The Jean Singer Award for Distinguished Service to Choral Music in West Virginia was established in 2000 during the presidency of Dr. David Castleberry. Jean Singer, longtime director of the Parkersburg High School A Capella Choir, was selected as the first recipient and the award was named for her in recognition of her excellence to the choral art. Note: The Parkersburg High School A Cappella Choir under her direction is the only West Virginia choir selected to perform at a national ACDA Conference – Nashville, TN, in 1983. Though the inception of the award began as an annual honor, it was voted on by the executive board in 2007 that the honor can be awarded in the second year of the President’s two-year term.

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Recipients:

2001 – Jean Singer, Director of the Parkersburg High School A Cappella Choir

2002 – Alfred R. de Jaager, Professor and Director of Choral Activities at West Liberty University

2003 – Dr. Truman Dalton, Professor of Music, West Virginia State University and Director of the Charleston Civic Chorus

2004 – Dr. H.G. Young III, Professor of Music, West Virginia University at Parkersburg

2005 – Dr. Larry Parsons, Professor and Director of Choral Activities, West Virginia Wesleyan College and founder of the West Virginia Symphony Chorus

2009 - Donna Kinsey, Pastoral musician at St. Francis De Sales Parish and Director of choirs in the Monongalia County schools

2011 - Clara Glover, Choral Director at Tyler Consolidated High School

2015 - Bruce Ensinger, Choral Director at The New Martinsville School

2015 - T. Edwin Harkless, Choral Director at Cabell Midland High School

2023 - Joyce Good-Pitchford, Choral Director at Ravenswood High School

2023 - Barbara Wygal Lutz, Choral Director at Greenbrier East High School

2023 - Pamela McClain Choral Director at Parkersburg High School

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