Information current as at JANUARY 2009

Tania Casey, Musical Director, 0408 515 699 (BH + AH)

Choir's Email Address: enquiries@berwickyouthchoir.com

Choir's Website: berwickyouthchoir.com

Vision statement / Artistic goals: Berwick Youth Choir is a children's choir built on Zoltan Kodaly's principles of music education; the choir believes that "music is the birthright of all children, not just the musically gifted"; the choir aims for excellence in performance, and service to the community, and to provide young people with the highest quality of music education at the lowest possible cost

Voice type: Children's/Youth - 3 Treble ensembles and a TB boys ensemble (New Voices); New Voices and Maggiore often combine as an SATB ensemble

Choir performs: Both accompanied & unaccompanied

Year Choir formed: 1986

No. of Singing Members - Currently: 30 in Maggiore, 30 in two training choirs Desired: 40-50 in Maggiore, no particular limit for training choirs

Musical Repertoire: BYC sings classical music from all periods, folk music of many cultures, and quality arrangements of popular music; the choir sings both sacred and secular music; the choir keenly promotes Australian compositions; music is chosen in keeping with Kodaly's dictum that only music of the highest quality is suitable for children

Musical Director: Tania Casey

No. of years in current post: since 2008

Previous musical experience: AMusA, Dip Mus, Grad Dip Ed, Tania has many years of experience working with children's choirs; a former Director of Music at BYC, she has studied at the Victorian College of the Arts, majoring in violin and viola and including voice and conducting; Tania has an established career in string teaching and choral music, which combines for freelance work as musician and conductor; she has conducted a variety of choirs and orchestras, including a 500 voice choir and orchestra at Robert Blackwood Hall; Tania is currently string teacher at Haileybury College, Berwick

Choir's past collaborations with other musical groups: Toronto Children's Chorus, Southend Girls Choir, Zelman Memorial Orchestra, Young Voices of Melbourne, Victorian Boys Choir, Eltham East Primary School, Da Capo Singers, Australian Rosny Children's Choir, Bendigo Youth Choir, Geelong Youth Choir

Audition: Yes - All new children are welcomed into the choir; children are auditioned for placement in the most appropriate group for their age and ability; Choristers are re-auditioned each year to assess vocal and musical development, and are promoted to the next group when considered ready

Minimum Attendance policy - Rehearsals: Yes Concerts: Yes

Membership Fees: Term fees - Piccolo $100, Mezzo $125, Maggiore $165, New Voices (tenors/basses) $165, Fundraising levy of $30 for 1 child or $40 for 2 or more children per family

Ability to read music and sight-reading ability: These skills are taught by the choir - some ability is essential for choristers wishing to enter Maggiore, but not necessary for training choirs

Av. No. of rehearsals/week: 1

Usual rehearsal night(s): Wednesday - Maggiore and New Voices 5:30-7:30pm; singers also attend a musicianship tutorial, fortnightly at 4:30pm for younger choristers, or weekly from 7:30-8:15pm for senior choristers

Thursday - Piccolo and Mezzo 4:30-5:30pm; Senior Mezzos continue until 6:00pm

Suburb: Narre Warren South

Rehearsal venue: ICA Casey College

Off-street parking: Yes

Performance Apparel: Uniform hired from the choir

Av. No. of Concert Programs/year: 3

Av. No. of Performances/year: 5 for training choirs, 10-15 for Maggiore

Sample of the Choir's past Concert Venues: In Melbourne: Huntingtower Auditorium, Olympic Torch Relay, RACV Country Club, St Johns Southgate, St James (Pakenham), Dandenong Town Hall, St Andrews (Brighton), Como House, Montsalvat, Rosanove Auditorium, Crown Casino, Berwick Anglican Church, Monash Religious Centre, Berwick Church of Christ, Berwick Performing Arts Centre, George Jenkins Theatre; On tour: Duomo, Durham Cathedral, Newcastle Conservatorium, Hobart City Hall

Examples of musical pieces performed: Sound The Trumpet (Purcell), Reel A Bouche (Dalglish), Hippity Hoppity (Kodaly), Hold Fast Your Dreams (Brunner), Laudate Dominum (Mozart), The Water of Tyne (Neaum), Blue Skies (Berlin/ Puddy), Water Under Snow Is Weary (Wessman), Dry Your Tears Afrika (Williams)

Touring: Yes - Melbourne Metro Area/Regional Victoria/Interstate/Overseas

Administration / Governance arrangements for the Choir: Committee of Management

Types of Committees: Sub-committees for fundraising, uniform, special events as required, other areas as required from time to time

Own collection of music scores: Yes

Available for hire to other groups: Yes

Hiring fees apply: Yes