A new musical initiative is bringing the joy of singing to local youth. The Junior Vox Choir is launching this fall, offering children in grades 5 to 8 the opportunity to explore their vocal talents in a supportive, fun environment. The program, spearheaded by Janine Waines, Artistic Director of Prairie Vox (the adult choir) aims to fill a gap in the community's music education offerings.
"We decided that we would give it a try and see if there was actually interest and a need for it in the community," said Waines. "We think there is. There seems to be a gap for kids who love to sing but don't have a choir to join until high school or beyond."
Rehearsals for the Junior Vox Choir will take place weekly on Wednesdays from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. at Prairie Vineyard Church. The choir's first season kicks off on September 23 and will run until December 9. The term will end in a special Christmas concert, featuring both the Junior Vox and the adult choir, Prairie Vox.
"It's going to be a joint concert, with the kids performing the first half and the adults performing the second half," Waines explained. "Then we'll all sing together for a couple of numbers to end the night. It’s going to be a wonderful experience for everyone."
Registration for the choir will take place on September 9 and 16 at Prairie Vineyard Church from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. The cost is $25.00 for the entire term, and Waines emphasized that financial concerns shouldn't be a barrier for any child interested in joining.
"We believe that finances shouldn't be a roadblock or a barrier. We just want young kids to come out and sing," she said.
The Junior Vox Choir will offer a creative outlet for kids who are interested in music but may not be involved in athletics or other extracurricular activities.
"They don't need any prior experience or music-reading ability. I will coach them through all of that. They just need to come with a willingness to share their voice," Waines added.
For more information or to ask questions, families can email Prairie Vox at prairievox.info@gmail.com.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.