Hidden Champions

At a Glance



Who: LBCCs Chamber Choir, Re-Choired Element
What: State Champions
When: 2009
Where: South Santiam Hall (SSH)
Contact Information: Instructor James Reddan, 541-917-4550
Entrance Requirements: By audition only, as vacancies occur
Other choirs: Women's, Men's, Concert--open to all



South Santiam Hall is hiding a treasure.

While the work of individuals with a variety of artistic talents is clearly displayed in several parts of the building, tucked away out of the view of the campus in general, another group of artists perfects its craft.

If you were to continue walking through SSH between 11 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays-- after enjoying the glass-enclosed displays-- you would soon discover LBCCs hidden treasure, a treasure guarded by James Reddan.

If you opened the doors to Room 213, the harmonies of the 20 voices of LBCCs chamber choir, Re-Choired Element, winner of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Gold Award would flow over the campus. In fact, if you walk past those doors around that time most days of the week, you will hear music from the 75-voice Concert Choir, 15-voice Men's Choir or 15-voice Women's Choir.

After representing LBCC in Heritage Music Festivals on the West Coast last year, with the Concert and Men's Choirs, Re-Choired Element won the Oregon Small Ensemble Festival to become the top community college choir in the state and the only one to receive a superior rating.

The Road to Victory

LBCC's choir is probably the most active of all of Oregon's community college music programs. In fact, Reddan says, "LBCC is fortunate to have one of the state's thriving choir, music, theater and dance programs. Most were cut back or totally deleted due to economic budgetary constraints. We are fortunate that LB's program is thriving and growing."

Each year choir festivals are held all across the country. Last year, LBCC chose to perform at the Heritage Music Festivals held in Seattle and San Francisco.

According to Reddan, "At the festival, competing choirs are evaluated by all they have done over the course of the year--not just their performances during the festival. Each choir must attend and perform at an on-stage clinic adjudicated by one of appointed adjudicators. Depending on that rating, the choir is invited to the Festival of Gold."

The choir also receives a CD of the performance and a plaque displaying their final rating as Gold, Silver, Bronze or Festival.

Both four-year and two-year colleges compete together for the title. While there are 17 community college programs in the state, only three competed this past year," Reddan says.

Because the festivals are sanctioned Oregon ACDA events, the participating ensembles are eligible for the Oregon ACDA Gold Award Recognition and can choose a location for the upcoming year.

The Festival of Gold location choices for this year were Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. Reddan says he chose NYC for the LBCC choir program because of the city's thriving arts culture.

About the Director

Prior to teaching at LBCC, Reddan taught in high school and middle school programs in Las Vegas, Nev. When he joined the LBCC music program, Reddan's plans were to get the choirs growing, to not just increase in size but to grow musically--to have good, high--quality musical experiences. He has toured and directed domestically and internationally and says he is looking forward to the possibility of taking the Re-Choired Element on an international tour, at some point. (The choir went on its first performing tour all over the West Coast last year.)

Re-Choired Element This Year

According to a recent LBCC newsletter the 2010 Oregon ACDA Small Ensemble Festival will take place on Saturday, April 24th, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Russell Tripp Performance Center.