Does your child love to sing? Is their school schedule such that your child comes home wishing they had more time in music class? Has your child tried other extra-curriculars and is still searching for that activity that makes them feel super-excited? Well, you need to check out the Cary-Apex Youth Choir!
Founded as a nonprofit in 2018 by local musician, vocalist, and choral director Laura Delauney, the Cary-Apex Youth Choir (CAYC) is growing by leaps and bounds. “What started as just one small group has now grown into two separate groups, so that we can better serve the kids at the age and level that’s appropriate for them.”
The Cary-Apex Youth Choir is comprised of a beginning- to intermediate-level Prelude Choir, and an intermediate- to advanced-level Lyric Choir. But here’s something wonderful—Delauney places the children with consideration for their social maturity, not just their age and experience.
“We want the kids to be in a group that is socially appropriate for them. For instance, an eight-year-old does not have the same stamina that a 13- or 14-year-old would have. So, the Prelude Choir will meet for one hour a week and it’s geared for kids that are generally about age eight to 11. Once the kids are about 10 years old, we’re wondering, ‘What is their skill level? Is the beginning group the most appropriate place for them, or are they ready for an extra challenge?’ For the Lyric Choir, I am looking for students that are ready to sing in parts, to develop their reading skills beyond the basics. And I’m going to push them to be more independent musicians.”
Auditions
While most CAYC members bring some music education to an audition, either from school or through private lessons, that’s not always the case. (Not all Wake County schools offer chorus as an elective or an after-school club.) Delauney understands that and encourages kids to audition anyway.
“I am looking for students who are ready to learn,” she said. “I do want them to be able to match pitch. But beyond that, the audition is really to assess where they are, and their attitude towards singing. If I’ve got kids that [need to] start with the basics, I make sure that I plan my lessons so that I can teach them what they need to know. When they’re coming into the older group, if they have no music experience whatsoever, then it’s going to be important that they are ready to jump on board and learn fairly quickly.”
Now if the thought of an audition makes your child want to cry rather than sing, rest assured, it’s a piece of cake. Birthday cake! If your young person can sing “Happy Birthday,” he or she can audition! Auditions are held privately or in small groups, in-person or via Zoom, 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish, and both Delauney and CAYC board member Susan Heiserman, whose daughter is a CAYC member, emphasize that it’s a low-pressure thing. Heiserman added, “Auditions are happening on an ongoing basis through the summer. Laura is great about arranging those privately, so anybody is welcome anytime.”
Important to note, the Cary-Apex Youth Choir is a treble choir. This means that for boys to be eligible, they should have unchanged voices. For some, this means they can sing through middle school and even into high school by learning how to manage their changing voice. For others, once Delauney notes vocal tension or trouble reaching the higher notes, she can recommend an ensemble for boys with mature voices.
More Than Music
CAYC is music…and so much more. Fellowship and teamwork are vital to helping children define their sense of self, increase their confidence, and develop relationship skills. Delauney shared her philosophy for fostering social interaction skills through the children’s engagement with music and their peers.
“I make it clear upfront that it’s okay to make mistakes in this room—make them loud, make them proud. And then our job is to figure out how to learn from them. We talk a lot about how, as an ensemble, we are supporting each other. It’s important that the kids get to know each other, because the better you know your ensemble members, the better music you make together. We do activities where they break off into a small group and talk about the text of a piece, and what they think it means. We also play games that allow them to make mistakes and laugh about it together and celebrate triumphs together.”
What About COVID?
Heiserman and Delauney want readers to know that choir can be done safely. “Early in the pandemic,” Heiserman noted, “there was a big super-spreader choir event that got everyone scared about singing…but it can be done safely. We read the studies, and we consider everything. Laura’s really good about checking in with families to make sure they are comfortable with what we’re doing, so we really do care about that aspect. Even though things are looking up and getting better, we still have to be careful in the upcoming year, too.”
Delauney added, “We’ve provided [children] with a special singing mask, we are careful about the distancing, and we keep up with the current science. I’m in several discussion groups to make sure that I’m always on top of what the latest protocols are. And, yes, communication is a huge part of what we do. We ran several surveys throughout the course of [the 2020-2021] year to make sure that we were meeting the needs of our families. As we move forward, I expect that some of the restrictions will be lessened and once vaccinations are available to children, that will be a game changer. But we have successfully run choir in-person throughout the entire pandemic.”
Choir members rehearsed in-person, spaced apart and masked, but their performances were virtual. Prior to the pandemic, the CAYC performed at area festivals, held public concerts in December and May, entertained seniors at a local health and rehabilitation center, and spread holiday cheer through neighborhood caroling.
For the upcoming season, Delauney and Heiserman are looking forward to the choir participating in local arts festivals when they return in the spring. They’re prepared to be flexible, however, and if it so happens that the choir cannot perform before an audience, they will find creative ways to share video recordings. For now, mark your calendars for these concert dates: Saturday, December 4, 2021, and Saturday, May 14, 2022.
An ‘Undiscovered Gem’
Thanks to funding by the Town of Cary and the United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County, as well as corporate support and donations from private individuals, the CAYC offers free or minimal-cost admission to concerts and affordable tuition for choir members. But as is the case with many arts-related nonprofits, those costs remain low as long as interested patrons provide support. The CAYC’s mission is “to share our music and make it accessible to the community,” and Heiserman agreed. “We are there to support Laura and her dreams and goals, and to work with her in figuring out how to reach those goals. I’m a choir parent and board member. I’m also the director of a nonprofit, so I bring some nonprofit experience to the board. Our goals, especially in this upcoming year, are to grow the choir and [increase] community outreach so we can be sure we’re serving all of our community.”
Heiserman was “a choir kid” from elementary school through high school and into graduate school. She said, “Choir was probably the most meaningful part of my life growing up. I made the best friends that I had. I got really excited for my daughter when I saw that this choir was starting. I wanted to share that experience with her. I’ve seen it in action, and I’ve seen Laura’s creativity and enthusiasm and how much the kids grow to love her. It really is a place where kids feel welcome. It feels like a family to them and they will all tell you that. In a time like this, choir is really more important than ever in the kids’ lives to help them process all that we’ve been going through. There’s no way we can stop. [The choir] is an undiscovered gem in western Cary and Apex and we’re trying to spread the word because it is such a wonderful thing for kids.”
When asked about her message to Apex families, Delauney had this to say, “Music is a life skill. Not only are [children] learning the actual skills of music, but in an ensemble setting they’re learning how to care for each other. They’re learning social skills, they’re filling their buckets with joy every time they come in. We celebrate successes and we lightheartedly deal with our failures and move forward. We learn how to do hard things in a growth mindset, which is meant to set them up for the rest of their lives. I wasn’t a great singer when I first joined choir, but a choir director gave me a chance and it changed my life completely. I learned so much in that space, I grew in confidence, and she set me on a path to be able to do something that makes me feel amazing as an adult. I want to give that gift to kids in the community.”
For more information about joining the Cary-Apex Youth Choir, visit caryapexyouthchoir.org.
To become a corporate sponsor or valued donor, visit the website’s Supporters page. And for the latest on where and when the CAYC will be performing in your area, follow them on Facebook and Instagram and check out their videos!