An image of of SAHARA Las Vegas at sunset with the text,

Leadership Symposium 2025
February 14–16, 2025. | Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Registration is Open!
GALA Choruses Leadership Symposium is set for February, 14–16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Sahara Hotel.
The full schedule for Leadership Symposium 2025 is still in the works.
For planning purposes, sessions begin at 12:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Friday 2/14/25,
and end at 1:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Sunday 2/16/25.
Formal sessions on Sunday will be followed by the ever-popular open discussions for both Artistic/Music Directors and chorus Administrators.

Register through the Integra Planner system; the registration fee is now $350 for the first 2 members of a chorus, and $300 for the 3rd or more.

Register

GALA’s Leadership Symposium offers an opportunity for leaders of GALA member choruses to meet one another, attend workshops, network, learn about ways to engage with schools in your community, and to pick up resources for building successful choruses. We’ll share our success stories, learn from our collective mistakes, and have a great time in a beautiful location! It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet peers, and we’ll have special intensive workshops for new GALA chorus ADs, new chorus board members, and chorus managers.  

In addition to a full slate of workshops and seminars, there will be plenty of open-agenda time to discuss the particular issues with which your chorus might be struggling.  We’ll have round-table discussions, one-on-one consultations with GALA 411 Advisors, and social gatherings.

Symposium Housing

Housing for Symposium 2025 is available at SAHARA Las Vegas, where Symposium workshops will be held. Click below to reserve your room today!

Housing

Hotel Rates
These including resort fee and taxes.

Thursday 2/13—$120
Friday 2/14—$211
Saturday 2/15—$302
Sunday 2/16—$154

Symposium Events

Dr. Elizabeth Scahuer smiles in front of a white background with long dark hair and a dark suit.

Guest Conductor
GALA’s Artistic Directors will have the opportunity to work with guest conductor, Dr. Elizabeth Schauer. Dr. Schauer serves as Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arizona where she is recognized for her innovative and inclusive curricular approach to academia and choral settings. Dr. Schauer is also bringing her award-winning University of Arizona Symphonic Choir and will lead a series of Master Classes; GALA conductors will have a chance to conduct the Symphonic Choir. Dr. Schauer will also lead a workshop on community building and programming between academic choirs and community choruses.

Friday Evening Performance
On Friday evening, February 14, the University of Arizona Symphonic Choir will partner with the Las Vegas Men’s Chorus for a performance!

Fundraising Competition
In order to encourage collaborative sharing of ideas and experiences, GALA Symposium will hold a fundraising proposal competition along the lines of the TV show “Shark Tank”. In this competition, small and midsize budget GALA choruses will present a proposal that needs financial backing. That proposal could be an event, an initiative, a corporate sponsorship, or an investment idea that is needing financial support to get started. Each group will be given a time to propose their concept to a panel. During the presentation time, the panel will provide detailed feedback on the proposal. They will ask detailed questions that challenge the presenters to be fully prepared for any potential hiccups that are seen in the presentation. The panel will also provide feedback during and following the presentation that will allow the presenters to continue to advance the quality of their presentation. Prior to the competition the contestants will have an opportunity to work on their presentations with experienced fundraisers in workshop settings to prepare. 

Schedule

DateStartEndNameRoomPresenter(s)
Thu, 02/138:00 AM5:00 PMOfficeGordo Room
Thu, 02/139:00 AM5:00 PMLarge Chorus ED MeetingAlbert I
Thu, 02/136:30 PM7:30 PMGALA BOARD EC MeetingAlbert I
Thu, 02/137:30 PM9:30 PMAD DinnerLocal Dinner
Thu, 02/137:30 PM9:00 PMGALA Board ECAlbert I
Fri, 02/148:00 AM5:00 PMOfficeGordo Room
Fri, 02/148:30 AM12:00 PMGALA Board MeetingClyde
Fri, 02/149:00 AM12:00 PMLarge Chorus ED MeetingMarcel I
Fri, 02/1412:00 PM1:40 PMAD Master ClassesAlbert I & IIElizabeth Schauer
Fri, 02/141:00 PM5:00 PMOne on OnesClyde
Fri, 02/141:30 PM3:15 PMED RoundtableMarcel IJohn D Carrion
Fri, 02/141:30 PM3:15 PMBoard and Volunteer RoundtableNikko IV
Fri, 02/141:30 PM3:15 PMAD Roundtable Discussion following MasterclassNikko IIIKathleen Hansen (GALA)
Fri, 02/142:30 PM3:30 PMAD Private Coaching LessonsAlbert I & IIElizabeth Schauer
Fri, 02/143:30 PM5:00 PMIntergenerational DynamicsMarcel IAbby Hall, Reid Vanderburgh
Fri, 02/143:30 PM5:00 PMSSAA Rep SessionNikko IVMelissa T Arasi
Fri, 02/143:30 PM5:00 PMTTBB Rep SessionNikko IIGabe Salazar, Jerry Soria-Foust
Fri, 02/143:30 PM5:00 PMSATB Rep SessionNikko IIIEric Williamson, Jordan Saul
Fri, 02/143:30 PM5:00 PMChorus America Fundraising TipsAlbert I & II
Fri, 02/144:00 PM5:00 PMSymphonic Choir Soundcheck/Dress RehearsalCongo I & IIElizabeth Schauer
Fri, 02/146:30 PM7:30 PMConcertCongo I & IIElizabeth Schauer, Las Vegas Men’s Chorus
Fri, 02/147:30 PM10:00 PMReception and Karaoke Event!Congo I & II
Sat, 02/158:00 AM5:00 PMOfficeGordo Room
Sat, 02/158:30 AM10:10 AMAD Master ClassesAlbert I & IIElizabeth Schauer
Sat, 02/158:30 AM10:00 AMMake Your Pitch PrepNikko IIRick Jung
Sat, 02/158:30 AM10:00 AMStrategic planning for your chorusNikko IIIJohn D Carrion, Simon White
Sat, 02/158:30 AM10:00 AMNegotiating Contracts from Admin and AD PerspectivesMarcel IKathleen Hansen (GALA), Michael McDonald
Sat, 02/158:30 AM10:00 AMPairing our schools with schools and youthNikko IVMitch Galli, Paul Heins
Sat, 02/159:00 AM5:00 PMOne on OnesMarcel II
Sat, 02/1510:15 AM11:45 AMMake Your Pitch PrepNikko II
Sat, 02/1510:15 AM11:45 AMDigital Marketing through an AD LensMarcel IShawn Cullen
Sat, 02/1510:15 AM11:45 AMUsing your Music to fundraise: Advantages of gig workNikko IVTimorell Morrell
Sat, 02/1510:15 AM11:45 AMFundraising by Matthew RamseyNikko III
Sat, 02/1510:45 AM12:15 PMAD Private Coaching LessonsAlbert I & IIElizabeth Schauer
Sat, 02/1512:00 PM1:00 PMBIPOC Lunch GatheringAzilo Ultra Pool and Lounge
Sat, 02/151:30 PM3:00 PMAging Voices / Trans Identified VoicesAlbert I & IIJessica Steuver, Klo Garoute
Sat, 02/151:30 PM3:00 PMLicensing: Custom And Non-Stock OptionsNikko IVSteve Milloy, Sean Mikel Baugh, Miriam Davidson
Sat, 02/151:30 PM3:00 PMNew Harmony Workbook I & IINikko IIIAnthony Cabrera, Maria-Elena Y Grant
Sat, 02/151:30 PM3:00 PMMake Your Pitch presentationNikko IIJohn D Carrion, Lou Spisto, Craig Coogan, Justin D Fyala
Sat, 02/151:30 PM3:00 PMElevating Voices: Choral Conducting Interns and local University music programsMarcel IBrayton Bollenbacher, Jordan Saul
Sat, 02/153:15 PM4:45 PMSocial Media: Building Your BrandMarcel I
Sat, 02/153:15 PM4:45 PMCleaning Up Your Conducting TechniqueNikko IV
Sat, 02/153:15 PM4:45 PMChoirs for Change: Programming with PurposeAlbert I & II
Sat, 02/153:15 PM4:45 PMWhat’s In A Name?Nikko IIIAnthony Cabrera, Maria-Elena Y Grant
Sat, 02/153:15 PM4:45 PMMake Your Pitch presentationNikko IICraig Coogan, John D Carrion, Lou Spisto, Justin D Fyala
Sat, 02/156:00 PM8:00 PMReception/FundraiserAzilo Ultra Pool and Lounge
Sun, 02/168:00 AM5:00 PMOfficeGordo Room
Sun, 02/168:30 AM10:00 AMWomen’s ForumAlbert IIMiriam Davidson, Kristen Stinnett
Sun, 02/168:30 AM10:00 AMBoundaries and self-care: Living and Working in your communityNikko IVBrayton Bollenbacher
Sun, 02/168:30 AM10:00 AMBuilding Board and Volunteers for your organizationAlbert I
Sun, 02/1610:30 AM12:00 PMGALA Onward: Symposium and Festivals of the FutureNikko IVJohn D Carrion, Maria-Elena Y Grant
Sun, 02/1612:00 PM1:30 PMLunchNikko IV
Sun, 02/161:30 PM4:30 PMOpen AD TimeNikko IV
Sun, 02/161:30 PM4:30 PMOpen Admin TimeAlbert II