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Free concert by Center Children’s Choirs Dec. 15 [UPDATED]
Published 1:06pm Thursday, December 6, 2012 Updated 1:07pm Thursday, December 6, 2012A Center for the Arts is proud of its children’s choirs and will be showcasing their incredible talents at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15 at AC4TA’s Fergus Theatre, 124 W. Lincoln Ave., downtown Fergus Falls. The concert is free and open to the public.
Following the concert, there will be two free family-friendly holiday movies, one beginning at 11:45 a.m. and the next one at 1:50 p.m.
For more information, call AC4TA at 218-998-ARTS (2787) or visit www.FergusArts.org.
A Center for the Arts has three children’s choirs separated by grade: Grades K-1, Grades 2-3, and Grades 4-6.
All three choirs, along with six private voice students will be performing in this year’s concert.
In additions, the Grades 2-3 and 4-6 choirs are combining to sing a fun version of “Chopsticks Christmas” featuring a piano duet.
The Grades 4-6 choir is directed by Joni Wasberg and meets on Tuesdays at Cleveland School after school during the school year. Her choir is accompanied on piano by Gloria Ronning.
Her choir also performed on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Cancer Research Center in Fergus Falls, and will perform for Olson’s Funeral Home for its memorial service on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Rebecca Sonmor teaches the two younger groups: Grade K-1 from 3:30 to 4 p.m., followed by Grade 2-3 at 4:15 to 5 p.m. Her musical accompanist is Kaele Rogers.
Her choirs meet at her new studio across the street from AC4TA above the Senior Center. Sonmor also teaches private voice lessons in her studio.
Her six younger voice students, who will be performing in this concert, are: Benjamin Junker, Brianna Loosbrock, Kindra Peterson, Anna Reard, Morgan Sikkink and Brita Sonmor.
The choir and voice students are from the Fergus Falls area (public, private and home-schooled children), Underwood, and as far away as Wahpeton.
Of the two younger choirs, Sonmor says: “We work on more than just choral music. I introduce and continue to review rhythms, music reading and solfege singing. For some of my choir students, this is their only ‘music class.’ We keep it fun and fast-paced while still teaching them the basics of music and healthy singing.”
Wasberg says, “A primary focus of the Grade 4-6 choir is helping the singers develop their voices, while at the same time training them to read a musical score. Our songs include a wide variety of music with two and three-part harmonies, and I choose music from a variety of genres, such as classical, folk and spirituals, and we insert a foreign language piece on occasion, as well.”
A Center for the Arts’ three Children’s Choirs meet after school on Tuesdays during the school year. Children interested in joining one of the three Children’s Choirs (which start on Tuesday, Jan. 15 for next semester), should contact A Center for the Arts at 218-998-ARTS (2787) or stop by the Fergus Theatre lobby at 124 W. Lincoln Ave. in downtown Fergus Falls.
