Blair Children's Chorus Program | The Blair Suzuki Players | Youth Orchestra Program

BLAIR CHILDREN'S CHORUS PROGRAM


Audition date for 2008 - Saturday, August 23, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

If you have questions about the Blair Children's Chorus Program,
please e-mail the director at Hazel.Somerville@Vanderbilt.edu

Our Mission
We believe that all children are musical and that all children need to make music. We believe that children can be musical artists: a well-prepared children's choir can make music of stunning beauty. Blair Children's Chorus Program exists to make and share beautiful music of all times and places with children and audiences.

Our Goals

1. To help each child develop a healthy vocal technique that will last for a lifetime.
2. To help each child learn and develop measurable skills in musicianship and musical literacy
3. To help each child develop an appreciation for the vast wealth of beautiful music from every time and place.
4. To place each child in a choir that will fit their skills, needs and maturity, and encourage them to progress and grow.

The Blair Children's Chorus Tradition
The Blair Children's Chorus Program was established as part of the pre-college division of Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, in 1986. The program is classically based, with strong emphases on healthy vocal production, music reading skills and performance, and the program strives to choose repertoire of the highest musical standard. The singers, grades 3-12, come from all over the Middle Tennessee area. Blair Children's Chorus graduates have earned scholarships in music at some of the nation's finest universities.

The Blair Children's Chorus Program has a distinguished history of sharing the love of music with hundreds of children, developing fine musicians and offering the Nashville community quality concerts. The Blair Children's Chorus has performed with The Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the Tennessee Opera, and has recorded with Shania Twain and other country and pop artists. Recent tours and festivals have taken the choir to Toronto, Seattle, Vancouver, New England, Salzburg, Vienna, and London.

Ensembles
This tiered choral program is designed for children in grades 3-12. Admission to the program is determined by auditions held twice a year during fall and spring registration periods.

Blair Concert Choir • Hazel Somerville, director
Girls, grades 7-12
Rehearsals are on Mondays, from 4:30-6:15 p.m.

This select choir gives 12-14 concerts each year, tours for a week each summer and attends a weekend fall camp. Singers in this choir are expected to have a high degree of interest and dedication, good self-discipline and the willingness to work hard to achieve goals. While solo quality is not necessary, each singer's technique should be healthy and unforced, with a free and even sound throughout a fairly large range. Concert Choir singers are able to read most rhythms and some melodies at sight.

All Concert Choir members are expected to participate in the summer tour, usually in early June. When on tour, the choir gives lots of concerts, often in conjunction with other choirs, does lots of sightseeing - particularly museums and concerts, and has lots of fun! Tour is an integral part of the teaching curriculum. In 2004, the choir will be touring eastern Germany and the Czech Republic.

Blair Choristers • Hazel Somerville, director
Girls, grades 5 and up
Rehearsals are on Mondays, from 6:00-7:15 p.m.

This intermediate level choir performs 4-6 concerts per year in the Middle Tennessee area, and attends camp each fall. Healthy vocal technique, sightreading and performance skills are stressed, and they sometimes join Concert Choir in local performances.

Nashville Boychoir at Blair • Hazel Somerville, director
Boys, grades 3 and up
Rehearsals are on Thursdays, from 4:15-5:15 p.m.

Boys in this dynamic group enjoy exploring their vocal talents and learning how to read music together. They perform several times each semester in collaboration with other arts organizations, for community and civic events and at Blair. A pleasant, unforced vocal quality and a love of singing are the most important attributes we seek in new singers.

Young Men's Chorus • Hazel Somerville, director
Boys whose voices have changed, through high school
Rehearsals are on Thursdays, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

This ensemble is open to boys through high school whose voices are changing or have changed. Vocal Techniques are explored and there are several opportunities to perform.

Young Singers of Blair • Coni Ely Guerin, director
Girls, grades 3 and up
Rehearsals are on Thursdays, from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

This beginning choir is open to girls in grades 3 and above. This choir stresses singing fundamentals, music reading, and musicianship. Previous choral experience is not necessary; we look for a free singing tone that is on pitch and in tune, a love of singing and a desire to be part of a team.

Preparatory Chorus • Amy Alley, director
Boys and Girls, grades 1-3
Rehearsals are on Thursdays, from 4:00-5:00 p.m.

This beginning choral ensemble is open to boys and girls in grades 1-3. This choir stresses the healthy use of young voices. THe basics of music reading are taught through games and activities and a short concert is presented for parents at the end of the semester.

Concert Information

Summer Camp
Each summer the Blair Children's Chorus program hosts a 3-day music camp open to the public to share and encourage musicianship in the community. The students, grades 2-6, learn music and singing fundamentals in preparation for a concert performance at the end of the camp.

THE BLAIR SUZUKI PLAYERS
Carol Smith, director

Suzuki students recommended by their private teachers are selected by audition for participation in this group. The Blair Suzuki Players perform at Blair and also for functions outside the school.

NASHVILLE YOUTH ORCHESTRA PROGRAM
Carol Nies, director

Audition, Rehearsal and Tuition Information

If you have questions about the Nashville Youth Orchestra Program,
please e-mail the director at Carol.Nies@Vanderbilt.edu

Curb Youth Symphony | Nashville Youth Repertory Orchestra
Youth Strings Orchestra | Suzuki Reading Orchestra
Beginning Reading Orchestra

The Nashville Youth Orchestra Program encompasses seven student orchestras at different levels of skill. All orchestras are open by audition to students in Nashville and surrounding communities. Auditions are held the last two weeks in August. Students accepted for membership are encouraged to be in good standing in their own school music organizations. Designed to reward and enhance the efforts of music students, the program provides unique opportunities for contact with orchestral literature and for performance with professional coaches and conductors.

Curb Youth Symphony (CYS) • Carol Nies, conductor
The Curb Youth Symphony is the most advanced ensemble. It performs standard orchestral literature in a three- or four-concert season. Winners of the CYS Concerto Contest are featured on each concert. Students will have the opportunity to work with both Nashville Symphony Orchestra members and Blair School of Music faculty members in section rehearsals and master classes.
The Curb Youth Symphony is sponsored by the Blair School of Music and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

Nashville Youth Repertory Orchestra (YRO) • Sally McFadden, conductor
The Repertory Orchestra is a training orchestra that performs arrangements of standard repertoire. The orchestra presents several concerts each season.

Youth Strings Orchestra (YSO -3 sections) • Celeste Tuten, conductor
The Youth Strings Orchestra provides training for young string students who are able to read at least level one music, preparing them for admittance into the Repertory Orchestra. This group gives two or three concerts each season.

Suzuki Reading Orchestra (SRO) • Celeste Tuten, conductor
The Suzuki Reading Orchestra focuses on strengthening music-reading skills of Suzuki and traditional students studying violin, viola, and cello. This class continues to develop music-reading skills and expand knowledge of scales and music theory. This ensemble gives two or three concerts each season.

Beginning Reading Orchestra (BRO) • Celeste Tuten, conductor
The Beginning Reading Orchestra (BRO) introduces fundamentals of orchestral playing, music theory, and develops music-reading skills. This ensemble gives two or three concerts each season.

2008-2009 AUDITION, REHEARSAL and TUITION INFORMATION

CURB YOUTH SYMPHONY:
Rehearsals: 6:35- 9:05 p.m., Monday evenings
Instrumental Rehearsal Hall, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University
2400 Blakemore Ave.

AUDITIONS: August 17-28, 2008

Call (615) 322-5815 (after July 15) or e-mail Robin.Winkowski@yahoo.com (after July 15) to schedule an audition. Please include the following information in your e-mail or phone message: your full name, grade level, phone number, instrument, years of instrumental study, and which orchestra you are auditioning for.

Audition requirements:

• A prepared solo
• All major scales and arpeggios
• All melodic minor scales and arpeggios
• Sight-reading

NASHVILLE YOUTH REPERTORY ORCHESTRA:
Rehearsals: 6:30-8:45 PM, Tuesday evenings
Instrumental Rehearsal Hall, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University
2400 Blakemore Ave.

AUDITIONS: August 16 and 23, 2008

Call (615) 322-5815 (after July 15) or e-mail Robin.Winkowski@yahoo.com (after July 15) to schedule an audition. Please include the following information in your e-mail or phone message: your full name, grade level, phone number, instrument, years of instrumental study, and which orchestra you are auditioning for.

Audition requirements:

• A prepared solo
• Major scales (Up to three flats or three sharps - C, G, D, A, F, Bb, Eb)
• Sight-reading

YOUTH STRINGS ORCHESTRA:
Rehearsals:
YSO I - 5:00-6:0O p.m., Tuesday evenings
YSO II - 6:00-7:0O p.m., Tuesday evenings
YSO III - 7:00-8:0O p.m., Tuesday evenings
Room 2192, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University
2400 Blakemore Ave.

AUDITIONS: August 18, 19, 21, 25, 26, and 28, 2008
Call (615) 746-5212 (after July 15) to schedule an audition
Rehearsals begin September 2, 2008

Audition requirements:

• A prepared solo
• Major scales (Two octaves: C, G, D, A, F, Bb, Eb)
• Sight-reading

SUZUKI READING ORCHESTRA:
Rehearsals: 7:00-8:00 p.m., Thursday evenings
Room 2192, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University
2400 Blakemore Ave.

AUDITIONS: August 18, 19, 21, 25, 26, and 28, 2008
Call (615) 746-5212 (after July 15) to schedule an audition
Rehearsals begin September 2, 2008

Audition requirements:

• A prepared solo
• Major scales (One octave - C, G, D, A, F, Bb, Eb)
• Sight-reading

BEGINNING READING ORCHESTRA:
Rehearsals: 6:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday evenings
Room 2192, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University
2400 Blakemore Ave.

AUDITIONS: August 18, 19, 21, 25, 26, and 28, 2008
Call (615) 746-5212 (after July 15) to schedule an audition
Rehearsals begin September 2, 2008

Audition requirements:

• A prepared solo
• Major scales (One octave - C, G, D, A)
• Sight-reading

NYOP tuition for the 2008-2009 season is $100 per semester. Please make checks payable to the BLAIR SCHOOL OF MUSIC, with a notation on the check that it is for CYS, NYRO, YSO I (5:00 p.m. section), YSO II (6:00 p.m. section), YSO III (7:00 p.m. section), SRO or BRO tuition.
Please mail all checks by OCTOBER 1 (SEMESTER I) and JANUARY 17 (SEMESTER II) to:

BLAIR SCHOOL OF MUSIC
ASSOCIATE REGISTRAR
2400 BLAKEMORE AVE.
NASHVILLE, TN. 37212