Printer Friendly Version - NB Hosts First Annual Shoreline Elementary Choir Fest

Dressed in festival T-shirts representing their town’s school colors, 82 singers in grades 2 -5 from North Branford, Madison and Haddam-Killingworth gathered at North Branford Auditorium on Feb. 3 for the First Annual Shoreline Elementary Choir Festival. Here, they rehearse as one group for the first time with guest conductor Kevin Buno.Pam Johnson/The Sound

NORTH BRANFORD — They came, they sang, they celebrated. On Friday, Feb. 3, 82 students in grades 2 — 5 from North Branford, Madison and Haddam-Killingworth public schools participated in the First Annual Shoreline Elementary Choir Festival.

Hosted by North Branford Public Schools (NBPS), the festival had been in the planning since about the beginning of the 2016-17 school year, said NBPS festival coordinator and second grade teacher Judy Bannon.

“There is really no opportunity for children of this age level to come together in this way. They have plenty of opportunities when they’re in middle school and high school. So we thought it might be fun to give it a try,” said Bannon. “We sent out invitations to all of the schools on the shoreline, and these are the ones that were able to join us for this year.”

North Branford’s group included 20 second grade singers from Jerome Harrison Elementary School and 10 singers from grades 3 — 5 at Totoket Valley Elementary School.

No matter which school or town they hailed from, all of the student singers spent weeks in their music classes, rehearsing the songs that would be presented at the festival. North Branford music educators Linda Humphrey and Linda Franklin-Biggs worked with the students at their respective schools. Other music educators involved in preparing students for the festival were Madison music educator Barbara Soderberg and Haddam-Killingworth music educators Irina Rubalsky, Amy Polderman and Kelly Johnson.

On Feb. 3, the students worked with guest conductor and Guilford High School Choir Director Kevin Buno, accompanied on piano by Martha Medford of Musical Art Society of Branford. Dressed in festival T-shirts representing their town’s school colors, the singers arrived at the North Branford Auditorium on the afternoon of Feb. 3 to rehearse as one group for the first time.

“I think it’s amazing. You wouldn’t expect that 82 young children could come together in this way, but they’ve been phenomenal,” said Bannon. “It also helping to foster some new relationships among our towns, musically.”

Parents and music fans were treated to festival’s free concert at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 in the auditorium. The choir sang five selections celebrating song and youngsters, including “Listen to the Music,” “Why We Sing,” “Cumbia del Sol,” “A Child of Song” and “I Sing Because I’m Happy.”

Bannon said the program received generous support from NBPS Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker.

“It really sounded like such a great opportunity for us to expose our students to this type of experience, and to build that camaraderie through a love of music,” said Schoonmaker. “I’m so proud of the towns that are here, that gave the districts the opportunity to do this and support them; and we’re thrilled to host it. Hopefully, it’s the start of something that’s going to grow and grow.”