Spring is in the air, and the Youth Singers are bursting with activity and song. This semester we are pleased to welcome 25 new singers, the largest springtime increase in enrollment we have ever experienced. Artistic Director Elena Sharkova and instructors Shane Troll and Keri Elser are delighted to be working with our new singers, introducing them to new friends and providing the unique Cantabile blend of joyous singing and rigorous choral training.

The spring performance season begins May 6 and 7 when the Chamber and Concert Choirs join the San José State University choruses in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.

Where the Music Takes Us is the theme for our spring concerts. All the talented Cantabile Youth Singers perform, along with guest artists from around the Bay Area, at Le Petit Trianon in San Jose. The concert on Friday, June 10, showcases the Intermediate and Preparatory Singers with a guest appearance by the Cantabile tour choir. Then on Sunday, June 12, the Chamber and Concert Choirs perform a wide-ranging repertoire, including the selections they will take on tour. Following that concert, join us for a special reception and a drawing to benefit all the Cantabile programs.

Then it's on to the Big Apple! Artistic Director Elena Sharkova is taking 44 singers from the Concert Choir and Chamber Choir along with 40 family members and staff to a children's choir festival in New York. It culminates June 26 with a performance on stage in Carnegie Hall, where Cantabile singers will perform together with the whole festival choir and also on their own. Tickets to this special event will be available from the Carnegie Hall box office in mid-May.

Other News

A new brochure
Staff and volunteers are working to update the information in the Youth Singers' brochure and give it a fresh look. We hope to have it out to you by May as part of our continuing campaign to spread the word about Cantabile and bring many more singers into our choirs.

New uniforms
Check out the new look for the Chamber and Concert Choirs at the June concerts. In preparation for the Carnegie Hall concert, we decided to change to uniforms that are more formal and more versatile.

Early enrollment
On June 20 and 21, prospective singers of all skill levels, ages 7 and up, can meet the artistic staff, who will match them with the right choir before the beginning of the fall season.

Summer camp
Our beloved instructor for the Preparatory Singers, Keri Elser, will direct the Cantabile Summer Camp, August 8 to 12. Children aged 6 to 10 will enjoy singing, music theory, and a variety of fun activities. All are welcome, and no previous experience is needed. A new season. Stay tuned. We have exciting plans for the next season. A fun first for us will be cabaret-style concerts in June 2006!

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