Midwest Young Artists’ Choral program is for talented young voices who want the best vocal preparation possible for future college vocal training and who wish to be exposed to the finest choral literature. Students experience professional vocal training, spirited direction, and intensive choral instruction. Voices Rising students perform alongside the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for their Welcome Yule! concerts in December and Chorale students join the MYA Symphony to perform major choral and symphonic literature. The MYA Choral Program includes Choristers (grades 2-4), Voices Rising (unchanged voices beginning in 5th grade) and Chorale (changed voices beginning in 9th grade)
Choral Program Offerings
Choristers, Liz Moore, Director
Choristers is MYA’s entry-level choral ensemble. This new addition to MYA’s choral groups is designed to provide younger individuals with the opportunity to experience the pleasure and camaraderie of participating in a choral ensemble.
An audition is not required.
Chorister Rehearsals: Sunday, 4:30 to 5:30 PM
Register for Choristers
Voices Rising, Gary Fry, Director
The goals of Voices Rising are to develop healthy vocal habits, to nurture the love of singing and the joy of performance, and to build musicianship and vocal skills by continually seeking excellence in music of diverse styles. Vocal educators believe that the best guidance for children who love to sing, and may want to consider future study in music, is to join a quality chorus and to take piano lessons. We accept unchanged voices beginning in 5th grade.
Voices Rising Rehearsals: Sunday, 4:30 to 6:30 PM
Audition for Voices Rising
We now have a website that makes it easy to download mp3 files of our music so that you can practice (and memorize) on your own.
Chorale, Gary Fry, Artistic Administrator
The goal of the MYA Chorale is to encourage the maturing voice to attain its best potential in preparation for future study at the collegiate level. We accept changed voices beginning in 9th grade (except by special permission of the joint choral conductors and the MYA Director.) We have an exciting 2007-2008 Season planned for the Chorale. The year will be divided into four quarters, each with a different focus and special concert! Students can choose to participate in 1, 2, 3 or all 4 quarters.
1st Quarter (September 9 - October 28)
Arias and Selections from Operas and Music Theatre
This session will be directed by Dr. Rachael Gates. Sunday Afternoon at the Opera, a 2:00 PM concert on Sunday, October 21, at the MYA Center at Fort Sheridan, will feature duets, trios, etc. from opera scenes. From those scenes, one or two will be selected to perform the following week at the Harris Theater in MYA’s The American Dream concert on Sunday, October 28, at 6:00 PM.
2nd Quarter (November 4 - December 15)
Jazz and Classical Choir Literature
Under the direction of Gary Fry, this session will culminate in two concerts, Magical Dreams, on Saturday, December 15, at 1:00 & 4:00 PM. Soloists will be chosen to perform movements from Handel’s Messiah.
3rd Quarter (January 6 - March 2)
Early Music
This session will be under the direction of Jerry Fuller, Music Director of Ars Antigua, and Dr. Allan Dennis, Director of MYA. The session will conclude in a performance on March 2, 2008, Old & New Dreams: Part 2, at First United Methodist Church of Evanston, at 6:00 PM, with a performance of J. S. Bach’s Cantate No. 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, VWV 140 with an early music chamber orchestra of MYA Symphony Orchestra members playing on authentic period instruments.
4th Quarter (March 9 - April 26)
Verdi Requiem
A collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Concert Choir, Northwestern University Choruses, and MYA Symphony Orchestra on April 26, 2008, at 7:30 PM, for Believing in Your Dreams: Part 1, at Chicago’s Civic Opera House! We will have a choir of over 200 singers - an opportunity you will not want to miss!!
Choral Rehearsals: Sunday, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Choral Program Quarters Form
Audition for Chorale
