The Mennonite Children's Choir of Lancaster (MCCL) is holding auditions for the 2019-20 choir year. Auditions include matching pitch, singing in tune, using head voice, maintaining a melodic line while another line is being sung, and singing one prepared piece of music.
MCCL serves more than 150 singers in Carol Choir, grades two to five; Concert Choir, grades six to eight; and Chamber Choir, grades nine to 12. The choirs practice weekly on Tuesday evenings from late August through early May.
Prospective singers should schedule a 15-minute audition time slot with director Sarah Wingard at 540-383-9986 or carolandconcertchoir@lancastermennonite.org.
The choirs are led by Wingard and artistic director Rosemary Blessing. Blessing holds degrees in piano performance and business administration from Eastern Mennonite University and has pursued graduate study in choral music. She maintains a private piano studio and teaches piano at Franklin & Marshall College. She is an active pianist in the Lancaster area and currently plays with the Allegro Orchestra.
Wingard earned her bachelor's degree in music education from Messiah College with a concentration in voice and extensive study in piano. Growing up in Virginia, she gained early musical experience singing with the nationally acclaimed Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir. She teaches elementary music at the Locust Grove campus of Lancaster Mennonite School. Wingard also sings and regularly solos with the Susquehanna Chorale.
MCCL is also accepting registrations for two nonauditioned programs that develop vocal skills: Prelude Music for children in kindergarten and grade one and Choristers for youths in grades two to eight. Classes are held Tuesday evenings from September through November and again from February through April. To register, readers may contact Maria Bowman at 717-715-9905 or mcclchoirmanager@lancastermennonite.org.
MCCL, a program of Lancaster Mennonite School, is open to the community. For more information, readers may visit http://www.mennonitechildrenschoir.org.
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