OBERLIN — Calling the Oberlin Choristers just a local singing group is akin to calling the late opera star Luciano Pavarotti just a singer.

This group of youngsters — students from sixth to 10th grade — has graced the stages of the likes of Carnegie Hall and the Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

And now, the singers are readying themselves for a starring role closer to home — performing in the Opera Cleveland Production of “Tosca.”

The choristers started once-a-week rehearsals and training in September with Katherine Plank, the Choristers’ artistic director — learning how to properly pronounce the Italian lyrics and their specific parts. They are each given practice CDs, enabling the musicians to learn their part in relation to the voice of the other singers.

By the time rehearsals started with the cast of “Tosca,” the students were ready. By the second professional rehearsal, they only had to do staging and tighten up the interaction between the cast and the children.

Sue Simonson, the Choristers’ executive director, said the key to the group’s success — it performed in productions of Opera Cleveland and Oberlin Opera companies — is a combination of dedication and exemplary instruction.

“Any time you put forth the effort to learn and you have a great teacher, the learning will happen,” Simonson said.
Maidie Rosengarden, Opera Cleveland’s director of production and education, said incorporating the local youngsters in the production of “Tosca’’ is valuable for both organizations.

“The benefits to Opera Cleveland are many when we work with local organizations on a regular basis. In the case of the Oberlin Children’s Chorus we are able to reach out to new audiences as the organization thrives and grows, and teach young singers in the best of all possible worlds — the working world of the arts,’’ she said. “The children work alongside renowned artists, not only with singers but with directors, production staff, dancers and designers. It is a privilege to work with them year after year and watch them grow. The experience is really a joy for both organizations.”  

And for the record, not every Chorister started out with brilliant vocal chords. The group’s office manager, Brenda Glasure, said that years of vocal training aren’t needed to join. Rather, as long as an individual can find a natural singing voice, the voice can be developed from there.

In addition to their musical education, members of the Choristers get to meet a lot of people that they wouldn’t normally encounter in their everyday lives. That’s because the Choristers’ 241 singers — making up five active choirs — come from all over the area.
Some of the singers got involved in the Choristers as a young age through its series of training choirs. That starts with the Kindermusik program in which preschool children learn about music and movement.

After that, the primary choir is for those in first and second grades, the Intermediate Choir is for third- and fourth-graders; both are non-audition choirs in which the youngsters are able to develop music literacy, develop their singing voice and begin performing.
Once they reach the fifth and sixth grades, children are required to audition for a concert choir. They’ll audition again to become a part of the Touring Choir for those in sixth through 10th grades.

Contact Amy McLysaght at 329-7155 or metro@chroniclet.com.

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