GREENFIELD — The Hancock County Children’s Choir wants to change your mind — about children’s choirs.
“Standing on risers and singing one song after another is what you think of when you think of choirs,” said the choir’s executive director Lisa Heady. “We’re changing the title to ‘production’ (instead of concert) because the kids do so much more than stand and sing.”
The Hancock County Children’s Choir gets a chance to show off its new look with its spring performance called “Reaching for the Stars,” at 2:30 and 7 p.m. Saturday in the auditorium at Mt. Vernon High School, 8112 N. County Road 200W.
The theme for “Reaching for the Stars” reflects the outdoors with songs about nature, growing and change, Heady said. The performance has a storyline and emcees that carry the thread of the story throughout the production.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallery“We have some fun costumes the kids are wearing and some neat props,” she added.
Although Heady edited the story, the bulk of the storyline was written by artistic director Gayle Roschi.
“Gail is a very creative lady,” Heady said, “and we’re lucky to have her.”
Without giving up any spoilers, the performance centers around a young lady (senior choir member Julianne Ackerman) with a very narrow world view. Throughout the course of the music and singing, she comes to appreciate what she’s been missing, and concludes her transformation with a solo performance of “A Change in Me” from “Beauty and the Beast.”
“It’s a perfect send-off for our seniors,” exclaimed Heady.
Other highlights of the performance include: a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” sung by Hailey Bruner; and Ben Heady recreating the hit “All of Me” by the Piano Guys.
Since the choir’s inception in 2011, the choir’s membership has grown from a single choir of 15 students to 103 students in seven choirs.
Bringing in students from Hancock, Henry, Shelby, Rush, Marion, Hamilton and Hendricks counties, the choirs are organized by age and ability.
The cherubino choro is for kindergarteners; first through third graders sing with piccolo angeli; in the fourth grade, the young singers move into the primo choro ensemble. In middle school, the choirs divide by gender: bella voci is for middle school and high school girls; ragazzi choro is for middle school and high school boys. The Hancock County Children’s Choir has two honor choirs: angelo voci for high school girls; cantani lirichi is a balanced boy-girl choir.
Not only has the choir’s membership grown, the choir leadership has increased from a single director to a staff of five directors, three accompanists and business personnel.
Joanna Crump, director of finance for the organization, has been with the choir since the beginning. She has seen the choir grow in size, in staff and in the quality of the performance. In the beginning, Crump said, the children sang in two-part harmony, but now they sing in four-part.
“And with the depth of our program,” Crump added, “we’re getting more invitations.” The choir has been invited to perform at the Texas International Children’s Choir Festival in June.
Crump is proud of the choir’s commitment to serve the whole child.
“We instill life skills into our children,” she said, “preparing them for after high school. We use music as a vehicle. We are a choir, but so much more than a choir.”
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What: Hancock County Children’s Choir’s “Reaching for the Stars”
When: 2:30 and 7 p.m. April 7
Where: Mt. Vernon High School Auditorium, 8112 N. County Road 200 W, Fortville
Adult tickets are $7; tickets for children and seniors are $3
Tickets can be purchased online at hancockcountychildrenschoir.org.
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