The North Carolina Summer Instit

The North Carolina Summer Institute in Choral Art, Inc.

A Summer Music Camp for Elementary, Middle & High School Students and Teachers Seeking National Board Certification in Music.

We warmly welcome our 2009 Choirs-in-Residence!

Augusta Children's Chorale

From its early stages, Augusta Children's Chorale grew and established itself as a non-profit organization with a board of directors to govern, regulate, and direct the growth and future of the group. With a goal to capture the talents of children who show an exceptional aptitude in music and to further their education in music (choral art in particular), ACC rapidly acquired the distinction of successfully training and providing opportunities for children with elevated levels of vocal talent.

In 1998, ACC expanded its reach by adding a preparatory choir for talented singers whose potentials could be boosted by substantive training in fundamentals. The two-tiered program enables more advanced singers to receive in-depth training with more difficult music and to develop greater professional performance skills; it provides a step-up program for those who have potential but need a firmer basic foundation. ACC is the only vocal organization of its kind serving the greater Augusta area. The organization has become well-respected by other arts organizations in the area and strives to develop and showcase the extraordinary vocal potential in children from this area.

Linda Leslie Bradberry, Founder and Musical Director

of the Augusta Children's Chorale, graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in piano performance. A native of Atlanta, she moved to the Augusta area following graduation and opened a private piano studio and later founded the piano department at Davidson School of Fine Arts. She was Director of Music at Thomson United Methodist Church for a number of years before becoming Director of Music Ministry at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, her current position. She has served as director/conductor/coordinator of numerous district, regional, and jurisdictional programs and events in both sacred and secular organizations, and has accepted many invitations to be guest clinician for camps, workshops, choral groups, clinics, and events. Bradberry has been involved in various arts organizations and served a term as President of the Augusta Ballet and Chorus Master of the Augusta Opera. Having received recognition and honors representing her leadership in the music arena, she was featured in the Augusta Business Magazine and Augusta Magazine. She was awarded the 1999 Arts Recognition Award for Arts Professional presented by the Greater Augusta Arts Council. www.augustachildrenschorale.org

Voices in the Laurel

Voices in the Laurel is a non-profit, independent, community outreach treble choir program for singers in first through twelfth grades. Members must pass a musical audition and participate in weekly rehearsals. Currently in its thirteenth season, Voices in the Laurel is based in Lake Junaluska , North Carolina . The choirs consist of approximately 100 young people from all over western North Carolina including members from Haywood, Buncombe, Jackson and Swain Counties .

Voices in the Laurel includes four levels of choirs: Treble Makers for singers in grades one and two; Concert Choir for singers in grades three, four and five; and Chamber Choir for singers in grades six through twelve. The touring choir is called Vanguard, which consists of an ensemble of singers from Chamber Choir. These choristers rehearse weekly from August through May, and some participate in special concerts, camps and other activities during the summer months.

Rehearsals focus on teaching music through choral music and developing healthy singing habits and beautiful voices. In addition to the vocal coaching and musicianship, the choir members learn teamwork, discipline, leadership, as well as history and culture through the texts of the music. Voices in the Laurel Choirs sing many styles of music, including classical and art music, multi-cultural music from all over the world, gospel and African-American spirituals, and even Broadway and jazz numbers. The choirs are often accompanied by professional solo instrumentalists, chamber and string orchestras, and jazz trios. These are profound music experiences for these young singers, many of whom would not have these opportunities outside of Voices in the Laurel. It is the only organization of this kind in western North Carolina .
Martha Weathers Brown founded Voices in the Laurel in 1996, and continues to serve as the Artistic Director for all of the choirs. Brown has been a public school music teacher for sixteen years on elementary, middle and high school levels. In addition, she has worked as the children's choir and Chancel Choir director at Long's Chapel United Methodist Church , where she continues to be an active music volunteer. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Asbury College in Wilmore , Kentucky ; a Master of Music in Education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro ; and finally, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. There is not a more beautiful sound in the world that that of a children's choir singing their best. I knew this work was my calling the first time I heard a community children's choir while I was at UNCG. Non-profit business is challenging at best, but every moment of hard work is worth it when the choir sings that first note at a concert.

Durham Children's Choir

The mission of the Durham Children's Choir is to provide an opportunity for outstanding young singers in the Durham North Carolina community to learn a wide variety of high quality choral music, both sacred and secular, and to share that music with the community through public performances.

The Durham Children's Choir is a singing group of students in grades three through eight from the Durham area. The first auditions were held for the choir May 17-19, 2004. Over 134 children came to the auditions; they represented most of the Durham Public elementary and middle schools, private and church schools, and home-schooled children.100 children were selected for the choir. The Choir will be directed by Scott Hill, retired teacher with the Durham Public Schools. Her associate conductor is Dena Byers, music teacher at Hillandale Elementary School. The accompanist is Vangie Poe, organist at Temple Baptist Church and private piano instructor. The choir performed with Bobby McFerrin in their Inaugural Season at Duke University.

The Durham Children's Choir studies and performs a wide variety of choral music, including sacred and secular music, world music, gospel, Broadway and American popular songs. Music theory and appreciation are included in the weekly rehearsals.

Scott Hill, Founder and Director

Scott Hill retired on June 1, 2004, after 30 years of teaching choral music in the Durham Public Schools. Most recently she was Choral Director at the Durham School of the Arts, a position she held since the inception of the school in 1995. Prior to 1995 she taught at Jordan High School, Githens Junior High and Middle Schools, and several Durham County Elementary schools. Her choirs have toured and performed in major cities in the United States, as well as in Europe. These include Sister Cities exchanges in Durham, England and Kostroma, Russia and performances at the World's Fair in Seville, Spain. Mrs. Hill has served as guest conductor and adjudicator at choral music festivals in Virginia and North Carolina and helped establish the first NC All-State Junior High Choral Festival. She has been an Adjunct Instructor in Music Education at Meredith College and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is active in the Choral Society of Durham, having served as accompanist for that group for 7 years. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Brightleaf Music Workshop; she also served as guest conductor and clinician at the workshop.

Greensboro Youth Chorus

Conductor: Nana Wolfe

Accompanists: Ann Doyle and Tom Shelton

In this chorus emphasis is placed on vocal and reading skills to meet the needs of young singers grades 3 and up. The curriculum will be based on games and reading readiness skills. Singers will have performance opportunities throughout the year.

The Greensboro Youth Chorus is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Music Center, City Arts and the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department. Ann Doyle founded the GYC through the sponsorship of the Music Center in the spring of 1988. For two years the GYC was co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greensboro. Initially the GYC rehearsed at the Village Green Retirement Community on Meadowview Rd. Since 1991 the chorus has enjoyed the rehearsal facility at the Cultural Arts Center on Davie St. In 2001, UNCG graciously allowed the Cantabile Singers use of the School of Music building for their rehearsals. All of the GYC groups currently rehearse at the Cultural Arts Center.

GYC is now celebrating 21 years of choral excellence, with current enrollment of over 80 auditioned singers in three choirs. Each choir represents a different level of vocal ability. The choirs range from grades 3-12. The program is a music education and performance based organization designed to provide young singers the opportunity to participate in a challenging, rewarding and enjoyable musical experience.

GYC has had many prestigious and exciting performance experiences including state, national and international competitions and festivals, as well as collaborations with outstanding conductors, composers and instrumentalists. They have performed for the Southern Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association and have toured British Columbia, Germany, France, Scotland and England. In 1998 the GYC released their first CD, Celebrating 10 Years of Choral Excellence.