Chorister Profiles | 2024 - 2025 Seniors

We have an outstanding group of seniors in the FCCC this year! It is always interesting to learn about them, their favorite songs and to hear their thoughts about the choir. Below is the first group of profiles for this season. Congratulations to these talented singers!

Name: Scarlett Robbins

Age: 17

School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Town: Fairfield

Favorite FCCC Song: Kafal Sviri, City Called Heaven, When I Fall in Love (it’s so hard to choose just one!)

For me, FCCC is more than just a group of kids who rehearse together on Monday and Wednesday nights, this choir is a place where I feel strong and supported - working with conductors and fellow singers who motivate me to rise to the challenge of difficult repertoire and high expectations. Over the past nine years I’ve made so many memories, bonding with my choir friends and performing in incredible places, but what really sticks with me are the feelings that I associate with a successful FCCC performance. There's the pride of getting to sing in famous places like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, the simple joy of making an audience member smile, and the indescribable feeling of singing in a group of talented musicians who are just as dedicated to our sound as I am. Choir is truly a team effort, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of the incredible group that is FCCC.

Name: Saanvi Reddy

Age: 17

School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Town: Fairfield

Favorite FCCC Song: Bridge Over Troubled Water, City Called Heaven, When I Fall in Love

When I made the decision to join the FCCC in 4th grade, I wasn't aware of the impact this community and experience would have on me for the following 9 years. Each step of this journey has been important to me, but nothing compares to the time I have spent in Chamber Singers. I have met some of my closest friends and I will value the memories I have made forever. It is incredible how many opportunities this group has provided me, including allowing me to perform at Carnegie Hall three times, and learn from numerous talented musicians. The feeling of performing a polished piece to an audience is an indescribable and unique feeling that most other kids my age wouldn't have the pleasure of experiencing. FCCC and Jon Noyes have seen me grow from a child into a young adult, and have taught me about dedication and hard work on a deeper level than most other school activities or organizations. I hope to make my senior year impactful and be an influential leader to the other choristers and help make this year just as special to them as it will be to me. I'm sad to see this chapter of my life come to an end, but I know that I will carry the values and strengths that I have gained into my college years and beyond.

Name: Victoria Beniston

Age: 17

School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Town: Fairfield

Favorite FCCC Song: Total Praise, Children Go Where I Send Thee

I cannot believe that my 9 years of FCCC are coming to a close! This is not only where I have grown the most as a musician but as a compassionate friend. Before every rehearsal, I get the chance to talk to talented kids and see that this group not only fosters musical growth but also emotional growth and maturity. FCCC has created multiple opportunities, from performing in Carnegie Hall to singing with choirs from Ireland and Canada. Beyond FCCC, the leadership that Mr. Noyes demonstrates in every moment of rehearsal has inspired me to lead my own children's choir at my church and audition for national competitions, which I would have never considered without having him to look up to. Most importantly, this choir is the tether that I have to my friends that I have known since elementary school; our bonds that have been built through laughing backstage and on bus rides are the ones I value the most. No group can match FCCC's plethora of talent, dedication, joy, and motivation, and I truly feel special to have been a part of it. I will be forever grateful for Mr. Noyes and Miss Bettke teaching me to be 100 percent involved in the moments that are being created when we sing in this group. Saying goodbye is a challenge, but it is easy to keep saying thank you for the lessons I have learned and will cherish forever. So once again, thank you to all the conductors and board members for these last 9 years and for creating the most valued community I have.

Name: Rhiya Anand

Age: 16

School: Staples High School

Town: Westport

Favorite FCCC Song: Going up a Yonder

Being a member of FCCC for the past nine years has been the most influential experience of my life. Through FCCC, I’ve met some of my best friends who share my passion for music. This choir has allowed me to reach heights I never imagined, such as singing at Carnegie Hall not just once, but three times. Mr. Noyes has been instrumental in my journey, teaching me discipline, dedication, and passion, all while making it fun! Nine years is a significant amount of time to spend with one organization, but I’m incredibly grateful for it. The lifelong lessons and friendships I’ve gained have made it all worthwhile. I will miss FCCC immensely when I head to college next year!

Name: Lindsay Carozza

Age: 17

School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Town: Fairfield

Favorite FCCC Song: Wanting Memories, City Called Heaven, and Bridge Over Troubled Water

My biggest regret of being in FCCC would be joining in 5th grade instead of 4th. 8 years is already a long time to be committed to a group, especially one as amazing as FCCC, yet the one year I lost would have prolonged this irreplaceable experience that I have and will cherish for my life. Choir is the place I am able to relish my love for music, along with many other people who share the same interests, while also opening doors to opportunities that the average highschooler wouldn't even dream of (like performing at Carnegie Hall three times before I'm 18!). From these years I have developed my own self-discipline and collaboration skills that will be useful in my transition to college and beyond, thanks to the help of Jon Noyes and the other FCCC conductors. This was the place where I met some of my closest friends and have made my favorite memories... and it's a place I will hold in my heart for the rest of my life.

Name: Louisa Hain

Age: 17

School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Town: Fairfield

Favorite FCCC Song: City Called Heaven, Kafal Sviri, Total Praise (there are way too many but I'd say these are the top three)

Nine years is a crazy number to me, maybe because I have no concept of time (but that's beside the point). The Fairfield County Children's Choir has had such an influence on my life, and I can't even begin to express how much I love it and how much I will miss it. I'd say it's the tight knit community we make every year that makes the choir special. I have been with some of my best friends for these 9 years and I can't even say how much fun we have had. The tours and opportunity to travel have been a blast, and experiencing the choir reach its peak every time is something that makes me feel proud knowing that we have accomplished so much. Of course, the success wouldn't have occurred without Mr. Noyes. This is because he holds us up to such a high standard and always challenges us to go beyond. When we do go beyond it’s truly magical. My favorite "magical" experience was at Carnegie Hall in 2023. I have loved these nine years and it has truly helped me discover who I am musically as a person. I may not be going into music but I will always find a way to keep it close to my heart. We were all in it together, and we will all stay in it together.  

Staff News

Ashley Zadravecz - Chorus Conductor

Ashley Zadravecz is taking a leave of absence during the first semester as she and her husband welcomed the birth of their first child on September 29! Congratulations to Ashley and Gabriel! We are pleased that FCCC alum Brooklyn Boehme will be covering for Ashley through the December concert season. Brooklyn is a senior majoring in music education at UConn. 

Chris Powers - Concert Choir Conductor

This summer was a whirlwind for Mrs. Powers, filled with exciting opportunities and cherished moments. She had the privilege of teaching five graduate-level music classes at both the Hartt School at the University of Hartford and the University of Central Arkansas, teaching and learning from fellow music educators. On the home front, she was a dedicated cheerleader for her son, attending numerous baseball tournaments across the northeast. As the new school year begins, Mrs. Powers is eagerly anticipating another fantastic season with the FCCC Concert Choir. Here’s to a year filled with harmony and joy! 

Jon Noyes - Music Director & Founder

Jon Noyes enjoyed a summer of travel, including trips to Portugal, the Finger Lakes of western New York, the Poconos of Pennsylvania, the White Mountains of New Hampshire to climb Mt. Washington, Tanglewood to see the Boston Symphony, three trips to Cape Cod to visit family, and of course, the Chamber Singers tour to Philadelphia. His phone and/or computer went along in order to keep up with the planning for this exciting 30th year! 

“Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and melody find their way into the inward places of the soul.” This statement, written over 2350 years ago by the Greek philosopher Plato, illustrates that the importance of music has been well known for millennia.

Today, psychologists and neuroscientists, using sophisticated tools, study the elements of music and how the brain perceives these vibrations. Thanks to these modern efforts, Oliver Whang wrote in the New York Times that “It is now widely accepted that music is an important tool for everyone, starting in infancy, and that musical fluency among parents can deeply affect their children’s long-term health and mental development.”



Since our founding in 1995, the FCCC Mission Statement and Rationale has included similar statements. Here are some excerpts:

“Because of the unique manner in which the brain processes music, the act of music making has an invaluable impact on major aspects of growth and development. From a parent’s lullaby to a newborn baby to the most exalted masterpieces of the ages, music effects our cognitive, motor and affective development in myriad ways. For an infant, early musical experiences can establish and reinforce many important neuronal connections in the brain.”

“The act of making music has intrinsic value in and of itself. Music is an art form which has existed as an integral part of every culture throughout history. When we sing we experience forms of beauty and joy which words cannot express. Music making can be a powerful source of meaning in our lives, a door to “the inward places of the soul.”

“The arts enrich and nourish our lives in an unending multitude of ways. Higher degrees of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of music contribute to an enriched quality of life from before birth to the very end of life. The arts contribute to the cultural life of individuals and the community as a whole.”

“A child who sings learns about life. To participate fully in a diverse global society, we must understand our own historical and cultural heritage, and that of others within our community, our nation and the world.”

In the words of the great musician Bobby McFerrin, “Music is serious fun!”

At the FCCC, we strive to actualize these principles every day. You can read our entire Mission Statement & Rationale on our website at www.SingFCCC.org.

Support the choir

A contribution to the Fairfield County Children's Choir is an investment in the future. We train outstanding young performers and help them to grow – both as musicians and as responsible, caring young adults. Your support makes it possible for us to bring our world-class choir experience to musically talented children, many of whom receive tuition assistance. Your gift is tax deductible, and we gratefully thank you for your generosity.

Fairfield County Children's Choir

P.O. Box 1528

Fairfield, CT 06825

SingFCCC.org

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