Children and youth from grades 2 to 12 are invited to join the Young Sudbury Singers as they begin the second half of their 2021-22 season.
Participants can expect to sing, laugh, and learn a wide variety of music in a safe and supportive environment that will foster a lifelong love of singing, said a press release.
Rehearsals resumed Jan. 19. In light of the recent provincial announcement, the term will begin with online rehearsals using Zoom software. Registrations will be accepted until Wednesday, Jan. 26 - the Zoom link will be provided to those who register.
New students are welcome to attend their first session at no cost, to see if this activity is right for them - auditions are not required.
The Young Sudbury Singers offer two choirs that families can choose from:
The junior choir (for Grade 2 to 4) will rehearse on Wednesdays from 6 to 7 pm.
Junior choir director Colette Nadeau conducts the school band and choir at R. L. Beattie PS and serves as executive director for the Northern Ontario Music Festival.
The senior choir (Grade 5 and up) will rehearse on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:15 pm.
Senior choir director Heather Charsley teaches music and the arts at C. R. Judd Public School, and serves as the director of music at St. Alban the Martyr Church.
When the current gathering restrictions are lifted, both choirs will rehearse in-person weekly at the Sudbury Theatre Centre (170 Shaughnessy St. in downtown Sudbury) until late April / early May.
The following health and safety protocols will be in place for in-person sessions:
Each choir is limited to 20 participants, to allow for appropriate physical distancing.
Masks must be worn at all times while inside. Each participant will be provided with their own specialized singer’s mask.
COVID screening will be done as each child arrives for their weekly rehearsal. (While vaccination against COVID-19 is not a mandatory requirement for participation in the choir, we strongly encourage children to be vaccinated as soon as they are able to do so.)
Hand sanitizer will be readily available in each rehearsal space and in the washrooms.
If the public health conditions do not allow for the resumption of in-person gatherings, choir rehearsals will continue in an online format on Zoom.
Choir members will have the opportunity to participate in video-recording projects that will be shared with the public on the group’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Outdoor singing events may also be part of our season.
Tentative plans for the new year include participation in the Sudbury Music Festival in April and concerts in conjunction with other local choirs. Decisions about public performances will be finalized as the season progresses, taking into account the public gathering restrictions in place at a given time.
More information about the 2021-22 season is available at www.youngsudburysingers.ca.
The Young Sudbury Singers have kept registration fees low so that the choir remains accessible to all youth in the community. Fees for the winter term are $135 for the senior choir and $120 for the junior choir. Uniform shirts for new singers cost $25.
Discounts are available for families with two or more singers. Families may also apply to our Sponsorship Fund to partially subsidize their fees.
To complete an online registration form, visit www.youngsudburysingers.ca.
