Auditions Scheduled for Kids who love Glee and Love to Perform!

For the past five years Rockland County has been home to its own version of Glee thanks to the Lower Hudson Valley Youth Chorus. The organization, founded by Nyack Middle School Music Teacher Jared Rosenblum, had 45 singers in its inaugural year and this year expects to host over 100 students from Rockland, Bergen, Westchester and Orange County for the 2011-2012 season.

Since its founding, the chorus has performed at Radio City Music Hall for the Christmas Spectacular, with Broadway Stars Brad Little, Carter Calvert, William Michals, Rita Harvey, Shayna Steele and John Patrick through Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway, at New York Mets and Knicks and Boulders games, and at various charitable functions including Autism Speaks Walk. They also performed an original composition written by Francisco J. Núñez, the founder and artistic director of the Young People's Chorus of New York City, at the Gift of Sharing at Lord & Taylor. The Chorus has been invited back to sing at many of these exciting events in 2011-2012.

The Lower Hudson Valley Youth Chorus performs songs of many different styles including songs from GLEE, the Beatles, Broadway shows, pop music, choral arrangements, and much more.

This year the chorus has been expanded to two groups to accommodate a wider range of abilities; Chorus A will meet Sundays from 6:30 – 7:45 pm and will require an audition to participate. The group will include students ages 12 – 18. Auditions for this group will take place on September 18th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at 521 North Broadway in Nyack. Those wishing to audition should prepare a verse and chorus from any song that will best demonstrate the range of their voice. Auditions will be acapella or with an accompanist who will be available that day. The cost to participate for the year is $400 and includes costumes for the Christmas Spectacular event. Those wishing to audition should register on line at the group's website: http://www.lohudyouthchorus.com.

Chorus B will rehearse on Sundays from 5:15 – 6:30 pm and there is no audition required. Students ages 6 – 16 are encouraged to participate and the cost for the year is $400.

Rehearsals for both groups begin September 25 at 521 North Broadway in Nyack. For more information about auditions or having The Lower Hudson Valley Youth Chorus perform at your event, call or email Jared Rosenblum at lohudyouthchorus@aol.com or call (845) 300-1925. Follow the Chorus on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LHVYCHORUS

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