Prelude Award​
Eileen Price, 2022 Award Winner
Eileen Price is currently the Vocal Music teacher at Mead Middle School in Wichita, Kansas. She received her Bachelors of Music Education from Friends University. She currently serves as the Choir Director for Juniper Arts Academy, a nonprofit in Wichita that focuses on providing equal access to Fine Arts Education to students in the juvenile and foster care systems. During this previous school year, she presented at the Wichita Public School’s February District In-service, sharing with other local music educators in how to incorporate kinesthetic activities into their choral warmups, helping to build trust, safety, and community within the choral classroom. Recently, she has served as a Teacher Coordinator at Wichita State University’s Kodály Treble Choir Camp. Eileen is passionate about utilizing the joy of music and discipline of choir to aid young people in their personal growth and development. She conducted her first research project to gather data and information in utilizing team building activities to motivate and build intrapersonal skills amongst a choir. Eileen is currently partnering with Shawn Chastain and the ARISE (African- Americans Renewing Interest in Spirituals) Ensemble of Wichita to provide an enrichment learning opportunity and benefit concert to the students of Juniper Arts Academy over the summer. She looks forward to both her and her students hosting ARISE at Mead Middle School during this next school year of 2022-2023.


​Nomination Criteria and Procedures
Nominations are due June 1, 2023.

Nominee Criteria:
  • Successful teaching and performance in choral music in Kansas
  • Professional demeanor in interactions with colleagues
  • Potential as an exemplary professional with an extended career in choral music
  • A spirit of service through active participation and involvement in KCDA and/or KMEA 

Selection Procedure:
  • Nominations will be solicited from the general membership of KCDA
  • Nominees must be current members of KCDA in their third, fourth, or fifth year of experience as a choral director,    currently teaching in the state of Kansas 
  • Nominations must include biographical information, a letter of nomination from a current member of KCDA, and a letter of support from an administrator, supervisor, or mentor.
  • The KCDA Executive Board will serve as the selection committee for reviewing nominations and voting to select a                            recipient.
  • Nominations may be resubmitted anytime during the eligibility period (three to five years of experience), but are not automatically carried forward for future consideration.​​



The Prelude Award is presented at the Kansas Choral Directors Association Summer Convention in Topeka, Kansas.
Past Award Winners
2021 - Logan Caywood
2020 – Karis Nichols
2019 - Julia Miller 
2018 - Shawn Gamache
2017 - Darren Enns
2016 - Tiffani N. Thompson 
2015 - Eli Jones
2014 - Jon Duncan
2013 - not awarded
2012 - not awarded
2011 - Alex Underwood
2010 - Janie Brokenicky
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    NOMINATION FORM