National Choral Associations

• Choruses and chorales are vocal musical performance groups that sing with or without the accompaniment of musical instruments. Both professional and amateur choral groups are located throughout the United States. Members and leaders of the organizations can join national choral associations, each of which has its own mission or purpose. Associations plan and execute programs related to their goals and typically offer benefits for their members.

American Choral Directors Association

• The American Choral Directors Association started in 1959 and operates from headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Membership in the organization is comprised of individuals who teach music and oversee vocal choirs at elementary and secondary schools as well as at post-secondary institutions. As of November 2010, the group had more than 1 million members in the United States, according to its website.

  Professional development is a main focus of the American Choral Directors Association, which offers workshops and training sessions for its members through its 50 state chapters. The organization also publishes standards for choral sheet music intended for young and collegiate performers and recommends materials that meet these standards to its members and the general public.

  The American Choral Directors Association publishes its magazine, the "Choral Journal," monthly for members. The group also hosts conferences at the regional and national level every year. For its members, the organization maintains job postings and audition listings from schools and other institutions around the country.

National Collegiate Choral Organization

• The National Collegiate Choral Organization is an organization reserved for performance choirs at post-secondary institutions as well as for their choral directors or advisers. The organization's primary function is to host a national conference. These events occur every 1 to 2 years at a different university campus in the United States.

  During the conference, the National Collegiate Choral Organization offers workshops and seminars for members. Colleges that belong to the association typically send one or more of their performance choirs to sing at the event. Lectures and panel discussions on choral literature and other topics related to collegiate choirs are held throughout the conference. The National Collegiate Choral Organization also publishes "The Choral Scholar," a professional journal related to choirs and music.

Chorus America

• Established in 1977, Chorus America is a non-profit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The group's membership consists of individuals, choruses and businesses related to the music industry. More than 1,600 organizations and people served as members of the association as of November 2010, according to its website.

  Chorus America offers educational opportunities for its members in a variety of forms. The group hosts online seminars and discussions on choral leadership and other issues relative to vocal performance. The association also has in-person master classes, workshop and seminars on conducting, chorus managements and other subjects. Each year, the organization presents a national conference, which also features courses and symposiums.

  Annually, Chorus America presents 10 awards to individuals who have made contributions to vocal music or choral groups. The organization publishes its quarterly magazine, "The Voice," as well as a professional journal entitled "American Choral Review."