Schaumburg Youth Choir to hold auditions

The Schaumburg Youth Choir is seeking new members for the second half of its 2014-15 season. Auditions will be held 6-7 p.m. on Sunday, 25, at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts.

The ensemble, now in its first full season, has performed throughout the area, including the Schaumburg Township Library, Schaumburg Boomer's Game, Renaissance Hotel as well as Chicago's Symphony Center this past June with the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra.

This spring the choir will present a program entitled "Sea Sky Soar," a collection of American works inspired by elements of nature. Traditional choral forms such as the shaker hymn and spiritual are explored along with music of Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, and a new work by 21st century Minnesota composer, Joshua Shank.

The choir is directed by Michael Van Camp, who studied at Carnegie Mellon University, earning both a master's degree and Advanced Music Studies certificate in conducting. He has also served as interim director of choirs at Fremd High School in Palatine and director of choirs at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates.

The Schaumburg Youth Choir is open to high school and college students, ages 15-22. High school members must be enrolled in their school chorus program. Students auditioning for the choir must prepare a solo aria or art song (students without a prepared solo will be asked to sing a short popular folk song). The audition will also include a vocal range assessment and sight reading.

The fee to participate is $125 (nearly 50 percent off the normal registration fee). Auditions are by appointment only and can be scheduled online by visiting www.schaumburgyouthchoir.org.

Rehearsals will be held Sunday evenings, 7:30-9:30 p.m., at the Prairie Center, located at 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg.

For information, call (847) 895-3600 or email drobertelli@villageofschaumburg.com.

The Schaumburg Youth Choir is sponsored by the Village of Schaumburg.

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