Vol. 20, No. 2 Winter 2021 |
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Happy New Year! In December the Fairfield County Children’s Choir concluded a successful Fall season of online rehearsals and a virtual/live-streamed concert. Now we move on to our annual Broadway concert, set for February 27, 2021 at 7:00 PM. We have a very exciting program which will feature three virtual choir videos with the full FCCC, two sing-alongs and thirteen solos/duets which were chosen by the choristers! Here are just a few of the many highlights: The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman, Happiness from You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Do Re Mi & Edelweiss from The Sound of Music, Speechless from Aladdin, How Could I Ever Know from The Secret Garden, Times are Hard for Dreamers from Amélie, For the First Time in Forever from Frozen, Popular from Wicked, and so many more!!
One of the most exciting parts of this newsletter is the calendar below. With optimism and resilience, we look forward to returning to live rehearsals and concerts in the not too distant future. As so many have said, there is light at the end of this long tunnel! We hope that many of the events on the calendar in late Spring will take place in person, as planned. Our 2021 Spring Concert is still scheduled to take place at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 2:00 PM! Please note that we have set the dates for our three major concerts for the 2021 - 2022 season. We are expecting that we will have a normal year!!
In the Fall we were also able to find some time for social activities, and this was much more than simple fun and games. We have addressed our choristers’ social/emotional needs and brought a measure of joy and happiness into their lives (see the Profiles below). This has been, and continues to be, a major part of our mission. In fact, we have received this message from dozens of parents: “Thank you again for all you do to keep the kids engaged.” And here is a message from one of our seniors: “thanks for being the driving force behind the most positive part of my 2020. This year has been extremely rough for everyone, but FCCC has been an absolute light and the highlight of my week every time we have rehearsal.”
A special shout out goes to the FCCC conductors: Lisa Bettke, Jacqueline Sugrue-Tait and Ashley Zadravecz. We have held more planning meetings in the past 10 months than we have had in the past 10 years! These brain-storming sessions have been exhilarating as we bounce around ideas for rehearsals and concerts, delivering the best possible musical experience for our choristers. Our recipe for success is this: mix great kids together with great music, stir with excellent training and nurturing, and the result is magical. As Headmaster Dumbledore says in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:
Jon Noyes
Music Director & Founder
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Home for the Holidays Concert
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Thank you for joining us for our winter concert! This hour-long live-streamed concert was a season highlight. |
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On behalf of the board of the Fairfield County Children’s Choir, I’d like to wish each one of you a Happy New Year. 2020 was an extremely challenging year for the choir, but we have learned that the FCCC is an extraordinarily resilient organization.
Thanks to the work of our dedicated conductors, staff, choristers, parents and loyal donors, we made it through the end of the year, and on December 20th, FCCC performed its first Live Streamed Virtual Holiday concert. “Home for the Holidays” was a remarkable concert and was very well attended. Jon Noyes, Lisa Bettke, Jacqueline Sugrue-Tait, and Ashely Zadravecz, our music director and conductors respectively, are constantly finding new ways in which to make, share, and perform music.
Our next major event is our Broadway Concert at the end of February. This concert, with its accompanying silent auction, is usually our biggest fundraiser, but on account of COVID-19, we will not have a silent auction, we will have a virtual concert. That said, I have no doubt that it will be just as successful as our events at the Klein, and that everyone who attends will be in for a treat. On a related note, we still hope to celebrate our 25th anniversary at Carnegie Hall by the end of June, provided, of course, that it is deemed safe by that time for people to gather indoors in a large group and to sing together.
I would like to take this opportunity thank each and every one of you for making all this possible. We started our 26th season with much fear and uncertainty and gained steadily in confidence as the year progressed. Thank you for believing in us – it is your constant faith that helps our choristers, conductors and staff make it from one Zoom rehearsal to the next. In the words of one of my favorite songs by Stephen Schwartz, “When you Believe”
There can be miracles
When you believe.
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill.
Who knows what miracles you can achieve?
You will when you believe.
Good wished for the new year, and please stay safe and healthy.
Marina Philips
Board President
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Home for the Holidays was a joyful musical experience that brought our FCCC choristers and community together! We welcome you to view the concert below for anyone who wishes to experience the concert again or missed the premiere.
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Enjoy the full Home for the Holidays concert - again!
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Click on the link to view:
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Enjoy the five virtual choirs - again! |
Click on the song link to view:
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From the Executive Director |
The Fairfield County Children's Choir is more than just a choir; we are a community that believes in music's power to change young lives. True, this season has been unprecedented. It has also been full of fantastic weekly rehearsals where our remarkable conductors lead musical education and build camaraderie amongst our choristers. As we have heard from current choristers, their family members, our alumni, and far-reaching FCCC fans, our live-streamed virtual Home for the Holidays Concert was a season highlight. It is incredible that even while physically separated, our chorister's talent, commitment, and passion shined. Thank you all for joining us on this season's journey, full of many joyful shared experiences.
Behind-the-scenes, know that our music and business teams continue to focus on developing engaging rehearsals and virtual concert experiences while also planning for when we can sing together in person.
Thank you for your generous support this season. It is with this support that we will continue to excel and succeed.
Happy New Year!
Sarah Duff
Executive Director
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Chorister Profiles - 2020/2021 Seniors!
We have an outstanding group of seniors in the FCCC this year, including nine who have been with us since fourth grade! It is always interesting to learn about them, their favorite songs and to hear their thoughts about the choir. Due to the pandemic, they have been called on for leadership in many new ways. Below is the second group of profiles for this season. Congratulations to these talented singers!
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Name: Katie Siclari
Age: 17
School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School
Town: Fairfield
Favorite FCCC Song: Adieu Sweet Amaryllis, Ave Maria Biebl, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Sing Me to Heaven… (the list goes on)
I have been in FCCC for nine years now and I can say with confidence that joining this choir was the best, most beneficial decision I’ve ever made. The passion I feel singing in this choir is so powerful and overwhelming. We create such beautiful music together and that aspect alone is infectious. It makes you want to just absorb every little second of each moment in hopes that it will never end. I’ve met many of my closest friends in this choir, who I’ll definitely keep in touch with for the rest of my life. Everyone in FCCC is so kind and welcoming and I’m super proud that we’ve created an environment where kids can just sing and be themselves in a judgement-free zone. I’m also super grateful for all of the amazing opportunities FCCC has given me. I’ve traveled to Colorado, Arizona, New Orleans, Ireland, California and many other amazing places with this choir. I’ve even gotten to perform at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center! The experiences, relationships, repertoire, and musical skills I’ve gained from FCCC will stick with me forever, and I’m so glad I was introduced to this choir at such a young age. That said, I want to give the biggest thank you to Mr. Noyes, not only for introducing this choir to me, but also for igniting my passion and teaching me everything I know about music. I also want to thank Ms. Bettke, Miss Zadravecz, Mrs. Sugrue-Tate, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Wang, Ms. Peck, and Mrs. Gachi, who all have been such inspiring role models to me as I plan to have a career in music education as well. FCCC has brought me so much joy and happiness over these past years and I don’t know where I’d be without this incredibly special musical family.
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Name: Sofie Nangle
Age: 17
School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School
Town: Fairfield
Favorite FCCC Song: Bonny Wood Green
I first joined FCCC in fourth grade with a couple friends from elementary school. As the years went by, they all slowly dropped out, but I kept going. Choir was the first activity I had ever done without my twin sister, and despite being terrified initially, it gave me a chance to be my own person. I don’t have the words to describe the opportunities and happiness being a part of this incredible group has given me. This is now my 5th year in the Chamber Singers and my 9th year in the group, and I can confidently say joining was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve made lifelong friends, performed at Carnegie Hall, and deepened my love for music. Choir instantly brightens my mood when I’m upset or stressed, and I’ll be grateful forever to everyone for the memories and experiences I’ve been able to have.
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Name: Ryan Cawley
Age: 17
School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School
Town: Fairfield
Favorite FCCC Song: Bridge Over Troubled Water
I always liked to sing, long before I joined FCCC and started learning about how to sing as a choir member. The five years I have been with FCCC have been challenging – learning new songs, rehearsal for
performances – and has been rewarding in so many ways. I think I have learned more than I ever thought I would, and I have also learned to appreciate the talents of our FCCC community and how it all works
together to present terrific singing to our audiences.
All of this good training and experience has helped me appreciate how much work it takes to be an ensemble member learning a complicated song, sing solos and duets that were hard to learn, and even harder to imagine performing in front of an audience, but I knew I was part of a larger team all pulling for a great performance no matter what.
All of the things we were taught by our leader, Mr. Noyes, and his conductors, accompanists, and guest artists, made us want to stand up and do our best work. When I go to college, I plan to continue singing
with a cappella groups and maybe even compete for a spot in the school’s chamber chorus. FCCC prepared me to ‘step up’ by building skills and self-confidence – and I know I am part of something that has given enjoyment to our audiences.
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Name: Donny DeFala
Age: 17
School: Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy
Town: Norwalk
Favorite FCCC Song: Bridge Over Troubled Water, O Fortuna, All You Need is Love
I started taking classical guitar lessons at 3 years old, and have spent my entire life deeply involved in music. Because of this, I was terrified my freshman year when I began attending a school that did not have a music program for the first time in my life. As a member of FCCC, I shouldn’t have been remotely nervous. Freshman year was also my first year in Chamber after spending 8th grade as a member of the Concert Choir, and the Chamber Singers soon became the ideal way to bring music into my life, just as the members of the Chamber Singers soon became my second family. As a lifelong guitarist, I appreciated the opportunity to approach music from a new perspective. I had never had any formal vocal training prior to joining the Chamber Singers, so Mr. Noyes’s emphasis on technique made for an intense but gratifying experience. The past four years would have been difficult had I not had FCCC in my life. Mr. Noyes provided not only a place to improve and develop as a musician but a place to improve and develop as a person, which has been instrumental (pun intended) in my development.
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Name: Ella Magnuson
Age: 18 (on January 21!)
School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School
Town: Fairfield
Favorite FCCC Song: Ave Maria by Gustav Holst
I can’t imagine my life without the Fairfield County Children’s Choir. Thanks to Mr. Noyes, who has been my music teacher since kindergarten, I heard about FCCC from an early age. The first FCCC concert I went to was in 3rd grade. I remember listening to the performance with my mom, knowing soon I would be up on that stage. With butterflies of excitement in my stomach, I joined FCCC in 4th grade. I became entranced by the repetition of learning music and putting on a show. Soon, my nervous excitement faded away and instead transformed into an intense passion for music. FCCC has always been a source of constancy in my life. It is a magnificent program! FCCC allowed me to become a musician and a performer while also teaching me about dedication and discipline. I found self-confidence through auditioning for solos, performing in concerts, and speaking in front of the choir. With FCCC, I got to sing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. I went on tour to New Orleans, San Francisco, and Boston! I wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything else, and I will miss FCCC immensely.
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Name: Allie Siclari
Age: 17
School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School
Town: Fairfield
Favorite FCCC Song: Holst Ave Maria, Baba Yetu, Clear Water
I joined FCCC when I was in the fourth grade, and this choir has become one of the most important parts of my life. As a child, I was extremely shy, and singing with FCCC has helped me step out of my comfort zone and try new things, such as sing a solo in front of an entire audience. Along with my confidence, my skills as a musician have improved immensely over the years. I have been given so many amazing opportunities, such as performing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and various festivals and competitions around the world, that I will forever be grateful for. I have met some of my closest friends through this choir, which I am proud to say has become my second family. Thank you to everyone who helped make the past nine years of my life in FCCC absolutely incredible, I am going to miss this choir so much.
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Choral Music News
There is a new documentary series being made on the subject of Choral Singing in America. Please click on the link below to view the brief trailer for the movie.
Research states that approximately one in six Americans sings in an organized choral ensemble. Choral Singing in America: Nurturing the American Soul, now in production, is a documentary series that explores the myriad traditions of American choral singing and the people who join together to bring these stories to life. Collaborative Films is thrilled to share with you a preview of this documentary series here: https://choralsinging.org/.
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Senior chorister Ella Magnuson shared this with Mr. Noyes.
I have been applying to colleges recently, and one of my acceptance letters read, “The Committee was impressed with your ability to balance a demanding academic schedule along with several activities, especially your commitment to the Fairfield County Children's Choir.” It seems that FCCC was the cornerstone of my application. Of all my activities, FCCC was the only thing specifically mentioned in that letter. This led me to get the scholarship I dreamed of! So, thank you Mr. Noyes and the entire FCCC staff, for allowing me to become such an involved member of the best choir ever! The Fairfield County Children’s Choir has truly opened so many doors of opportunity, which has now led me to success with college acceptances and scholarships.
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Fairfield County Children's Choir is a non-profit organization. Like us, you undoubtedly believe in the power of music to change young lives. We exist because of your generous donations, including these programs:
FCCC's Bridges Through Music: Our outreach program covers tuition and expenses for under-resourced and underrepresented children from urban areas of Fairfield County.
FCCC's Promise of Low Tuition and Financial Aid: We provide extraordinary music education to our children at a cost much lower than the national or state average for comparable choirs. For each of our 26 years, we have provided financial aid to all accepted students in need.
It is through your generous support that we will continue to excel and succeed. A contribution to FCCC is a tax-deductible investment in the future!
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When you shop at Amazonsmile, Amazon will donate to FCCC. Support us every time you shop! |
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MUSIC STAFF
Music Director & Founder - Jon Noyes
Chorale Conductor & Accompanist - Lisa Bettke
Concert Choir Conductor - Jacqueline Sugrue-Tait
Chorus Conductor - Ashley Zadravecz
Accompanist - Yuan Wang
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STAFF
Executive Director - Sarah Duff
General Manager - Barbara Peck
Assistant Choir Manager - Alicen Gachi
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