People who have benefited by their involvement in Mankato Area Youth Choirs will be singing its praises during a 30th anniversary choir Sunday at Christ Chapel at Gustavus Adolphus College.
The choir of 100 children will be joined by an adult choir made up of parents of current singers, alumni and parents of alumni. Formerly known as Mankato Children’s Chorus, the organization has grown up to where multiple choirs now rehearse each week and perform in two formal concerts each year, said Artistic Director Leah Ries.
“Our concert theme is going to center around memories, and we’ll be singing the Maroon 5 song ‘Memories,’” Ries said. “Our parents and alumni will join us on that song.”
A Minnesota State Arts Board grant received recently has helped prepare for this concert, as well as providing a needed financial boost for music purchases and staffing.
Isabella Aase is one of the many young people who benefited in many ways from her involvement. The same is true of her father, Gordon, who will participate in the celebratory concert.
“As I got older, I wanted to gain more choral experience in addition to my school choirs,” Isabella said. “This choir offers to much with a variety of musical styles, languages, friendships and our great leader, Leah.”
Isabella sees being in the alumni chorus as an opportunity to relive some of those great memories.
Gordon, a musician himself, saw getting his daughter involved in the chorus as a way to expose her to musical styles he wouldn’t be instructing her in at home. He also gets to spark high school memories, plus, it is “all the more special to sing with my daughter.”
In addition to enhancing her musical education, Isabella notes that her involvement in Mankato Area Youth Choirs has influenced her confidence and development in other endeavors.
“I currently participate in as many college music groups as I have time for, including Gustavus Orchestra and Social Justice Choir,” she said. “It all started with MAYC.”
The youth choirs began in 1994 as one choir of 24 singers for students in grades 3-8, Ries said. In 2000, a training choir for first and second graders was added. Through the years the choir has grown to five choirs with its current number of 100 singers in grades 1-12.
The name change came about because the choir draws a wide range of students of various ages from a larger area, including Nicollet and St. Peter, said board member Jessica Lanes. “There’s people that make quite the commitment to come here every week to sing with a group,” she said.
She said the organization is looking forward to seeing how much growth it can accommodate, so the MSAB grant came at a good time. Thirty years in and the future looks bright.
“We welcome the public to join us as we share a variety of choral music and celebrate the successes of our choir’s 30 years in our spring concert,” Ries said.
A small reception will follow the concert.