Paul W. Schultz receives 2004 Divisional Award of Merit

Paul Schultz of Tacoma, Washington was named the Award of Merit winner for choral conductors in the NW Division of the ACDA. Paul accepted the award during the concert hour presentation on Thursday, March 4, during the NW Convention in Boise, Idaho.

Karen Fulmer, past-president and chair of the Award of Merit Committee, gave the following introduction that evening:
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In 2000, the Northwestern ACDA board created the Lifetime Achievement and Leadership Award to recognize division members whose work exemplifies excellence in choral music and dedication to and leadership in ACDA. The first award was presented to Royce Saltzman at the Seattle 2000 convention. In 2002 the award went to Lynn Sjolund. Although we try to keep the award a surprise, I'm sure you will soon recognize the recipient as I describe a few fine qualities. This year's recipient has been an active educator for over 40 years. He spent his first 20 years working at the secondary level in public schools in Michigan. In 1982 he was hired at the University of Puget Sound to carry on the long tradition of excellence the Adelphian Concert Choir was known for. Currently he is in his second year of teaching at the Tacoma School

of the Arts, instructing students in voice, theory, musical theater, opera, music appreciation and anything else he's asked to do. Ensembles under his direction have performed at state, division and national conventions of both ACDA and MENC. Washington ACDA was an inactive organization in 1982. Under his leadership as president, the organization was revived, R & S Chairs were appointed and the state held its first convention with over 260 people in attendance. Yearly conventions continued ever since with the Washington Summer Institute being one of the best attended workshops in the northwest.