- By Michael Ludgate
- Entertainment
Print 
The Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) announced the Ithaca Children’s Choir (ICC) Fall Concert, titled "Sing To Me," under the direction of Dr. Janet Galván on Tuesday, November 19th at 7:30 pm in St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 402 N. Aurora St., Ithaca.“The program will be one of great variety,” states Dr. Janet Galván, ICC Artistic Director. “The Ithaca Children’s Choir is the area's first group that embraced multicultural repertoire and has fostered teaching in cultural and social context.”
Over 100 youth from ages 7 to 19, comprising five different choral groups, will take to the stage at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Ithaca on Tuesday, November 19 at 7:30 pm for The ICC’s Fall Concert.
The ICC is comprised of five spirited choirs of varying ages. All five choirs are performing for this rousing event: Training Choir, Senior Choir, Choraliers, Young Men’s Chorus of Ithaca, and Chorale. The theme of this year’s fall concert, "Sing To Me" derives from the title of a piece by Andrea Ramsey that will be sung by the Chorale and Choraliers together. In keeping with ICC tradition, the concert will begin with Jubilate Deo, a traditional Praetorius canon. This concert will also feature a Gospel number by Raymond Wise, who was ICC’s guest artist this summer at the annual Choral Music Experience Workshop, along with works by Bach, a Slovakian lullaby, a work by NY composer Lee Hoiby, an Appalachian folk song, and many more breathtaking songs.
An ensemble of the Community School of Music and Arts, ICC was founded in 1983. For over a quarter century this top-flight choral training program, under the artistic direction of Dr. Janet Galván, has enchanted area audiences. ICC is now a nationally recognized youth program for beginning to advanced singers, committed to excellence while offering an environment of support and cooperation for the vocalists. Students sing an internationally diverse repertoire of the highest caliber in this year-long program.
Additionally, ICC is a model program of town and gown cooperation. Each year the ensembles sponsor a Dana Intern from Ithaca College. The interns grow tremendously as artist teachers while working with the various ensembles. Ithaca College students also observe the ensembles to see their college professors and recent alumni work with young people in a community setting. Many of the observers become volunteers with ICC.
This year, ten members of ICC have been selected for the American Choral Directors Association's Eastern Region High School Honor Choir in Baltimore, Maryland which will happen in February of 2014.
ICC’s conducting staff is led by Dr. Janet Galván, Artistic Director. Dr. Galván is Professor of Music at Ithaca College, where she conducts the Ithaca College Women’s Chorale and the Ithaca College Chorus. She has received many awards, including the ACDA New York Outstanding Choral Director Award. Dr. Galván has conducted choirs at numerous venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, and others in Ireland, Italy and Spain.
Other distinguished choral directors involved in the ICC program are Dr. Emily Mason (Senior Choir and Choraliers); Emily Richards (Training Choir); and Michael Wade (Young Men’s Chorus).
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