Cantori Scolari

CANTORI SCOLARI - Regional Youth Choir of Indian Hill Music

Cantori Scolari: Age 8 to Grade 12
Sandra LaBarge-Neumann, director

Why Cantori Scolari? It arises from Indian Hill’s motto: Making Music...Creating Community. Singing is a pursuit readily available to all, requiring no pricey gear, and is often done with others. Giving young singers the skill to read what is on the page opens them up to a lifetime of happy and successful singing.

Cantori Scolari is Italian for “singer scholars” and signals our ultimate goal of preparing smart singers. By combining Kodaly philosophy, common sense, a smidge of humor, and sheer doggedness, we hope to create singing musicians who will carry these skills, joy, and knowledge throughout their entire lives.

GOALS OF CANTORI SCOLARI --

To teach folksongs, part singing, canons, games, and choral music from all over the world.

To provide age-appropriate instruction in music theory, sight singing, and ear training using this rich array of choral & vocal music.

To encourage good behavior and teamwork in a safe environment where students can be themselves and support each other in singing and performing.

To create a caring group of singers whose individual aims combine and enable the entire group to flourish.

To build confident, singing musicians.

To prepare members for leadership roles within the choir – and in their schools and communities.

AUDITIONS --

Auditions are EASY, short, friendly, and require no preparation other than showing up with a good heart. The audition includes a range check, some pitch matching, and a short assessment of rhythmic ability. Also taken into consideration are each potential member’s interest, learning ability, and enthusiasm.

CLASSES

15 weeks per semester
SPRING TERM Starts February 5th

Cantori Tutti (Continuing non-High School Students)
Tuesday and Thursday, 4:15 – 5:30 pm

Cantori Pronti (NEW! High School Students)
Tuesday, 5:45 – 7:15 pm

Cantori Nuovi (New Students - age 8-Grade 8)
Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00 – 4:00PM

TUITION RATES – includes $35 materials fee

Cantori Tutti: $470 per semester (30 classes)

Cantori Pronti $295 per semester (15 classes)

Cantori Nuovi: $380 per semester (30 classes)

Registration Fee: $15 (max. $50 per family per school year)

ABOUT OUR DIRECTOR:
Sandra LaBarge-Neumann

“Through singing and making music together we can both heal and unite humanity”. These words express a significant part of the musical world-view of Sandra LaBarge-Neumann, the new Artistic Director of Cantori Scolari Regional Youth Choir of Indian Hill Music.

Sandra holds a BA in Voice from the University of Albany, a Kodály Music Teaching Certificate, and a Master of Music in conducting from the University of Massachusetts. After graduate voice study at New England Conservatory, she sang for 13 seasons with the Handel and Haydn Society Professional Chorus under the direction of both Thomas Dunn and Christopher Hogwood, as well as with such guest conductors as Tom Hall, Margaret Hillis and John Nelson. Beyond her role as chorister, she served as soloist with the Nashua and Manchester Choral Societies and the New Hampshire Philharmonic.

After teaching in Boston Public Schools (for the Kodály Center of America), Sandra taught music for St. Christopher School in Nashua, Pinkerton Academy in Derry and McCall Middle School in Winchester, Massachusetts. Sandra also served as Music Director of The Unitarian Universalist Church and St. Christopher Parish in Nashua. She still maintains a small private voice studio in Nashua, New Hampshire, as well as singing with Boston’s Coro Allegro, a chorus for members and friends of the LGBT communities that affirms, strengthens, and enriches the lives of its members and the broader community through the presentation of outstanding performances of classical choral music.

Sandra’s conducting teachers include: Simon Carrington (Yale, King’s Singers) at the Sarteano Chamber Choral Workshop (Italy), Brian O’Connell (University of Massachusetts), composer and conductor René Clausen (Concordia College, Minnesota), William Weinert (Eastman School of Music), Lilla Gábor (Kodály Center of America and Hungary), Stephen Osmond and Ernest Knell (University of Albany).

As founder/organizer and conductor of Nashua’s successful “Concert for the Homeless” community outreach series (1989-1994), Sandra conducted chorus with orchestra in pieces such as Mozart’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria. Every cent of the five concerts’ proceeds -- exceeding $52,000 -- was given to various homeless agencies in Nashua.

Sandra is excited about Cantori and looks ahead to creating more passionate, literate and articulate singers through this new venture.

Registration Form:

Classes/Ensembles