Music education professor Ann Small, Ph.D., was honored earlier this month by the Florida Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, for excellence in Choral Music in Florida.

The Wayne Hugoboom Distinguished Service Award was presented to Small by Dr. Kevin Fenton, immediate past president of Florida ACDA, for her dedicated service, leadership and consistent excellence in choral music. A complete surprise to Small, Fenton revealed the award’s recipient in his special presentation, printed below:

“It is my pleasure to introduce the 2013 Wayne Hugoboom Distinguished Service Award. With this award, we recognize a career of commitment to service and excellence in the choral arts throughout the state of Florida, and beyond. This year’s recipient has displayed her passion for music with students and singers of all ages, as she has conducted all-state and festival choirs and through her position as professor of music education- a position she has held for over 30 years.

“Perhaps the place her passion was most revealed was in her work with her own choir. The title of one of her many articles- “I Love that Children’s Sound”- offers a glimpse of her path to JOY.

“With eloquence, attention to detail, and a soulful display of care and compassion, Dr. Ann Small taught members of the Stetson University Children’s Choir to express, to feel, to experience and share beauty. These performances for regional and national MENC and ACDA audiences gave listeners a fresh window to what is possible- an awareness of new depths of color and clarity of line, of refined expression.

“Many of her students and singers have become teachers themselves, and as with Dr. Small, they are revered by their students and colleagues- another indication of her inspired teaching. Another article Dr. Small penned is titled “One Grand Alleluia!” When I think of the contributions of Dr. Ann Small, I feel compelled to offer in appreciation and recognition of your years of unselfish service…One Grand Alleluia!”

“Ann Small’s service to Stetson and to music has had a regional, national and international impact,” said Thomas Masse, DMA, dean of Stetson’s School of Music. “Her contributions to the discipline of music education and to the promotion of children’s choirs is unrivaled. Her dedication and commitment to the field will have an impact for generations to come. We are so fortunate that Dr. Small chose to make Stetson her home institution for these many years.”

Small is founder and director of the University Children’s Choir at Stetson University. She directs the music education program and frequently conducts the opera chorus. With a Ph.D. from Florida State University, Small has authored a number of articles in music education journals and frequently conducts workshops and clinics in music education methods and children’s choir techniques.

She is former president of the Florida College Music Educators Association and the Association for Choral Music Education. She is on the editorial board of the Choral Journal. She has served as an adjudicator for various choral festivals and conducted All-State choruses in Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, and Kentucky. Small has been on the faculty of the Tennessee Arts Academy and has guest lectured or taught at the University of Toronto, Louisiana State University, the Crane School of Music, and the University of Kentucky. Her choirs have appeared on regional and national conventions of MENC and ACDA.

Small earned the Artist-Teacher Diploma from the Choral Music Experience Institute for Choral Teacher Education. She also serves as a teaching associate for CME.