Anima Young Singers helps District 44 start up choral program

Sophia Zezulak's singing skills have been progressing since she joined her church's choir in first grade, her mother said.

Now in fifth grade, she is getting more opportunities to break into song because of a new choir program for Lombard Elementary District 44 students run by Anima Young Singers of Greater Chicago.

“My daughter has been singing for a while, she's done church choirs,” Sophia's mother, Diane Zezulak, said. “This is just kind of a step above all that.”

The Lombard Young Singers group meets Monday afternoons in Glenn Westlake Middle School's music room, where students are preparing for concerts Thursday, Dec. 9, and Monday, Dec. 13, said Beth Thompson, the choir's director and a music teacher in Keeneyville District 20.

“The attendance is almost perfect every week. We've had nobody drop out, so going by that, it really seems like it's a really successful thing so far,” Thompson said.

Anima started Lombard Young Singers because District 44 discontinued a trial chorus program it ran last school year at Madison Elementary School, said Priscilla Smith, executive director of Anima, based in Glen Ellyn.

“We offered to run this choir program once a week to make up for the fact that they no longer have that at the elementary level,” Smith said. “We're definitely interested in helping out any place where they have to eliminate their choral program. We consider that sacrilege, so it's like we have to help.”

Melinda Devany, music teacher at Madison Elementary School, was in charge of the trial chorus program for students in third through fifth grades.

“At the end of trying it, the district didn't have money to hire on anyone to do that,” Devany said. “If they were going to pursue (a chorus program), they wanted it to be at all the schools, but they certainly didn't feel they had the luxury to hire anyone to do that.”

Even without Lombard Young Singers, District 44 would not be entirely devoid of elementary chorus options, as two elementary schools may run informal chorus groups, Devany said. But Lombard Young Singers offers third- to fifth-graders a more formal setup as opposed to a quick gathering to sing during lunch or recess.

“I know my daughter, she's loved that it's been offered, and the way in which they did it was really convenient,” Zezulak said. “She's really learning a lot even though it's one day a week.”

Zezulak said Sophie likely will continue with chorus when she attends Westlake Middle School next year. The preparation she and other singers are receiving from Lombard Young Singers will benefit all aspects of the middle school's music program, said Meghan Pierson, Westlake's chorus director.

“Of course, any opportunity that we can give the elementary-age kids to sing, I think that bodes well for all the music programs in the school district, not only just the choral program, but the band and orchestra programs as well,” Pierson said. “It just helps them develop as musicians.”

Thompson, who leads the chorus of 24 girls in third, fourth and fifth grades, said she hopes for an even larger group next semester and boys.

Anima plans to continue Lombard Young Singers in the spring, and may work with other school districts to start similar weekly chorus programs for other elementary students, Smith said. Students interested in joining after winter break can visit lombardyoungsingers.com for information.

“We'll see what happens,” Zezulak said. “I would hope that they will continue to offer this.”

If you go

What: Glenn Westlake Middle School choir concert

When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9

Where: Glenn Westlake Middle School, 1514 S. Main St., Lombard

Cost: Free

Details: Guest performance by Lombard Young Singers

Info: (630) 827-4500 or lombardyoungsingers.com