Cantus Youth Choirs is proud to re-open a MODIFIED program for traditional ensembles that will feature a return to in-person rehearsals and music video projects presented at a live theater event!

Where we’ve been

With the pandemic came a number of restrictions on gathering sizes and social distancing. These restrictions made it impossible for us to hold rehearsals for our traditional ensembles, which averaged about 100 youth per group. We were able to continue rehearsing our contemporary ensembles outside and in large open spaces with masks because of the smaller ensemble sizes (average of 16 singers per group).

In spite of the pandemic, Season 11 (2020-2021) was a HUGE success! The contemporary ensembles learned, recorded, filmed, and released 5 singles and music videos. If you haven’t seen these videos, please watch them now! We hope to replicate much of this for our traditional ensembles for first semester of Season 12 (Season 12.1).

What we’re doing for Season 12.1

Traditional Ensembles

Eligible for 3-12th grade singers

Due to health-safety restrictions at Tree City Church, we can only accept 200 registrations. Registration closes on August 15. REGISTER TODAY!

In season 12.1, the combined choirs of Cantus (Concordia, Virtuoso Singers, Concert Choir, and Chorale) will collaborate to create two music video productions to be premiered at a movie theater on Thursday evening, December 9, 2021! All Cantus singers will rehearse from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm on Tuesday nights, September 7 through November 16 at Tree City Church. Singers will be assigned to their rehearsal group based on grade and enrollment numbers.

This Traditional Ensemble will be learning, recording and filming our traditional Christmas finale number, O Holy Night by Mack Wilberg. We’ll feature guest soprano, Melissa Heath. We’ll record audio and video in a local cathedral and sequence that video with shots from our outdoor video shoot! Think candles, stained glass, pews, mittens, scarves, gold lights, and Christmas magic!

The Traditional Ensemble will also learn, record, and film Keith McCauley’s arrangement of Something To Believe In, by Parachute, featuring Patch Crowe (Beyond 5) as our guest soloist! More information coming soon!

Registration for Season 12.1 is now open. In tandem with registering, we encourage all 7-12th graders to submit a GENERAL AUDITION so we can assign voice parts of Soprano, Alto, Tenor, or Bass.

Contemporary Ensembles

Eligible for 8-12th grade singers

Season 12 will move forward with our Contemporary Ensembles: VoiceOver, Bella Visi, Fortis, and Contessa (Rhapsody has been discontinued). These ensembles will rehearse on Tuesday nights, September 7 through November 16 at Tree City Church and will collaborate on a combined mass number music video to be premiered at our premiere event on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 7pm!

Contessa and Fortis: Tuesday, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Bella Visi and VoiceOver: Tuesdays, 8:30 – 9:45 pm

Video auditions for these ensembles are now live. Being placed in any of these groups is a year-long commitment and requires participation in the traditional ensemble.

Season 12.1 Schedule (Sep-Dec)

Please review the calendar for rehearsals, recording sessions, video shoots, and premiere. Members of VoiceOver, Bella Visi, Fortis, and Contessa are also expected to attend all Traditional Ensemble events.

NOTE: Because of our shortened schedule, singers are permitted to miss 2 rehearsals.

Keep your fingers crossed for Season 12.2

We anticipate that everything will be “back to normal” for Season 12.2 beginning in January 2022. We hope to be able to offer in-person rehearsals (with no enrollment caps) for all 8 ensembles, with a Season Finale concert at NNU’s Brandt Center in the the spring of 2022. Registration for 12.2 will be coming soon!