April 27, 2012
OBU's Music Preparatory Department will conduct auditions for Young Singers of Central Oklahoma choirs, for students in grades 3-12, on Tuesday, May 1, Tuesday, May 8, and Thursday, May 10, from 3-5 p.m. in Raley Chapel room 143.
All interested students in grades 3-12 from Shawnee and the surrounding area are invited to audition for age-appropriate groups of singers. For additional information or to audition by appointment on a different day, contact Conchita Hansford, OBU Preparatory Department director, at (405) 878-2319.
Auditioning students will be asked to sing "Happy Birthday" and are auditioned in order of arrival. Three choirs are available for various age groups. All girls and boys, with both changed and unchanged voices, are encouraged to audition. The tuition fee for each choir is $75 per semester or $150 for the year.
Shawnee Honor Choir, in its 30th year, is an auditioned group of third- through seventh-grade students from Shawnee and the surrounding area. The choir, directed by Hansford, is represented by 17 different schools from Midwest City to Seminole. The children study and perform a wide variety of music ranging from unison songs to the more challenged two- and three-part treble choir literature.
The Shawnee Honor Choir is dedicated to the philosophy that through the learning and performance of excellent choral literature, the lives of the choir members, as well as the lives of their families and community, will be enriched both artistically and musically. The playing of Orff instruments, hand chimes and rhythm instruments is also an enjoyable aspect of the choir experience. The choir performs annually in 12 area schools, presents four formal public concerts and frequently presents programs at community events. The choir, which meets on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:15 p.m., has performed five times for the Oklahoma Music Educators Association State Convention in Tulsa.
Concert Choir is designed to provide eighth- through 12th-grade students with singing experiences that increase individual musicianship and enhance personal growth and development. Concert Choir is directed by Dr. Casey Gerber, OBU assistant professor of music and coordinator of music education. The choir is dedicated to the philosophy that performance of quality choral literature can provide a source of great joy and enrichment for the individual and for the community. The choir is represented by students from many area upper middle school and high schools.
Performance highlights for the Concert Choir have included the Organization of American Kodaly Educators National Conference in Virginia; the Oklahoma Music Educators Association State Convention in Tulsa; a tour to Arizona; performances in Branson, Mo.; and the American Choral Directors National Convention in Los Angeles, Calif. Along with two on-campus concerts each year, the choir performs for schools and businesses, as well as Sterling House, an assisted living facility in Shawnee. The choir rehearses on Tuesday afternoons from 5-6:30 p.m.
Discovery Singers, for non-auditioned children ages 7 and up, is offered to help children develop their voices and prepare them for future choir success. The class meets on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and is taught by Gerber. No audition is needed for this choir. Parents should call Hansford at (405) 878-2319 to enroll a child.