Auditions for our 31st anniversary season are taking place on various dates in May and June. We welcome children currently in grades 3 - 11 to audition for the choir next year. Please consider inviting friends and neighbors to audition. To make an audition appointment please contact our General Manager, Barbara Peck, at bpeckfccc@gmail.com, or visit SingFCCC.org/sing/ for more information.

FCCC will hold our 3rd annual summer camp for students entering grades 2-7 (next fall) from June 23 – 27. Participants will celebrate the joy of making music together through choral rehearsals, movement, music games, and more with FCCC conductors Jacqueline Sugrue-Tait and Ashley Zadravecz, both of whom are FCCC alumni. Campers will enjoy an experience focused on personal growth as a singer, development of performance skills in choral music, and healthy singing technique. The week will conclude with a concert for family and friends on June 27. For more information visit SingFCCC.org/fccc-music-camp/.

Chorister Profile

Name: Natalie Cunningham

Age: 17

School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Town: Fairfield

Favorite FCCC Song: Bridge Over Troubled Water, I’m Goin’ Up A Yonder, Will the Circle Be Unbroken

FCCC has helped me experience things I never thought I’d be able to, such as performing at Carnegie Hall and getting to sing niche songs I like that nobody else knows (Ave Verum Corpus!!!), and my only regret is that I joined in 5th grade and not 4th. It has been such a great experience to be a part of this choir, as some of the school choirs I’ve been a part of lacked the passion that FCCC is filled with. I can still remember my first year of FCCC and being surprised by how many other people would choose to be in choir when it wasn’t a school requirement. Thanks to FCCC, I have been able to meet lots of cool people who I share interests with and become friends with them. Everyone I’ve met in FCCC has made an enormous impact on my life, conductors and choristers alike. FCCC has been such an important part of my life and I will miss it so much next year, but it will always be in my heart.

Honoring Our Seniors

We bid a fond farewell to our 30th class of graduating seniors. Best wishes to Victoria Beniston, Dylan Bruno, Brianna Caporale, Lindsay Carozza, Natalie Cunningham, Allison Fernandes, Louisa Hain, Samhitha Kunichetty, Joseph Marous, Gracie Masters, Saanvi Reddy and Scarlett Robbins. They have given so much of their talents and time to our choir! In addition, we congratulate five of these seniors who will receive our Choral Scholar Award. This is given to choristers who have been members of the FCCC for the maximum term of nine years. We are so happy that these seniors ‘found us’ way back in 2016 when they were finishing third grade!! They are Victoria Beniston, Allison Fernandes, Louisa Hain, Saanvi Reddy and Scarlett Robbins. 

Chorister News

FCCC member Maya Desai won 1st place in the State of Connecticut PTA Reflections contest in the music composition category at the middle school level, after winning last year at the intermediate level. This year’s theme was “Accepting Imperfections” and her piece was called “We’re Worth It.” Maya said, “It is about taking on the world and it states that we’re not perfect but we’re worth it.” 

FCCC Senior Victoria Beniston, the President of the Chamber Singers, has been recognized as Valedictorian for the Fairfield Ludlowe High School Class of 2025. She will be attending Northeastern University in the Honors Program with a scholarship. She is planning on majoring in Biology, possibly doing a combined major in Computer Science and Biology, and will be on the pre-medical track. She is also looking forward to continuing violin, choir and a cappella in college! 

Regional, State and National Festivals

In the world of school music, one of the greatest honors that can be achieved is successfully auditioning for regional, state and national Honor Choirs. The FCCC was well-represented this year with numerous members being selected for Western Region, Connecticut All State and ACDA National sponsored by the National Association for Music Education and the American Choral Directors Association.

Western Region: Victoria Beniston, Bella Lombardi, Demi Betfarhad, Nathan Horne, Natalie Cunningham, Brianna Caporale, Audrey Compare, Scarlett Robbins, Teagan Halpin, Amanda Petri, Bridget Reddy, Mary Sather 

Connecticut All State: Victoria Beniston, Demi Betfarhad, Scarlett Robbins, Amanda Petri, Bridget Reddy, Audrey Compare, Bella Lombardi 

ACDA Nationals: Victoria Beniston, Demi Betfarhad

Congratulations to all of these brilliant young musicians!

Alumni Letters

Catherine Clair (FCCC 2002 - 2012) is completing a PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She recently sent a note about her dissertation (on the healthcare networks of older adults living with Type 2 diabetes). 

Hello Jon,

I wanted to send a note that I defended my PhD dissertation on Monday, March 31st and plan to graduate this May. As part of the defense, I gave a 1-hour public seminar and had 100+ people in attendance (in-person and over Zoom). To this day, I still use the learnings and values from my experience in FCCC. For example, I practiced the presentation in advance, so that even when there were day-of surprises, I knew what to do. I practiced as I would "perform" -- practicing while standing, in the shoes that I planned to wear that day. 

In my field, we talk about transferable skills. For me, FCCC taught so many skills that continue to serve me and ensure my success. We were responsible for ourselves, our part of the ensemble, and bringing the music to life. I find that still rings true in my life today, and I am forever grateful for the extraordinary experience. 

Warmly,

Catherine

Christiane Betfarhad (FCCC 2018 - 2022) is a student at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and is studying abroad this semester at University College London. Her brother, Demeil, is a current member of the choir.  

Hi Mr. Noyes,

I hope you’re doing well! I was so excited at the thought of listening to FCCC in Carnegie again that it didn’t occur to me that I’m considered an alum now! Demeil told me that I could participate in the concert and I would absolutely love to!!

I’m studying abroad in London this spring and when I heard that there was a Carnegie concert in May, I knew I had to come back for it! I’ve really missed singing, especially being in a choir. I couldn’t be in my school’s Chamber choir this year because I went off-campus and I didn’t realize just how big of a role it plays in my life. I understood it conceptually but actually living it was different. I work in admissions and have always said choir was a commitment that grounded me. I knew it was true, I just didn’t really feel that all the time. It wasn’t until I went abroad and found myself with no structure, no friendly faces, no music to ground me or rely on. When I went to rehearsal every day at noon, it was easy to take it for granted. It was just another rehearsal out of the hundreds I’d attended. But now I understand the weight choir held for me. I say all this as a reminder to live in the moment. It was only a few short years ago I was a senior in high school singing Mo Ghile Mear at Carnegie and now I’ll be a senior in college. I have remembered all your wisdom and tried to apply it in everyday life. Perfect practice does make perfect — I’ve been incorporating it into my acapella group and I think we’ve been improving because of the wisdom and singing techniques you taught me. The few, short years I had with FCCC and Chamber Singers has played such an instrumental role in who I am today. I found my voice, literally and figuratively, because of the amazing and talented group of kids and amazing conductor. I found Maddy, who is one of my best friends and was my roommate this year. I’m so lucky to be able to sing with her in high school and college and it’s all because of you Mr. Noyes. Thank you for everything.

Sincerely,

Christiane

For those who have followed the FCCC Newsletter, you have seen numerous updates about Rajané Katurah Brown (FCCC 2008 - 2013). She has now put together an incredible video that is part celebration and part audition submission. I encourage all choristers to study the amazing technique, passion and energy of this accomplished artist.

Hello Mr. Noyes,

Please enjoy and I think your choir would enjoy this too!

https://youtu.be/r9QMePuUhAA

Kenee Brown

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

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