Men's / Women's Festival Chair

Name: Thomas Hassig
Position: Men’s and Women’s Festival Chair
Workplace: Prior Lake High School

H: 952.226.8663
O: 952.393.3452
thassig@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us

Background: I'm a Minnesota native, attended Gustavus for my BA, and received my MA from Univ of MN-Twin Cities. Taught out of state before returning to Minnesota in 1988. Since then I've been teaching at Prior Lake High School. Go Lakers! My present teaching position/duties include Grades 10-12 choirs (men's, 2 women's, mixed) and co-curricular ensembles; also department chair.

Message to Colleagues: I'm so proud to be an ACDA-MN member. At heart, I'm still just a simple farm boy. ACDA-MN colleagues are the ones who made me want to be a choir director; I'm still amazed and honored every day to be amongst them. Join, find your spot to get involved, use all these resources that are available ... and bring lots of singers to the Men's/Women's Festival at Saint John's every fall!

Name: Michael Walsh
Position: Men’s and Women’s Festival Coordinator-Elect
Workplace: Buffalo High School

C: 612-518-0198
O: 763-682-8093
mwalsh@buffalo.k12.mn.us

Background:  I have been the choir director at Buffalo High School for the past 26 years where I direct 3 curricular and 2 co-curricular choirs, and teach AP Music Theory, Classical Music Listening and American Popular Music.  I also direct a biennial madrigal dinner and the annual musical as well as coaching our Music Listening Teams and advising our local Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter.  I am also active in my community as founder and director of the Wright County Chamber Chorus, director of the Zion Lutheran Senior Choir and frequent musical director for Buffalo Community Theater.

 A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters in Choral Conducting from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, I have continued my post-graduate education with study at the University of Minnesota, the Oregon Bach Festival, the Voice Care Network and regular attendance at the MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic and the MN-ACDA Dialogue.  I am an active member of MMEA/MENC and ACDA, having recently served as MMEA Region 7-8 AA Representative, twice as a section leader for the All-State Men’s Choir, music representative to the Region 2AA Committee, as a region representative on the MN-ACDA board, and as chair of the Music Listening Contest Board.  Last year I was honored to be selected as one of the 2010 MMEA Music Educators of the Year.

Message to Colleagues:  After having had students participate in the Men's/Women's Festival since its beginnings, I am very familiar with what a great day this is each fall as our selected high school students have the opportunity to sing with college students and directors from across the state.  For my students to be able to work with several different college conductors, hear several college choirs, and experience great men's or women's literature in a single day is a truly unique festival opportunity.  I look forward to learning this fall from Tom Hassig, our coordinator these past 10 years, how to continue to keep this festival such an exciting part of MN-ACDA's fall schedule.