Campanella Children's Choir a finalist for national award
There's big news out of the Campanella Children's Choir camp.
The Northbrook choir, directed by Marianna Kosaya, on June 30 was named a 2021 finalist for choral performance in the youth division of The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, based in Danbury, Connecticut.
Campanella was among eight national finalists in its category, chosen from submitted recordings. Campanella submitted several hours of live recordings, including excerpts from its "Winter Magic" concert in December 2019 and a 20th anniversary "Winter Magic" concert in January 2020.
Of the five categories The American Prize acknowledges in choral performance, Campanella joined only the Constellation Men's Ensemble of Chicago, in the professional division, in hailing from Illinois.
"We kind of submitted them and forgot about it," said Campanella Children's Choir board member Julie Yarosh.
"Obviously, it's a very prestigious competition and we were hoping that we would participate. Then, all of a sudden, we were notified we were in the semifinals. We were ecstatic, there was a lot of jumping up and down. Then the next thing we know, we are being notified we are in the finals," she said.
A date announcing chorus winners has yet to be posted by The American Prize.
The 20-year-old Campanella Children's Choir, housed in St. Giles Church, 3025 Walters Ave., started live rehearsals again on April 30, Yarosh said.
Twenty members performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" virtually before a May 27 White Sox game, and on June 13 Campanella performed at Village Green. Under the theme "Up Above My Head: Music in the Air," they sang songs from Spain, France, Russia, Africa and the United States.
"It feels like the family is back together again," said Yarosh, noting that Campanella's next outdoor show will be noon Sept. 12 at Henry Kalk Park, 260 Park Ave., Glencoe. If it's raining, it'll be held at the same time at Glencoe Union Church, 263 Park Ave.
The Campanella Choir family looks to expand. Registration and auditions are open for Campanella's fall semester, which runs Aug. 24 to Jan. 16, 2022. The program offers a Beginner's choir and a Prelude choir for children up to second grade; a Harmony choir (grades 3-5) and Concert choir (grades 6-12); and an all-ages Chamber choir and a Family choir.
Campanella also offers classes in art, drawing and painting, and Russian language enrichment.
For information, email Kosaya at marianna@campanellacenter.org or call (847) 361-7989.
"It's kind of a hybrid approach," Yarosh said of the program. "When the kids are in the choir they're also getting a fair amount of music theory. So the music theory practice is done online. But the choir rehearsals are done in person with all the appropriate precautions - masks, sanitizers, physical distancing and everything.
"When at all possible we are rehearsing outside, but when the weather doesn't allow we are rehearsing inside the church."
Just be prepared to celebrate like they did when Campanella Children's Choir was named a finalist for The American Prize.