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Youth
January 17 - February 6, 2015
25
Phoenix Boys Choir expands to East Valley BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
For more than 60 years, the Phoenix Boys Choir has been training singers in choral technique so they can perform for audiences worldwide. The awardwinning choir has now expanded into the East Valley. Shane McKay, a second-grade student at Basha Elementary School, is one of the newest and youngest members of the Phoenix Boys Choir’s East Valley arm. Shane joined last summer even though the 7-year-old didn’t have any singing experience. “I would mostly just sing for my family,” he says. “The best part of being in the choir is that I get to sing and have a lot of fun.” His mother, Laura McKay, is happy with the experience her son is getting with Phoenix Boys Choir. “There was a little hesitation because I don’t think he understood it,” Laura says of her son joining the choir. “But once he got in and tried out he said, ‘This is cool.’ Every time he comes out of choir practice he is just grinning from ear to ear.” Shane has already performed with Phoenix Boys Choir at Camelback Bible Church. “He’s in the training choir and they teach him,” explains Laura. “The boys don’t have to have any previous experience. The first concert really put everything in perspective for him.” Shane is a natural performer and
Laura fully expects him to land in theater or a similar performing arts area when he gets older. The Phoenix Boys Choir previously included a Tempe choir, but the organization decided to shutter it in favor of expansion, according to assistant artistic director, Greg Amerind. In 2013, the choir revisited expansion plans because of the sheer number of boys who were coming from the East Valley. “Right now we are practicing at Mountain View High School in Mesa and as the membership grows out there we are looking to expand perhaps farther south into the Chandler area,” Amerind says. “We do have some Chandler choir members already that are going to the Mesa location.” There are four different levels of Phoenix Boys Choir: training, cadet, town and tour choirs. Auditions for the Phoenix Boys Choir in the East Valley are ongoing. To arrange an audition for the East Valley Phoenix Boys Choir, visit www.boyschoir.org and click on the “auditions” tab or call (602) 264-5328 for an audition appointment. Boys are welcome to participate in the monthly PBC Experience Music Camp. The day camp allows potential choir members to sing along with existing choir members. “At the end of that, parents get to see them do a performance,” Amerind says. “During that period, we get to assess
PITCH PERFECT: The Phoenix Boys Choir trains young singers in choral technique so they can perform for audiences worldwide. Submitted photo
them in a rehearsal situation. And at the end of that, they’re welcome to do a formal audition for us.” The next PBC Experience is 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, in Phoenix. There is no cost to participate in the day camp. Advanced reservations are suggested but not required. For more information, call the number above. “The theme for January is sports,” Amerind explains. “We’re going to
incorporate some music about sports and game activities into the experience for that day, so it will be a lot of fun. The theme for our pop concert at the end of the year is all about sports and games, so we’ll already be working on some music for that.” Lynette Carrington is a freelancer for the San Tan Sun News. She can be reached at lynette@santansun.com.