Singers in the Cantus Youth Choirs work hard and love music. They can trust their director to provide a safe, nurturing environment and, in turn, the director can expect the singers to respect the music, the director and each other. They come to rehearsal prepared, ready to learn and eager to have transcendent musical experiences. Singers in the Cantus Youth Choirs have high expectations of themselves and their director, both personally and musically. And, because of this, they achieve success.

Ensemble Descriptions

• Chorale: The Chorale is an auditioned ensemble designed for 4^th and 5^th grade singers.  The Chorale will focus on establishing healthy singing technique and will sing primarily unison to three-part music written for treble voices.  The Chorale may be combined with the Concert Choir for concerts and festivals.  Singers in the Chorale are eligible to participate in the Cantus tour.
• Concert Choir: The Concert Choir is an auditioned ensemble designed for 6^th through 9^th grade singers.  The Concert Choir will focus on developing healthy singing technique, particularly through the adolescent voice change.  The Concert Choir and will sing primarily unison to four-part music written for treble and mixed voices.  The Concert Choir may be combined with the Chorale for concerts and festivals. Singers in the Concert Choir are eligible to participate in the Cantus tour.
• Virtuoso Singers: The Virtuoso Singers is an auditioned ensemble designed for 6^th through 9^th grade singers with a strong musical background and/or natural ability for choral singing.  The Virtuoso Singers will focus on developing healthy singing technique through advanced mixed choral music, ranging from two- to eight-part music.  Singers in the Virtuoso Singers are required to participate in the Cantus tour.
• Bravado: Bravado is an auditioned ensemble for 9th through 12th grade singers that focuses on more contemporary musical selections. This is a mixed ensemble (includes males and females) and will sing selections ranging from two to four part music. Bravado members are encouraged to participate in the Cantus tour.
• Concordia: Concordia is a smaller auditioned ensemble for 10th through 12th grade youth with a strong musical/choral background. Concordia singers may sing selections of 4 to 8+ part harmony and will focus on more advanced musical selections.

Click here for rehearsal dates, times and location »

Ensemble Placement

Singers are placed in ensembles based on an audition. All singers, regardless of musical background or ability to read music or match pitch, will be placed in an ensemble that best meets their musical and developmental needs. Because the success of each ensemble is dependent on positive attitudes and work ethic, singers may be removed from an ensemble or prevented from ensemble placement due to poor behavior or violation of the Cantus Handbook Contract. Schedule an audition here »

Attendance Expectations

“Every year I was in choir I was also in several sports, as well as involved in leadership and church organizations. Choir never interfered with my other activities, but always helped me manage them.” Tom Westover Former Student

Consistent attendance is critical to the success of the choirs. Singers are expected to be early to and attend all rehearsals. However, it is more than possible to actively participate in other activities (such as sports or other performing organizations) in addition to Cantus. The key is communication. It is the singer’s responsibility to be organized, plan ahead and communicate conflicts with as much advanced notice as possible. It is the director’s responsibility to respect those commitments and find alternatives to learn the music. Please see the Cantus Handbook for further details.

Practice Expectations

Because of the limited rehearsal time each week, singers in all of the Cantus Youth Choirs are expected to practice regularly outside of rehearsal. Rehearsals will dedicated to polishing music; therefore, it is crucial that singers learn their notes at home. To assist in this practice, each singer will have an account through SmartMusic® ($36/annual membership per household). Even if choir members can’t read music, SmartMusic® can help them learn their parts. It is an excellent program, and will play a significant role in the success of the choirs. See a SmartMusic® demonstration here »