The concerts will be held in 草莓社区’s (EMU) .

The (ages 8-11), (ages 10-15) and the (ages 11-18) will present a variety of music, including folks songs, world songs and sacred songs focusing on the themes of friendship, nature, love and peacemaking. Guest instrumentalists will accompany the choirs, with regular staff directing the SVCC.

The SVCC will be welcome back alumni for a rehearsal, lunch and reacquainting period before the March 17 concert. The Alumni Choir will join with the SVCC choirs for a medley of “O Freedom” and “Siyahamba,” while “Let there Be Peace on Earth” will be performed as a separate piece.

The Concert Choir will be singing much of their set from the invitational performance March 2 in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Choir sang to 2,000 choral directors and were selected from a pool of 100 applicants to sing at the invitational conference.

A mid-day rehearsal and lunch will take place at EMU. Complimentary admission will be given to alumni to who attend either of the concerts.

More information on SVCC

The acclaimed children鈥檚 choir, under the direction of Artistic Director and Founder , has performed in venues across the world including Italy, Hawaii and New York City, and have sung for聽 numerous music conferences including American Choral Directors Association, Virginia Music Educators Conference and The American Association of Kodaly Educators.

In addition, the choirs have sung at the White House and for the National Tree Lighting with opera star Placido Domingo, with the American Boychoir and for several presidents. Most recently the SVCC performed the Christmas Tours at the White House. They have recently released their fifteenth CD entitled “Twenty Years of Song.”

The SVCC is sponsoring a first-time Boychoir six-week session in April and May, for boys ages 8-13 with unchanged voices. For more information see the .

Members of the Concert Choir will sing at Carnegie Hall May 26 at a children鈥檚 choir festival. Directed by Ruth Dwyer of the Indianapolis Children鈥檚 Choir, five choirs will participate in the invitational event.

Auditions for the 2012-13 season of the SVCC are May 17 and 18 and can be scheduled through Yvette Peake, manager, by calling 540-432-4650 or email yvette.peake@emu.edu.

For more information contact the EMU box office at emu.edu/boxoffice or call 540-432-4582.

In celebration of the SVCC’s twentieth anniversary, the highly acclaimed Washington Symphonic Brass (WSB) Quintet from Washington, D.C., will again join the SVCC and John Fast, professor of music at EMU and organist for the annual Christmas Concerts and sing-along.

The WSB Quintet, under the direction of Phil Snedecor, was the guest ensemble at three other SVCC Christmas concerts and was featured on two compact discs, “The Angel Choir and Trumpeter” and “Christmas Joy.”

鈥淲hen we come to Harrisonburg, we bring players that have combined experiences of over 100 years as professional musicians,” said trumpeter and WSB founder Phil Snedecor. “You would think that we would inspire them. However, it’s the SVCC who inspires us, as we experience their approach–to both their music and performance–with the wonder and excitement that drove us all into this profession many years ago. We are looking forward to this year’s 鈥榮hot in the arm’ of youthful energy that is the SVCC. Our hats are off to Julia White for building a first-rate program.”

About the concert

Children鈥檚 choir song favorites featuring the brass quintet will include 鈥淭he Angel Choir and Trumpeter,鈥� 鈥淒ing Dong, Merrily on High!鈥� and Celah Pence鈥檚 arrangement of 鈥淐hristmas Comin.'”聽 Other Christmas selections will include Vivaldi鈥檚 鈥淟audamus Te鈥� featuring Maria Lorcas on violin, the well-loved 鈥淐arol of the Bells鈥� and Carlisle Floyd鈥檚 contemporary arrangement of “Long, Long Ago.”

The Preparatory and Treble Choir will sing 鈥淒eck the Halls鈥� with the brass, as well as 鈥淭he Heavens Declare鈥� and “Winter Troika Ride.”聽 Additional performing musicians include assistant director Joy Anderson, principal accompanist Maurita Eberly, and John Fast, preparatory choir accompanist and organist.

Audience sing-alongs and hymns will be part of the annual Christmas event and young children will be invited to the front of the stage to ring bells on “Jingle Bells.”聽 Seasonal carols will be sung throughout the program.

Twentieth anniversary, Staunton concert

This concert will be one of many noted performances in the 20^th anniversary year, including performing by invitation for the American Choral Directors Southern Division conference in Winston-Salem, N.C., in March and at Carnegie Hall in New York City in May.

A Staunton Christmas concert will be given Monday, December 12, 2001, at 7 p.m. at the historic Trinity Episcopal Church.聽The Concert Choir and select small groups will be presenting holiday music and sing-along.聽Tickets will be sold at the door.聽For more information contact the SVCC office.

The SVCC, part of the music department at 草莓社区, has recently released its fifteenth CD entitled 鈥淭wenty Years of Song.鈥� It is comprised of Christmas and general choral selections from the past two years and features soloists, instrumentalists, and all three performing choirs. CDs are in Harrisonburg area stores and can be ordered over the SVCC website.

More information

Tickets are now on sale for the SVCC/Washington Symphonic Brass Christmas concert. Call the university鈥檚 box office at 540-432-4582 or purchase tickets online at emu.edu/box-office. Pre-concert date tickets are $15 for adults; $12 for students (12-22) and seniors; $7 for children (12 and under). Tickets for special reserved sections are $20. At the door: $2 more per ticket. All seating is reserved.

For more information about the SVCC:聽 or 540-432-4650.

The

The will present its spring concerts 7 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 16 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Apr. 17, at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren.

The Preparatory Choir (ages 8-11), the Treble Choir (ages 10-15) and the Concert Choir (ages 11-18) will join in singing choral music that includes classical and international music, songs from the Pacific Rim, spirituals, and newly-composed works.

The Preparatory Choir, under the direction of Joy Anderson, will sing the spiritual, "This Little Light of Mine," and the folk song, "Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be?."

The Treble Choir, the SVCC

One hundred and fifty children