A statewide choir directors association is singing the praises of Lin Warren, vocal music director at Hastings High School for 28 years.

Warren was recently named the state's 2013 Choral Director of the Year by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota, and he will formally receive the award at the ACDA statewide convention on Saturday.

Award recipients must have more than 11 years experience directing choirs, set high standards and support ACDA.

Hastings' vocal music department has around 400 students singing in one or more of the nine choirs, according to the school's website.The choirs have been chosen to appear at many conventions and music festivals, both in Minnesota and nationally, under the direction of Warren and other teachers.

Warren has also won many other honors for his work with high school choirs.

In 1988, he received the Outstanding Young Choral Director Award from Minnesota's ACDA chapter. The Hastings district selected him as Teacher of the Year in 1989 and Employee of the Year in 2009.

Warren has held many positions with ACDA and helped to coordinate two national conventions.

He received a Bachelor of Music from Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska and a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.