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weekly memo
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CURRICULUM & ENSEMBLES
The St. Louis Children's Choirs includes a variety of ensembles to provide a challenging and age-appropriate choral musical experience for interested young singers. Sight-reading classes are also offered to strengthen music reading skills. Students must demonstrate strong music reading skills to be considered for Choristers, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers.
The SLCC consists of the following ensemble divisions, some of which meet in smaller groups meeting at different locations and times.
- Music Makers - a beginning choral experience for children in 1st and 2nd grades.
- Children's Choir - a training choir for students in 3rd grade and above.
- Chorale - an intermediate level choir for middle school students.
- Young Men's Ensemble - a choir for boys with changed or changing voices.
- Choristers - an advanced level choir for experienced students with strong
sight-reading skills.
- Concert Choir - the top treble-voiced performing choir which tours nationally
and internationally.
- Chamber Singers - a select high school ensemble singing advanced literature for mixed SATB voices.
Choirs rehearse once a week from September through May. Music Maker classes are 45 minutes long. Children's Choirs rehearse for 90 minutes, and intermediate and advanced choirs rehearse for two hours. Concert Choir, the advanced touring choir, rehearses twice a week.
The Choir Curriculum:
Students experience both classical and contemporary music written by master composers. Performing music that includes a variety of styles-- jazz and gospel, sacred and secular, folk music and Mozart, -- students grow in a choral setting where they are respected as young artists.
The St. Louis Children’s Choirs sing at Powell Symphony Hall in a holiday concert that sells out every year. Advanced choirs tour nationally and internationally, and are invited to perform with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Music Reading Classes:
Music reading classes are offered to teach basic and advanced musicianship skills. While many young people play instruments, it is a new challenge to learn to sight-read music without a keyboard or instrument to produce the sound. Students learn to read rhythms, understand key signatures, and to sing with solfege (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do) so that they can sing more challenging music. Music Reading classes are offered for students at the Chorale level and up. Classes are 30 minutes long and are held immediately before or after rehearsals. These classes are not required, but are strongly recommended for singers who wish to progress to advanced touring choirs.
Where Do Choirs Rehearse?
Most rehearsals are held at The St. Louis Children’s Choirs main office on Ballas Road in St. Louis County, less than a mile from the intersection of Highway 40 and 270. In University City, choirs rehearse in residence at
Washington University's Trinity Music Center.