Treble Choir Of Houston Selected To Perform At Southwestern ACDA Convention In 2026

The Treble Choir of Houston will perform at the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in March 2026. Led by Artistic Director Marianna Parnas-Simpson and composed of students in grades 6–12, the ensemble was selected through a recorded audition evaluated by choral professionals across the seven-state region. The invitation places the Treble Choir among the top secondary school ensembles in the Southwest.

“This achievement is a tribute to the dedication, talent, and hard work of our students and the incredible choral music program we have created,” said Parnas-Simpson, who received the Texas Choral Masters Award at the Texas Choral Directors’ Association conference this past summer. She founded the Treble Choir in 2006, which performs regularly in the Houston community and serves as the resident children’s choir at Christ Church Cathedral. Past performance highlights include appearances at Carnegie Hall, the International Choral Festival in Powell River, British Columbia, and the Washington National Cathedral.

“This three-day trip will be a life-changing experience for our 40 young musicians, and our goal is to enable every one of them to participate without regard to their family's personal financial circumstances,” Parnas-Simpson said. “To achieve this goal, we must raise $12,000 in scholarship funds. We are asking the Houston Community to support our efforts with a donation of any size.”

The choir’s feature performance will be held at First United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, described by the organization as a reverent and acoustically resonant venue. Students will also visit sites in the region including the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, Old Town Albuquerque, and Sawmill Market Food Hall.

Parnas-Simpson encourages Houston-area residents to assist in making the trip possible. Donations may be made via the Fellowship One Giving platform by selecting the fund “Treble Choir of Houston” and including “Albuquerque trip” in the long-text field. “The gift is tax-deductible and will enable us to represent Christ Church Cathedral, the City of Houston, and the State of Texas at this prestigious gathering featuring the Southwest's finest choirs,” she said.