CEASC, 2023 is profound and blessed beyond measure! We endured a great deal together as an organization: continuing the mystifying transition to an online registration format my first year as Chair; the first Covid cancellation; the second, mid-registration Covid cancellation; and even the growing pains we barely survived during this year's painstaking registration process. I believe that every single tear shed, deadline extension, suspension of late fees, and piece of black duct tape on a shoe was paid back to us exponentially through the 298 voices raised in song at the CEASC 2023 concert! 

I am honored to have served you and your children the past four years as Chair, and I will be forever grateful to the CEASC Board for standing shoulder to shoulder with me in our fight to make sure this event continues forward in this strange new, post-Covid world. I am especially grateful to your future Chair, Mrs. Melissa Vander Stelt, who has so many amazing plans for our children and our organization. I am relieved to know CEASC is in her capable hands, and I would LOVE to invite you to join the Board under her direction for 2024.

Thank you also to the CMEA Executive Committee and State Assembly, and to CMEA Executive Director Mr. Bill Kohut for all you do behind the scenes towards the success of our event.

Before I sign off with the much-sought-after information about how to order photos and videos of CEASC 2023, I want to send our gratitude and love to Dr. Frank Eychaner and Mrs. Darla Meek for remaining 'on the hook' following two Covid-cancellations. I am forever grateful to you both for sharing your musicianship, your love of children, and your passion for life with the young singers of Colorado and their families. Even more, you inspired their teachers to continue in the trenches!

Here are the two links to the vendors who can provide professional photographs and video recordings of CEASC 2023. Thank you especially to Travis Sutton for taking individual pictures of all singers this year in addition to the group photos!

Jolesch Enterprises Photographs

Box5 Media Audio and/or Video Recordings

Bless you all as you finish the school year...hope to see you next year!

Jennifer Stream