Heart of the Valley Children's Choir

(541) 738-7888
Email the Office
260 SW Madison, Ste 101
Corvallis, OR 97333
Office hours by appointment

Prep Choir
Kathi Smith, dir
Lisa Frothingham, coord

Children’s One Choir
Aimee Newman, dir
Wendy McLaren, coord

Children’s Two Choir
Carol Nelson, dir
Diane Meyers, coord
Mandee Varner, coord

Festival Choir
Carol Nelson, dir
Kristi Hager, coord
Charlene Skarpohl, coord

Chamber Choir
Carol Nelson, dir
Patti O’Bannan, coord
Mary Santelmann, coord

Floating Choir Coord
Terry Anderson

Office Mgr/Uniforms
Molly Hutzler

Business Mgr/Tour Director
Jean Scott

Publications
Anita Neilson

Webmaster
Pam Van Londen

Auditions for 2010/2011 Season

Auditions for new members will be held September 7, 2010 in the Education Hall at the First Presbyterian Church at the corner of 8th & Monroe in Corvallis.
Contact the office if you need an alternative day and time.
Festival Choir: 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Singers with at least one year of Children’s Choir 2 experience
Chamber Choir: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Singers in high school who will be new to Chamber Choir
Returning Chamber Choir voice check
Tuesday, September 14th  4:00 pm – 6:00 pm & 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
All voice checks will take place at the First Presbyterian Church
Returning members of Chamber Choir are requested to come and sing for Carol in order to be placed correctly in sections for the coming year. (Singers not in sports should take earlier times so that we can end at a reasonable hour).

Auditions for new members will be held September 7, 2010 in the Education Hall at the First Presbyterian Church at the corner of 8th & Monroe in Corvallis.

Contact the office if you need an alternative day and time.

  • Festival Choir: 4:00pm to 6:00pm
    • Singers with at least one year of Children’s Choir 2 experience
  • Chamber Choir: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
    • Singers in high school who will be new to Chamber Choir

Chamber Choir voice check

Returning members of Chamber Choir are requested to come and sing for Carol on Tuesday, September 14 at First Presbyterian from 4:00pm to 6:00pm and/or 7:00pm to 8:30pm in order to be placed correctly in sections for the coming year. (Singers not in sports should take earlier times so that we can end at a reasonable hour).

| Posted in Chamber Choir, Festival Choir, Newsletter by Pam Van Londen on 09.01.2010 | No Comments » |

Annual Parent Meeting 2010

The Annual Parent Meeting will be held on Monday, September 13, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm beginning in Central Park at 8th & Monroe.

Student Directors will facilitate games for your children while meetings are held from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm.

Each family should bring their own picnic dinner and drinks.

It is very important to attend this meeting because you will need to pay tuition, pick up schedules and learn about volunteer opportunities, tours (Chamber Choir, Mozart Festival, Salzburg, Festival/CH2, Holiday Tour, Portland) and other choir activities during the year.
Of course we will introduce our fantastic and dedicated staff listed below.

  • Julie Buchert, Accompanist of the Prep Choir
  • Kathi Smith, Director of Prep Choir
  • Aimee Newman, Director of Children’s 1
  • Sherri Bird, Accompanist of Chamber Choir, Asst Director
  • Lucy Watts, Accompanist of Children’s Choir 2 and Festival Choir
  • LeAnn Wind, Accompanist of Children’s Choir 1
  • Carol Nelson, Director of Children’s Choir 2, Festival Choir, Chamber Choir and Co-director Children’s Choir 1
  • Jean Scott, Financial Manager and Tour Coordinator
  • Anita Nielsen, Publications Coordinator
  • Candice O’Bannan/Elizabeth Behrens, Office Managers
  • Candice O’Bannan, Uniform Coordinator
  • Pam Van Londen, Web Site Editor

| Posted in Newsletter by Pam Van Londen on 08.31.2010 | No Comments » |

Fall 2010 Rehearsal Schedule

All rehearsals are held at The First Presbyterian Church at the corner of 8th and Monroe in Corvallis. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the first rehearsal so you can check in, pick up music and receive a copy of the current newsletter.
Parents, please note that our coordinators arrive only 20 minutes before rehearsal for check in. We cannot be responsible for your singers if they are dropped off earlier.

Starting dates

  • Preparatory Choir
    • Monday, September 20 at 6:15-7:15pm in Ed Hall
  • Festival Choir
    • Monday, September 20 at 6:15-7:30pm in the Sanctuary
  • Chamber Choir
    • Monday, September 20 at 7:30-9:00pm in the Sanctuary
  • Children’s Choir 1
    • Tuesday, September 21 at 6:15-7:30pm in Ed Hall
  • Children’s Choir 2
    • Tuesday, September 21 at 6:30-8:00pm in the Sanctuary

Sing A Mile High Festival in Denver 2010

See the
daily upload of tour photos.

More photos to come...

View movies from the tour.

Thank you Larry Anderson for creating such a wonderful record of the trip!

The Sing A Mile High Festival in Denver on June 24 to June 29, 2010 is a very exciting opportunity for Children’s Choir 2 and Festival Choir! Singers will be working with internationally renowned composer/conductors Sean Ivory and Paul Caldwell as well as singing with many other treble choirs from the US and abroad.

The festival will end with a finale concert at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts on The University of Denver’s campus, where the choirs will perform both individually and en mass.

singamilehighlogo

Sign up

Click on the following form to view, or download by right-clicking (Windows) or Control-clicking (Mac) and choosing Save As to your hard drive.

Event Schedule (Tentative)

Thursday, June 24, 2010

  • 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Registration/Check-in Dormitories
  • 5:00 – 6:15 p.m. Dinner Dormitory Dining Halls
  • 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Rehearsal Rehearsal Hall
  • 7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Chaperone meeting and planning time Auditorium Lobby
  • 8:45 – 9:45 p.m. Ice Cream Social Lawn area
  • 8:45 – 9:45 p.m. Director’s Reception Rehearsal Hall

Friday, June 25, 2010

  • 7:00 – 8:45 a.m. Breakfast Dorm Dining Halls
  • 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. Rehearsal Rehearsal Hall
  • 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Administrators/Directors Workshop Auditorium Lobby
  • 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch Dorm Dining Halls
  • 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Concurrent Sectional Rehearsals Rehearsal Hall Rooms
  • 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Rehearsal Rehearsal Hall
  • 4:00 – 4:30 p.m. To dorms to prepare for water park Bus pick up from Dorms
  • 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Barbecue Splash Water Park, Golden
  • 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Evening at Splash Water Park
  • 9:30 – 10:00 p.m. Return to dorms

Saturday, June 26, 2010

  • 7:00 – 8:45 a.m. Breakfast Dorm Dining Halls
  • 9:00 – 1:00 p.m. Individual Choir Rehearsals and/or free time Gates Auditorium – Newman Center
  • 11:30 -1:00 p.m. Lunch Dorm Dining Halls
  • 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Rehearsal Gates Auditorium – Newman Center
  • 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Directors Conducting Workshop Newman Center Choir Room
  • 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Free time
  • 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Dinner Dorm Dining Halls
  • 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. Skit Night Gates Auditorium – Newman Center

Sunday, June 27, 2010

  • 7:00 – 8:45 a.m. Breakfast Dorm Dining Halls
  • 8:00 – 12:00 a.m. Church Services – or free time Arapahoe County Churches
  • 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch Dorm Dining Halls
  • 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Individual Choir Rehearsals and/or free time Gates Auditorium – Newman Center
  • 5:15 – 6:30 p.m. Dinner and Dress Dorm Dining Hall and rooms
  • 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Concert Gates Auditorium – Newman Center
  • 9:30 – 10:30 p.m. Farewell Party Lawn area

Monday, June 28, 2010

  • 7:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Dorm Dining Halls
  • 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Sightseeing, meals, and activities with our own choir in the beautiful Rocky Mountains

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

  • 7:00 – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Dorm Dining Halls
  • 9:00 a.m.  Board buses for departure to the Denver Airport

Payment Schedule

$995 per participant for 6 days and 5 nights.

  • Make checks payable to HVC Choir.
  • Tour accounts may be used at any time during the payment process and fund-raising is highly encouraged.

Cost includes the choral festival, airfare, coach transportation in Denver, coach transportation to and from Corvallis to PDX, lodging, meals, festival t-shirt and all organized tour activities.

  • October 6 $120. per person (non refundable after November 10)
  • November 3 $120. per person (non refundable after December 10)
  • December 1 $120. per person (non refundable after January 10)
  • January 5 $120. per person (non refundable after February 10)
  • February 2 $120. per person (non refundable after March 10)
  • March 2 $120. per person (non refundable after April 10)
  • April 6 $120. per person (non refundable after May 10)
  • May 4 $120. per person (non refundable after June 10)
  • June 1 $ 35. per person (non refundable after June 10)

The above “non refundable” deadlines above are based on HVCC’s payments to Young Voices of Colorado, who are organizing the festival portion of the tour. Some flexibility may be allowed depending on family circumstances.

| Posted in Children's Choir 2, Events, Festival Choir, Tours by Anita Neilson on 06.24.2010 | No Comments » |

Summer Choir 2010

The Summer Choir, only for students traveling to Denver’s Sing A Mile High conference, will be on these dates at the First Presbyterian Church.

SUMMER CHOIR Rehearsals for Denver Tour Participants. All rehearsals will be held at First Presbyterian
June 15, 16 & 17 6:30 – 8:00 pm
June 18 9:00 am – 11:00 am & 6:30 -8:00 pm
June 19 9:00 am – 11 am only
June 21 9:00 am – 11 am & 6:30 – 8:00 pm
June 22 9:00 am – 11 am & 6:30 – 8:00 pm
June 23 9:00 am – 11 am & possible evening concert
For questions or concerns contact Jean Scott at jirl@peak.org
  • June 15 @ 6:30pm to 8:00pm
  • June 16 @ 6:30pm to 8:00pm
  • June 17 @ 6:30pm to 8:00pm
  • June 18 @ 9:00am to 11:00am and 6:30pm to 8:00pm
  • June 19 @ 9:00am to 11:00am
  • June 21 @ 9:00am to 11:00am and  6:30pm to 8:00pm
  • June 22 @ 9:00am to 11:00am and  6:30pm to 8:00pm
  • June 23 @ 9:00am to 11:00am and  6:30pm to 8:00pm (tentative evening)

For questions or concerns contact Jean Scott.

| Posted in Children's Choir 2, Events, Festival Choir by Pam Van Londen on 06.12.2010 | No Comments » |

Beth Powell Memorial Concert at LaSells Stewart Center


Recap of songs and solos from the concert. Awesome work everyone!

All HVCC choirs will sing at the Beth Powell Memorial Concert at 3:00pm, Sunday, June 6, 2010 at LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU Campus.

Admission is $8/Adults and $5/Seniors and Children. Tickets can be purchased at the Scrip table during rehearsals. They are also available at Gracewinds (in Corvallis) and Custom Eyes (in Albany). Purchases may be made at the door starting at 2pm on June 6.

Dress  Rehearsals

Come dressed in formal uniforms.

12:00 – 12:45    Chamber
12:45 – 1:15       Festival
1:15 – 1:45         Children 2
1:45 – 2:00         Children 2, Children 1, Festival
2:00 – 2:15         Children 1
2:15 – 2:30         Prep Choir
  • 12:00 – 12:45 Chamber
  • 12:45 – 1:15 Festival
  • 1:15 – 1:45 Children 2
  • 1:45 – 2:00 Children 2, Children 1, Festival
  • 2:00 – 2:15 Children 1
  • 2:15 – 2:30 Prep Choir

Concert Call time is 2:30 pm.

Senior Dessert 2010

The Senior Dessert for the graduating seniors and their parents is June 4 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Carol Nelson’s home in Albany (behind Tom’s Garden Center off Hwy 34).

We need about 4 or 5 non-seniors to arrive at 6:30 pm to set up and serve. Contact the office if you would like to volunteer.

If you can make desserts and deliver them to Molly’s home, please contact her.

| Posted in Chamber Choir, Events by Pam Van Londen on 05.10.2010 | No Comments » |

Concert CD/DVD pre-sale order

Thank you to Mark Miller and Larry Anderson for preparing a CD/DVD of our March concert at the Methodist church. “It was one of our best concerts in a long time,” according to Carol, “as far as acoustics, music and songs, and it is just beautiful to watch and hear all of your singers!!”

You can pre-order a copy via email, or purchase one at the June 6 concert.

$12 per DVD
$5 for just the audio CD
$15 for a set, DVD & audio CD

| Posted in Local Concerts, Purchase CDs by Pam Van Londen on 05.04.2010 | No Comments » |

Dine a Mile High at The Vue 2010

Heart of the Valley Children’s Choir is hosting an annual fundraising extravaganza at The Vue (5th & 6th floor of the Elements Building) on 517 SW 2nd Street, downtown Corvallis from 4:30pm to 7:30pm on May 2, 2010.

View from the Vue

View from the Vue

damh-poster2

Featuring a Taste of the Valley with…..

  • Appetizers by local restaurants
  • Wine tasting by local wineries
  • Choral Performances
  • Art auction

Tickets are $35 per person, which can be purchased at the door, or from Gracewinds Music, WineStyles, or by contacting the office at (541) 738-7888. RSVP to ensure a good time.

Proceeds from this fundraiser support the HVCC Foundation and the Kathleen Egan-Medearis Tour Scholarship Program.

Thank you to our sponsors

Volunteer

Please contact the choir office if you are interested in helping with this event.

| Posted in Chamber Choir, Events, Festival Choir, Fundraising, Local Concerts by Molly Hutzler on 04.11.2010 | No Comments » |

Children’s Choir 1 and 2 Retreat at Camp Tadmor

Children’s Choir 1 and 2 has their 2010 overnight retreat at Camp Tadmor on April 9 and 10, 2010. The cost of one retreat is included in tuition. However, if you participated in the Festival retreat in November, please remit $45 to your parent coordinator.

Reservations

The following form (3 in one) is due February 23, 2010. It must be completed, signed and returned to Choir Coordinators, Diane Meyers & Mandee Varner(CH2) & Wendy McLaren(CH1), before boarding the buses (no exceptions).

Itinerary

  • 4:40pm Fri April 9: Meet at Jefferson Elementary, Corvallis, OR.
  • 5:00pm Fri April 9: Depart Jefferson Elementary.
  • 6:00pm Fri April 9: Arrive at Camp Tadmore
    • 43943 McDowell Creek Drive, Lebanon, Oregon
    • (541) 451-4219
  • 2:30pm Sat April 10: Arrive back at Jefferson Elementary, Corvallis, OR.

Meals

  • Friday
    • Dinner is Pizza & Salad , provided by HVCC.
  • Saturday
    • Breakfast is provided.
    • Lunch is your sack lunch at noon (parents provide, there is refrigeration).

Special circumstances

Any singer who plans to be driven or drive to and from the retreat can do so only with a signed parent permission form and will drive only with his/her parent or guardian.  All others singers will ride buses to and from Camp Tadmor.  Forms are available at the rehearsal table.

NOTE: Any/all Festival singers are welcome to come to this Retreat. If you haven’t already signed up through Children’s 2 but want to come, contact your choir coordinators for information and paperwork. The cost will be $45 if this is your second HVCC retreat during this 2009-2010 season.

What to bring

Please pack lightly as the buses don’t have a great deal of storage space.  One small overnight bag plus a sleeping bag and pillow.

  • One sack lunch
    • Singers are not allowed to bring candy or other goodies. Snacks are provided by HVCC.
  • Music and binder
  • Pencil
  • Water bottle labeled with your name
    • Essential to maintain vocal health
  • Sleeping bag
  • Pillow
  • Personal grooming items
  • Towel for shower if desired
  • Change of clothes
  • Warm, waterproof jacket
  • Appropriate shoes for muddy conditions
  • A great attitude for rehearsal and social times!

Thank you!

Diane Meyers & Mandee Estes-Varner – CH2 Parent Coordinators
Wendy McLaren  -  CH1 Parent Coordinator

Chaperone Meeting Time has Changed

For all who signed up, there will be a short chaperone meeting in First Presbyterian’s choir room (at the top of the stairs) on April 6th at 7:00pm. Terry will share some information and distribute materials to you!

| Posted in Children's Choir 2, Events, Retreats by Pam Van Londen on 04.06.2010 | No Comments » |

Alumni Choir Association formed

Over the last 26 years, hundreds of children have particpated in and been part of the Heart of the Valley family. This year we have created the official HVCC Alumni Association, an organization that focuses on the incorporation of HVCC into your adult life.

Whether you were in one choir or several, one year or many, this is the place where you can be a part of the HVCC family once again.

Stay up-to-date on current HVCC concerts, tours, retreats, happenings, and alumni events by friending the Alumni Association via Facebook.

| Posted in Alumni by Pam Van Londen on 03.07.2010 | No Comments » |

Spring Concert at First United Methodist Church

All choirs will sing in the annual spring concert from 3:00pm to 4:30pm, Sunday, March 7, 2010 at First Methodist Church, located at 1165 NW Monroe in Corvallis.

Tickets go on sale this Monday and Tuesday at choir rehearsals, Gracewinds Music Store, and Custom Eyes of Albany.

Dress Rehearsals

Saturday, March 6, First United Methodist Church

  • 9:00am  to 10:00am Children’s 2
  • 10:00am to 11:00am Festival
  • 11:00am to 12:00pm Chamber

Sunday, March 7, location: First United Methodist Church

  • 1:15pm to 1:30pm Chamber Choir
  • 1:30pm to 1:45pm Festival Choir
  • 1:45pm to 2:00pm Children’s Choir 2
  • 2:00pm to 2:30pm Prep and Children’s Choir 1
  • CALL TIME for all choirs: 2:30 pm

Men’s choir forming

We apologize for not having clearly stated in last week’s InChoirer that our initial concept was to ask for interest in a possible HVCC Men’s Choir; the Corvallis community already has a mixed adult choir.

Thank you to last week’s responses. Though we are currently regrouping to put more thought into our original concept, we are still willing to take names of interested folks.

If you would like to add your name to our list, please call Jon Seitz at 541-752-0028.

| Posted in Men's Choir, Newsletter by Pam Van Londen on 02.08.2010 | No Comments » |