The Vine - News Blog

Cantabile Youth Choir Starts New Season

 
The Cantabile Youth Choir is excited to start its new season. New Cantabile members are invited to join us Sunday, October 5, from 12:15-2:00 p.m., for lunch and then a rehearsal in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel. Cantabile Youth Choir is for any student, 6th-12th grade, who enjoys music, singing, and fellowship with a great group of Arborlawn students. We will eat lunch together and rehearse each Sunday from 12:15-2:00 p.m. in this same format, as well as sing in worship services throughout the year, sing for several community performances, and end our season with a fun singing trip. Contact Jennifer Portele for more details.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile Youth Choir Starts New Season

 
The Cantabile Youth Choir is excited to start its new season. Returning Cantabile Choir members will meet for lunch and then a rehearsal in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel on Sunday, September 28 from 12:15-2:00 p.m. New Cantabile members are invited to join us Sunday, October 5, from 12:15-2:00 p.m., again for lunch and then a rehearsal. Cantabile Youth Choir is for any student, 6th-12th grade, who enjoys music, singing, and fellowship with a great group of Arborlawn students. We will eat lunch together and rehearse each Sunday from 12:15-2:00 p.m. in this same format, as well as sing in worship services throughout the year, sing for several community performances, and end our season with a fun singing trip. Contact Jennifer Portele for more details.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile Youth Choir: Wednesday evening rehearsals

 
Arborlawn's Cantabile Youth Choir is open to students in 6th through 12 grades who enjoy singing and desire to use their voices as a form of worship. The group's rehearsals are each Wednesday at 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel. Previous music experience is helpful but not required.
 
Cantabile had a fantastic summer, performing for the second year at the YouthCue Festival at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. While in town they also got to tour a many famous landmarks.
 
Members of Cantabile practice correct vocal technique, rehearse challenging music, and work on performance skills. The numerous benefits of participating include development of critical listening skills, cooperation, responsibility, leadership, and spiritual growth.
 
For more details about Cantabile Youth Choir, contact Jennifer Portele.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile singing in Washington, D.C. as part of YouthCue festival

 
From Jennifer Portele: On Sunday, June 23 the Cantabile Youth Choir Ensemble will travel back to Washington, D.C. for a second time in two years. The group is taking part again in the YouthCue National Youth Choir Festival. These students will join with youth from 12 other youth choirs from across the United States.
 

The group will rehearse each morning and will get to explore the capital's attractions in the afternoons and evenings. On Friday, June 28 the students from all over the country will join together to perform a concert with a professional orchestra in the National Cathedral.
 
The students, along with Jennifer Portele (Cantabile Director) and Karen Gossett (Accompanist), have been practicing the music since last September. The repertoire is very challenging and is a combination of classic, traditional, and contemporary choral anthems.
 
Cantabile looks forward to hearing it all come together after nearly 10 months of preparation. The trip last year was an amazing experience for all, and Cantabile looks forward to sharing pictures and stories of their time in Washington, D.C. Watch Arborlawn's Facebook page this week, and look for images on the screens in the Commons and Sanctuary on Sunday, June 30.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile selling Christmas wreaths to help fund summer trip

 
Members of Arborlawn's Cantabile Choir (junior and senior high ensemble) are currently raising funds for their trip to Washington, D.C. planned for summer 2013. They are selling Christmas wreaths and greenery from Alpine Farms.

The wreaths are real evergreens - not artificial - and originate from the Pacific Northwest. They look great, smell amazing, and are literally "green" - sustainably harvested. No trees are cut down; the wreath are made from trimmings, a process that actually improves the health of the trees.
 
The money Cantabile raises will go towards the group's trip costs for the June 2013 YouthCUE National Youth Choir Festival and Concert in Washington, D.C. at the National Cathedral.
 
Orders will be taken through this Sunday, Nov. 18. Checks should be made out to Arborlawn United Methodist Church, and the memo should say Cantabile Fundraiser and list the name of your salesperson. Cash is also accepted. The wreaths will be shipped to the church around Dec. 7. Contact Jennifer Portele for more details or if you would like to receive information about ordering online for direct shipping.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile hosting Oct. 3 viewing party of summer concert at National Cathedral

 
Cantabile (Arborlawn's Youth Choir) invites everyone to a special viewing of its 2012 YouthCUE concert, taped when the group was in Washington, D.C. over the summer. The ensemble performed with various other student choirs from across the country in the National Cathedral.
 

Join them Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Theater (Room 140 on the Sanctuary Level in the Children's area) for a viewing party. Please RSVP to Jennifer Portele.
 
These students represented Arborlawn well on the national stage; please come show them how much you appreciate them.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile represents Arborlawn well in Washington, D. C.; second year about to start up

 
By Jennifer Portele
 
The summer is drawing to a close, and the Cantabile Youth Choir has a lot to be excited about! We had a great first year as a new choral ensemble. The students not only worked very hard to develop their voices and musicality throughout the year, but they also had a great time together. We had a big goal to work toward: The National Cathedral! 
 
Earlier this summer, we traveled to Washington, D. C. to be a part of the YouthCUE National Youth Choir Festival. And after only a few rehearsals with other youth choirs from all over the nation, we did just that. Cantabile sang in a concert they will remember forever. Not only is the National Cathedral breathtakingly beautiful, it sounds amazing too. We also had a blast visiting many of Washington, D. C.’s museums and attractions. It was five action packed days, and we can’t wait to go back.
 
I am very excited to announce that Cantabile will be returning to Washington next year to be a part of the YouthCUE event, and we would love to take more friends with us.
 
We are looking to add voices to our already amazing ensemble. Students in Grades 6 through 12, who enjoy singing and working with an amazing youth team, are invited to join us for another exciting year. We will kick off our year on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. with a celebration dinner here at the church. The returning members of Cantabile would like to invite all new and interested students and their parents to join us for dinner, fellowship, and a peak back at our 2012 concert and pictures. We would also like to invite our donors that helped make this trip possible.
 
If you (or your student) are interested in this great opportunity to sing in Cantabile Youth Choir, or you know someone who is, contact Jennifer Portele.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Student Voices: Cantabile performs at the National Cathedral, tours Washington, D. C.

 
By Alex Schumacher
 
Last fall, the Cantabile youth ensemble was created for grades 6-12. This group was different from the other children’s or youth choirs. This choir would be traveling to Washington D.C. in the summer to perform in the National Cathedral! All those who wanted to be in the choir were very excited about the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. Throughout the year, we rehearsed 10 different songs for the festival, as we had to perform all of them without our music.
 
Finally, on Thursday, June 28, we got to fly to Washington D.C. When we arrived, we had to learn how to use the Metro and go straight to our first rehearsal at the National City Christian Church. When we got there we learned there were eight choirs from all over the United States that came to participate in the YouthCUE festival of choirs. We just had five rehearsals to bring us all together and get ready for our concert on Monday night.
 

However, we didn’t just practice. We also did lots of sightseeing. On Friday we went to the Smithsonian Museums of American History and the Natural History Museum. We later had pizza at a place called Aria Pizza. We thought that was a good place for a choir to eat! That night a severe thunderstorm shook our nation’s capital and was one of the worst storms there in 100 years. Many people were without power, including one other choir, but we were lucky.
 
One of the highlights of our trip was a tour of the capitol building. That tour included a movie with information about the capitol and tours of two old Congress and Senate rooms, both dating back to the 1890s. We also got to visit old town Alexandria, where we were able to take a Potomac River tour that gave us great views of all the landmarks along the river, including all the monuments. On Sunday we went to church at the National Cathedral, and they recognized us out loud in the service for coming.   
 
Other fun things we saw on our trip were the Washington Monument, the White House, a detective tour of Abraham Lincoln’s death, and the Air and Space Museum. On Monday morning we held our final rehearsal at the National Cathedral and got to explore Georgetown.
 
Mr. Stoker surprised us by coming on the day of our concert. It was an amazing experience singing at the National Cathedral. It sounded awesome with the sound of the 200 voices ringing off the walls of one of the most beautiful places ever. It was like God was right beside you.
 
We had a great time in D.C., and we are hoping to double or even triple in size next year. Thank you, Ms. Portele, for leading our choir and planning our trip. Thank you, Ms. Gossett, for also helping us. We appreciate all the support we received from Arborlawn. We had an awesome experience, and I hope you can have this experience with Cantabile too.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Cantabile Choir singing at festival in Washington, D.C. this summer

 
Members of Arborlawn's Cantabile Choir (6th-12th Grades) are going to Washington, D.C. next week to participate in YouthCUE's 2012 Nation's Capital Festival of Youth Choirs. (Read more at YouthCUE.org.)
 
The event includes about 300 singers from individual choirs, both large and small, spanning the United States and crossing denominational lines. Participating choirs learn a common repertoire and engage in mass choir rehearsals and activities. The Festival concludes with a Grand Concert at the National Cathedral, which is accompanied by local professional symphony artists.
 
YouthCUE aims to "radically impact the lives of youth" who participate in youth choirs through Christian leadership development and life-changing experiences. By participating in this festival, Cantabile members will not only get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a part of an incredible musical experience, they will also bring their excitement back home, which will help us to continue to nurture our music ministry. The students will also form lasting friendships and memories.
 
Please pray for the seven students representing Arborlawn’s Cantabile Choir (Matthew Crawford, Petra Garza, Abby Gerstle, Amanda Hartman, Annie Rheuark, Alex Schumacher, and Elizabeth Sloan), for Jennifer Portele and Karen Gossett (Cantabile director and worship arts administrator), and for the parents who will travel with us to Washington, D.C. Everyone's excited to go and will have great stories to share about their experiences when they return.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Auditions continue for Cantabile ensemble

Auditions continue for the new vocal ensemble for students in 6th through 12 grades: Cantabile. This ensemble will be directed  by Jennifer Portele and will practice on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. Cantabile will  sing in worship services throughout the year and at a music festival next summer in Washington, D.C.
 
Sign up for auditions in the Choral Suite. Times are available on Wednesday, Aug. 31, and Saturday, Sept. 3. Contact Jennifer Portele with any questions.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

New choral group forming for students

There are many exciting changes taking place around Arborlawn, especially in our Music Ministry. We are pleased to announce a new music ensemble for students called “Cantabile.” Cantabile is a select vocal ensemble for students in 6th through 12 grades.
 
This ensemble will be directed  by Jennifer Portele. Cantabile will meet on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. and will sing in worship services several times throughout the year. The group will also prepare to sing next summer at a major choral festival in Washington, D.C.
 
Interested students can can sign up for an audition time in the Choral Suite. Audition times are available on Sunday, Aug. 28, Wednesday, Aug. 31, and Saturday, Sept. 3. Contact Jennifer Portele with any questions.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

New music ensemble forming this autumn for students

We are pleased to announce a new music ensemble for students in grades 6-12 called “Cantabile” and directed by Jennifer Portele. 
 
Our purpose in creating Cantabile is to form a high quality vocal ensemble in which students will not only draw upon their musical talents and previous musical skills, but will be challenged and exposed to a new and varied repertoire of Christian choral music. This will not be a casual pick-up choir with different students each week. It will be a select group of student musicians who enjoy producing high quality vocal music for worship.
 
Cantabile will rehearse on Wednesday nights during the school year from 6-7 p.m. We will sing several times throughout the year in worship services and will spend a great deal of time preparing to be a part of a major national choral festival called Youth Cue, which will be held next June 28 through July 2 in Washington D.C. More than 300 students will join together for five wonderful days of music making, which will culminate in a concert in the National Cathedral. This is an experience of a lifetime!   
 
Auditions for Cantabile will be held by appointment on Sunday, Aug. 28, Wednesday, Aug. 31, or Saturday, Sept. 3. Candidates should sign up for their preferred audition time on the sign-up sheet, located on the Choral Suite door. Potential Cantabile members do not need to prepare anything for their audition.    
 
As mentioned above, Cantabile will meet on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. as a part of Arborlawn's new Wednesday night activities. There will be other offerings on Wednesday nights for the entire family, including a meal that will start at 5 p.m. and will continue until 7 p.m., all Children's Choirs, and Adult handbells. Chancel Choir rehearsal will remain from 7:15 to 9 p.m. We hope that this change in schedule will be more family friendly and will give everyone an opportunity to get involved in a music on Wednesday evenings.   
 
Please contact Jennifer Portele with any questions about Cantabile.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org