| Kids concert was an inspiration from The Columbia Paper "Letters" January 21, 2010 |
| To the Editor: Such joy!What an inspiration! Thirty children singing a concert of beautiful, exciting music with sensitivity and skill, and completely engaged in the process! Last Friday, the Columbia County Children's Vocal Ensemble gave a mid-winter concert in Hudson. We'd seen the ad in The Columbia Paper, and we were amazed and moved. The children sang an imaginative, demanding program with such dedication and focus- all from memory. They were so interested in the music-making-not in themselves or their families in the audience! As well as an uplifting musical experience, it gave some wonderful clues about education. Sheri Bauer-Mayorga, the director, chose a challenging program, including parts of Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony Of Carols," and obviously knows how to demand a lot from children while having fun. The children had to get the feel of different countries and cultures through the broad range of songs Sheri chose-ranging from plainchant to Latin rhythms to an old English drinking song! And they really got inside these different styles with wonderful feeling and conviction! The first piece in the program was called "Sound The Trumpet!" Let's sound the trumpet for genuine artistic training for children, not the kind of education which "dumbs them down" but the inspired teaching which "lifts up their hearts"! Thanks to Sheri Bauer-Mayorga, to these children and their parents, and to the Hudson Opera House which sponsors programs like this! Gregor Simon-MacDonald Copake |
photo: Juan Carlos Mayorga
| Thumbs Up from violinist, Madalyn Parnas "Musical Heroes" http://madalynmusic.blogspot.com/ |
