A local vocal technician hopes to inspire a passion for music, history and where the two intersect through his new endeavor, the Jamestown Youth Choir. Auditions are underway with performances scheduled to commence in the fall.
“I love music. I love history,” said Chris Mooney, who runs Mooney Vocal Arts in James City County. “Those are two of my passions. What better place to combine that stuff?”
Mooney’s experience includes teaching voice courses at Virginia Commonwealth University and Christopher Newport University for more than a decade.
But as collegiate classical music departments grow smaller, his private studio is growing in popularity as he caters to Williamsburg area middle and high schoolers. Parents suggested he start a choir.
“It just sort of clicked in my head,” Mooney said.
He envisioned a high-level ensemble that goes beyond what school choirs teach. The choir caters to kids ages 11-18. Classes extend beyond rehearsing music to include foreign language study, sight reading, historical context and more.
Applicants must already know how to read music. Mooney said students will also have to devote ample time preparing outside of class in order to keep up with the advanced curriculum.
So far, eight students have been accepted into the choir. Mooney hopes to find a total of roughly 16 by early September.
“I’m not looking for big numbers,” he said. “I want to get a group that is serious and knows something about music.”
The inaugural performance will come later in the fall with a concert featuring music that would have been popular with the colonists who settled at Jamestown. Mooney said he’s working to secure a venue on the island itself.
The choir’s 2018-19 season also includes a concert of 18th century Christmas carols and one highlighting songs from the Civil War, with venues to be determined.
Beyond everything the students will learn, Mooney hopes to balance musical performance and history in a way that captivates audiences.
“Hopefully, it’ll be kind of a learning experience for everybody,” he said.
Interested?
Jamestown Youth Choir auditions can be scheduled by calling 784-1588.
