Scheduled June 1 at Trinity United Methodist Church
The Children's Chorus of Springfield will feature a new song, "Little Light, I'm Gonna Sing," by Clifton J. Noble Jr., above, staff accompanist at Smith College in Northampton and The Republican's and MassLive.com's classical music critic, in its concert on June 1 at Trinity United Methodist Church. Highlights of the annual spring concert of the Children's Chorus of Springfield on June 1 include its 10 male members singing their rendition of "Rubber Duckies" from PBS' "Sesame Street."
Vera Baker, the group's co-founder and managing director, is very proud of the boys' presentation as she said many children's choral circles lack a male presence.
But the boys-only piece is just one of many new things the chorus has to raise voices about at the concert at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 361 Sumner Ave.
The concert will feature a new song by noted area pianist and arranger Clifton J. Noble Jr., staff accompanist at Smith College in Northampton and The Republican's and MassLive.com's classical music critic, called "Little Light, I'm Gonna Sing."
The chorus also has a new assistant conductor in Esther R.H. Rhoades of Glastonbury, Conn., who will conduct June 1.
It has a new trio of seasoned chorus veterans who call themselves the "Singing Scholars." It also received a recent $13,000 grant from the Beveridge Family Foundation to help in the hiring of an executive director.
"Our sixth season has been special in many ways," Baker said. "I am excited that the philanthropic community has embraced the chorus. This is a sign of hope for an increasing number of Springfield children and families."
Baker said Noble's piece was commissioned by the chorus and will be performed by Noble -- "a good friend to the chorus" -- as the first selection at the annual concert.
Baker said the piece is Noble's blending of "This Little Light of Mine" and "I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing."
Children in the chorus range in age from 8 to 14 and represent 26 different schools -- including home-based schools -- in Springfield. Perspective members audition in spring, practice weekly at Trinity, which donates space to them, and pay a yearly fee of $50.
Members learn a variety of pieces from Gospel to folk to international, and perform at various venues around the valley, including at Symphony Hall with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, where the chorus is the official choral group for the orchestra's annual Holiday Pops event.
Co-founded in May 2007 by Baker, retired as director of the visual and performing arts for Springfield Public Schools, and E. Wayne Abercrombie, professor emeritus of choral music from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, it has grown from 20 children at the start to the current 40.
Baker said Rhoades's will conduct the June concert as founding counductor Abercrombie recently had surgery. Rhoades will also serve as the liason with the chorus in helping incorporate music into the lives of both the children and their families.
Rhoades, 26, attended high school in New Jersey and earned a bachelor of music education at the University of Delaware in 2009. She has directed high school choruses, taught music theory, songwriting, keyboard skills and other music classes in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Baker said the hiring of an executive director will allow her to step down as managing director, though she has been committed to her volunteer role since the chorus' inception.
"The Children's Chorus of Springfield was conceived as a way to provide musical opportunities for all of Springfield's children, regardless of whether their schools have music programs. The social goal of the chorus is uniting Springfield's diverse communities, transcending social, cultural, and economic barriers," Baker said.
"I do this because I truly believe in the power of music -- singing -- to transform the lives of urban children and have a positive impact on the cultural and social life of the community."
Other concert highlights include a piece called "The Dreamkeeper," which is a poem by Langston Hughes," a Haitian song called "Rasenble" and a sing-a-long.
The concert is free, but donations will be accepted. For more information about the concert or joining, call Baker at (413) 733-3033.