LA Children's Chorus to Offer Class to Introduce 6- and 7-Year-Olds to Singing, 1/30-3/20

The renowned Los AngeLes Children's Chorus (LACC) is currently enrolling children ages six and seven in its "First Experiences in Singing" Level I class, which introduces children to the wonders and excitement of singing and music, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Geared for children with no previous musical training, the eight-week class is intentionally small in size to provide optimum instruction and runs from January 30 to March 20, 2013, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Classes are held Wednesdays from 4:15 pm to 5 pm.

"Because every voice is unique," says LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson, "It is tremendously important that every child explore their voice, which is their own instrument."

First Experiences in Singing includes general music and rhythmic concepts and teaches bel canto singing, the vocal style using the head voice for which LACC is acclaimed, with all class activities adhering to LACC's supportive and nurturing tradition of excellence, focusing on the health of the voice. It also incorporates different learning modalities to engage visual, auditory and kinetic learners while presenting the fundamentals of singing at the appropriate developmental stage to prepare children to audition for LACC's upper-level choirs.

Children who complete First Experiences in Singing Level I are eligible to continue in Level II, then Level III classes, which are non-performing groups. Graduates of Level III are eligible to audition for LACC's Preparatory Choir.

First Experiences in Singing is made possible, in part, by the Los Angeles County of Supervisors through the Los Angeles Arts Commission, the Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission and the City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division and Nestlé USA.

Described as "astonishingly polished," "hauntingly beautiful," and "one heck of a talented group of kids," LOS ANGELes ChildREN'S CHORUS is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost children's choirs. Founded in 1986 and currently led by Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson, LACC performs with such leading organizations as LA Opera, LA Phil, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, LA Master Chorale, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony and POPs and Calder Quartet. The chorus' roster includes more than 375 children aged 6-18 from 50 communities across Los Angeles in six choirs and a program of First Experiences in Singing classes and ensemble for young singers. LACC has toured North and South America, Africa, China and Europe, and produced the world-premiere of Keepers of the Night, an opera by Peter Ash and Donald Sturrock. The chorus appeared on LA Master Chorale's Decca recording A Good Understanding, and Plácido Domingo's Deutsche Grammophon recording Amore Infinito ("Infinite Love") and, in 2011, gave the U.S. premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen's Dona Nobis Pacem. The subject of a trilogy of documentaries by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Freida Lee Mock, LACC is featured in the Academy Award-nominated Sing!, about a year in the life of the choir; Sing Opera!, documenting the production of LACC's commissioned family opera Keepers of the Night; and Sing China!, chronicling its groundbreaking tour to China just prior to the Beijing Olympics. LACC has performed with John Mayer on NBC's "The Tonight Show" and was featured on Public Radio International's nationally syndicated show "From the Top," among other credits.

The cost of the eight-week First Experiences in Singing class is $260. Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91101. For more information or to enroll, call (626) 793-4231 or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org or view a short video about the program at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TacItRy0Gbs.