Rackham Choir Presents RISING TO THE TOP: THE HIGH SCHOOL VOCAL INTERN SHOWCASE

Rackham Choir, Detroit's oldest choir, will present "Rising to the Top: The High School Vocal Intern Showcase" at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3 at First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak. This performance will feature six talented and hardworking student singers in an evening of solos and group works with the choir.

Rackham Choir, under the direction of Suzanne Mallare Acton, has created a unique learning opportunity for young students during their formative years of musical growth with the "High School Vocal Internship Program." This program, in its tenth year, offers student interns the opportunity to receive coaching with Acton as well as collaborative pianist Joseph Jackson, rehearse and perform with the Rackham Choir throughout the season, and be a featured soloist in the spring concert.

This year's interns include:

Ryan Blankenburg (Rochester Hills)

Natalie Corrigan (Northville)

Alex Bartley Livingston (Westland)

Rachel Miltimore (Bloomfield Hills)

Maggie Piazzon (Royal Oak)

Kennedy Robinson (Royal Oak)

"Our intern program is the best thing we do," says choir member Susan A. Fox. "I marvel when I watch these young people blossom over the season with us, becoming more confident and stronger singers. When they are consistently accepted into premiere music schools, I am so glad Rackham Choir was there to support them."

Alumni of the Vocal Internship Program have gone on to perform in national tours of musicals, in operas, and to study music at the Juilliard School, the University of Michigan, Pointe Parke University, the New England Conservatory of Music and others.

This year's senior interns are planning on pursuing music at the university level, as well. Ryan Blankenburg will major in vocal performance and minor in sociology; Natalie Corrigan will attend the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music to double major in vocal performance and biology on a premedical track; Alex Bartley Livingston will attend Oakland University; Rachel Miltimore will be a vocal performance major at Brigham Young University; and Kennedy Robinson will attend Michigan State University to double major in music education and vocal performance. Maggie Piazzon, who is a junior in high school, plans to attend the MPulse's Vocal Arts Institute this summer.

Tickets for "Rising to the Top: The High School Vocal Intern Showcase" are $15 in advance and $20 at the door (adult), $5 in advance and $10 at the door (youth under 18), and can be purchased in advance on Eventbrite or (313) 404-0222.

Auditions for the 2019-20 Internship Program will be held May 13, 2019 at First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak. Visit rackham.org/education to download an application. Submissions may be made until one week prior to the audition date.

With innovative repertoire, high artistic standards, enduring history, and community involvement, Rackham Choir is a vital part of Detroit's rich cultural landscape.

Under the leadership of artistic director Suzanne Mallare Acton, Rackham performs a repertoire that ranges from classics to innovative multimedia productions combining live music with film, narration, and dance, often in collaboration with other groups and guest artists.

During 2019-2020, Rackham will celebrate its 70th year of continuous operation, making it one of the longest-standing performing arts organizations in Detroit.

For more information about Rackham Choir, visit rackhamchoir.org.