May 01, 2008

Children's choir to present year-end concert

by Eric Welch

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois Children's Choir will perform its year-end concert at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, at the First Baptist Church, located at 302 W. Main St. in Carbondale. The concert is free and open to the public, with donations accepted at the door.

The choir, which is affiliated with the Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Music, will present "Voices United for a Better World."

The choir features 73 children from age four through eighth grade from roughly six counties in Southern Illinois. It is divided into four smaller treble choirs of varying age and skill level including the Kinder, Apprentice, Singer and Chorister Choirs. They will all be under the direction of Alice Berry.

Since it began in 1990 with 45 members, the choir has grown into a premier touring group. Its young singers have performed the national anthem at White Sox and Cardinals games, toured overseas and have even sung in London and at Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England.

Any child can be in the Southern Illinois Children's Choir, but three of the four choirs require an audition for membership. The choir also hosts a camp at SIUC every summer for area children interested in the choir or just in singing and having fun. For more information about the concert or the choir, contact Alice Berry at 618/687-2064 or joyousinging@yahoo.com.