on a high note CHORAL PROGRAMS IN PRINCE WILLIAM
Having a Lifelong Impact on Our Area’s Youth By Amy Falkofske
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amed Italian opera singer Lucian Pavarotti once said, “If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them.” Taking a glimpse into the youth choral programs in the Greater Prince William area, you can certainly see all the wonderful things the area’s youth gain from participating in music.
The Greater Manassas Children’s Choir The Greater Manassas Children’s Choir got its start seven years ago when the Manassas Chorale and its Artistic Director, Becky Verner, decided they wanted to create a children’s choir. GMCC consists of two choirs, Younger Choir for grades 2-4 and Older Choir for grades 5-8. Verner directs the Older Choir. “Our choirs are diverse in terms of our singers and come from a variety of school and home-school settings. Interested singers do a simple voice check before or after their first rehearsal by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ for us in high and low keys,” said Verner. CMCC starts its year in September and gives its first concert in early December. Later in the month, the children share their music with residents in local assisted living facilities. They start learning new music in January and perform two spring concerts, one in May and one in June. This year’s May concert took place on May 1 and was about seizing the day and being kind. This month, CMCC will perform with the Manassas Chorale at the Hylton Center in a concert titled “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” Visit manassaschorale.org for more information.
Manassas Park High School “The MPHS Choir Program aims to provide a comprehensive choral music education to all interested singers. The ensembles offer challenging music education opportunities for all levels of singers,’ said Kristina Schenck, choral director at MPHS.
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MPHS has two choirs that meet during the first semester, Bella Voce, a treble choir, and MP singers, a bass choir. Concert Choir, a mixed ensemble consisting of soprano, alto, treble, and bass singers, meets during the second semester and builds on the skills learned in the first semester. Chamber Singers is for singers who sing more advanced repertoire. It meets both semesters.
Osbourn Park High School Even though Osbourn Park is a center for BioTechnology, the school has a robust music program. Dominick Izzo is one of four music directors at the school and is the Director of Choral Music. There are five choirs at Osbourn Park, Bella Voce for treble voices and Fella Jackets for bass voices. Both of these choirs are for incoming freshmen. Older students are eligible to audition for one of three select ensembles, Cantus, an advanced treble choir, Concert Choir, an advanced mixed choir, and Madrigals, the school’s top chamber choir. “We are continually recognized as a ‘Blue Ribbon School for Musical Excellence in Virginia’ based on our state performance assessment scores,” said Izzo. Additionally, the Osbourn Park choral program performs regularly for football games, ceremonies, Christmas tree lightings, and other community events. Every year, they also team up with Brentsville and Patriot High Schools to put on a Messiah sing-a-long at the Hylton Center.
Marsteller Middle School Phillip Keirstead has been one of two choral directors at Marsteller Middle School for 15 years. He coteaches with Julie Phelan, who is in her 17th year at Marsteller. Prince William County Public Schools requires a performance-based music class in 6th and 7th grade. Keirstead and Phelan work on the same skills and music with their classes and combine them when preparing for concerts.
