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Community Corner

Area youth perform at Lincoln Center under the direction of Eric Whitacre and Stephen Schwartz

Chorus Angelicus members Jillian Cowles, Molly Cowles, Eden Cowles, Anna Ryan, Claire Ryan, and Grayson Shuck along with eleven other senior choristers auditioned for and were accepted into Distinguished Concerts International Workshop ‘Defying Gravity: The Music of Stephen Schwartz and Eric Whitacre’. Chorus Angelicus was the only children’s choir selected to participate in this weekend workshop and performance. 

Chorus Angelicus, based in the downtown cultural district of Torrington, was founded in 1991 by Grammy winning composer Paul Halley. This internationally acclaimed children’s choir has impressed audiences with the best of choral music, both sacred and secular. Performances have included collaborations with the Hartford Symphony and the Paul Winter Consort in venues such as Boston’s Symphony Hall, the Music Shed in Norfolk, CT, the Warner Theater in Torrington, CT, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Chorus Angelicus has toured nationally in Florida and the Pacific Northwest, and internationally in Nova Scotia, Vancouver, B.C., and Ireland.

The workshop that the Cowles sisters, the Ryan sisters, and Shuck attended provided a professional performing experience in a world-class concert venue, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.  Eric Whitacre, who is one of the most widely performed and popular composers of our time, directed the workshop and performance. 

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Jillian Cowles began singing with Chorus Angelicus in 2003.  Jillian’s solid performance and leadership within Chorus Angelicus has awarded her with the past titles of Head Chorister of Junior Choir and Head Chorister of Senior Choir, and currently has the title of Choral Scholar. Only a high school sophomore, she has performed in Regional Festivals for five years and All-State Festivals for two years.  Jillian performs with both the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, an auditioned group, at Granby Memorial High School and is also very involved in her church’s music program. Additionally, she is very interested in the sciences and is planning on pursuing chemical engineering in college.  Jillian’s other love is "all things Japanese," and she will be going to Japan for a second time with her school's exchange program.

Molly Cowles began singing with Chorus Angelicus in 2003 and was awarded the title of Head Chorister this year.  She has sung in multiple choirs at her church and participated in church musicals and Pageants as well.  She sings in both the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers (an auditioned group) at Granby Memorial High School, where she is a sophomore.  Molly is also interested in visual arts and is a writer of fiction.  She is currently working on several novels and has completed 18 short stories.

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Eden Cowles began singing with Chorus Angelicus in 2005.  She was a former Head Chorister of the Junior Choir.  Currently an 8th grader at Granby Memorial Middle School, she is a percussionist for her school band – playing the drum set.  Her loves include listening to all kinds of music and drawing.

Grayson Shuck, an 8th grader at Avon Middle School, began singing at the age of seven in a Church choir. In addition to singing with Chorus Angelicus, he is a member of the Arioso Choral Ensemble as well as his school choir. He has performed twice in the CMEA Northern Regional Chorus here in Connecticut. He has performed in Washington, DC. at the Capital Building and on the steps of the Lincoln monument with singing group Musica Dulce as well as singing with regional choir Vallis Musicae.

Claire Ryan, a 9th grader at Avon High School, began singing with Chorus Angelicus in 2009.  In addition to singing with Chorus Angelicus, she plays the trumpet and is a scholar athlete competing on Avon High School’s Crew and Lacrosse teams. 

Anna Ryan, a 7th grader at Avon Middle School, began singing with Chorus Angelicus in 2010.  Anna also enjoys playing her guitar and running.  She competes with her middle school track and cross-country teams and has won Vie for Kids 5K in her age division.

All agree with Jillian, “it was one of the best experiences I have ever experienced and I made so many fantastic memories.”  And after returning home from a long weekend of extensive rehearsals late Sunday night, they are excited to perform again this month.  The choristers of Chorus Angelicus will join the adult choir Gaudeamus and the combined choirs St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church of Hartford to perform ‘Journey for the Soul: The music of Fauré and Whitacre’ at three locations around Connecticut.  They look forward to practicing what they learned under the baton of Eric Whitacre and Stephen Schwartz at the upcoming concerts, as portions of ‘Defying Gravity’ will be showcased. 

 

Performance dates are Sunday, April 13, 7:30pm at St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in Hartford, Saturday, April 26, 4pm at the Chapel at the University of St. Joseph, West Hartford, and Sunday, May 4th, 4 pm at St. Michael’s Church in Litchfield.  This event is sponsored in part by the Greater Hartford Arts Council.

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