Young singers ages 9-12 with a passion for performing are invited to join this summer’s Creative Choral Camp where they will hone their performance craft with nationally known teaching artists in a comprehensive approach to singing that will get them moving, playing, vocalizing and creating!
“Singing in any style, whether alone or with a choir, is all about communicating a story or a message to the listener,” explains Artistic Director Bonny Tynch. “Lots of conductors/teachers (including me!) have been guilty of presenting a technically correct performance that leaves the audience (and singers- I would argue) rather cold. The notes may have been correct, the rhythms were right- there may have even been some dynamic contrasts between loud and soft sections! Yet the music falls flat and the audience is not moved beyond the excitement of seeing someone they know and love all dressed up and singing on stage.”
“Music is so much more powerful than technical perfection,” continues Ms. Tynch. “Real music comes from singers giving themselves to the music, conveying a story with their voices, facial expression and bodies. When an audience experiences singers that are engaged mentally, physically – and yes, playfully – they are moved and the true power of the music comes through.”
Bonny Tynch knows a thing or two about choral music and conducting! She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in choral music education from East Carolina University and George Mason University, respectfully. Last summer, she was awarded the Artist-Teacher Diploma from the Choral Music Experience Institute, and she has studied at the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria. Ms. Tynch is in her seventh season as a Youth Chorus Conductor for the Fairfax Choral Society, and she is the Founder and Board President of BRIDGES: Harmony through Music, a 501(c)3 organization that strives to provide quality opportunities for under served youth to be empowered through making music.
“I’ve found most singers, especially young singers, are eager to delve into the music and text set before them. This takes time, planning, space and creativity that is often not possible in school settings,” says Ms. Tynch. “We have created a week long experience for young choral singers that allows them to work with experts in movement education, music and drama, sight reading and vocal pedagogy. These singers will present a culminating performance with the guidance of these experts that will showcase their musicality, playfulness and maturity. I’m so excited to have been invited by Mason’s Potomac Arts Academy to direct such an experience this summer on the George Mason University campus!”
Your child will have a blast at Creative Choral Camp and will also be developing choral and music sight-reading skills that will give them a jump ahead when preparing for fall auditions in their school choirs, future honor choirs, or for that coveted role in the community theater’s musical!