Have you been invited to Macy's Shop For A Cause event yet? MVC is participating in this fantastic fundraiser. It takes place on August 27 at ANY Macy's store or you can use it on www.macys.com.

With a donation of $5.00 you will receive a ticket to the event, a 25% off coupon for purchases made that day as well as a chance to win a $500 gift card. If you would like to make a donation for this event please contact Margaret Bellamy at 885-9231 or mebellamy@gmail.com or any MVC member to arrange to receive a ticket for this wonderful event.

For more information, click here: Shop for a Cause on August 27, 2011

Fields of Gold, a concert of contemporary and popular music, will be presented by Mohawk Valley Chorus on May 21 and 22.

The program -- featuring the works of Sting, Paul Simon, John Lennon and Paul McCartney as well as some American classics, spirituals, hymns and show tunes -- will be performed at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at the Scotia Reformed Church and at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 22, at Amsterdam High School.

Also performing, besides MVC, which is directed by David M. Rossi and accompanied by Alfred V. Fedak, will be the MVC Youth Chorale. Margaret Lazarou, a member of the chorus and a retired music teacher, directs the group of high school-aged singers from throughout the area.

The younger group will sing several selections by themselves and join the main chorus in Sting's Fields of Gold; a Swahili piece, OSifuni Mungu; and the pops classic, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing. This concert features a wide range of music, devoted to finding a place in the world, to bringing peace and music to it and making it a better place to sing and to live.

While that is the concert theme, the chorus will also take up a freewill collection of donations for the Mayfield Central Presbyterian Church, which was destroyed by fire on April 28. The church's choir was the last beneficiary of MVC's now-defunct Massed Choir Festival. Ironically, the festival started 10 years before as a way to help raise money for another church hit by a devastating fire. Anyone interested in giving to this cause may do so at either performance or may write a check to Mohawk Valley Chorus, earmarked for the church, and send it to MVC, PO Box 612, Amsterdam, 12010. The chorus itself has 100 members from seven area counties: Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga, Schoharie and Hamilton. About 75 of them will be singing at this concert.

Tickets for both performances will be available at the door or may be purchased in advance from any chorus member or at June's Hallmark or the Old Peddler's Wagon in Amsterdam. They are $12 for general admission and $9, senior citizens and students. All children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

AMSTERDAM – Alyssa Pyle, a senior and soprano from Niskayuna High School, has been selected as Mohawk Valley Chorus’ 2008 scholarship winner.

Pyle, who plans to pursue a degree in vocal performance and music education with the goal of teaching at the high school or college level, will perform at MVC’s classics concerts this weekend. She will sing Les Chemins de L'amour by Francis Poulenc and How Fair This Spot! by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

The scholarship, awarded annually to a high school senior or junior for outstanding vocal ability, is worth $500 and may be used to further her musical education.

Pyle, the daughter of Rosemary and Monty Pyle, has participated in various select choirs and stage performances with Niskayuna high school and community theater (Schenectady Light Opera). She has been in New York State Scholastic Music Association programs' All-State Women's Choir 2009 and Area All State 2008-2009; American Music Abroad Honors Choir 2008; Soloist for St. Clare's choraliers and Union Presbyterian Church; cantor and choir member at St. Helen's church in Sch'dy, and participated in College of St. Rose Art Song Festival. She is also an Albany Pro Musica Apprentice and placed 2nd in North American music Festival.

Pyle plays piano and flute, takes Jazz and Ballet lessons with Orlando's Dance Studio, is a 3 year member of the Niskayuna Girls Varsity Soccer Team, and is a Camp Counselor for the Town of Niskayuna. Pyle receives private voice lessons with Corine Salon.

Thank you to all who came out to see the Mohawk Valley Chorus and Oneida Area Civic Chorale perform John Rutter's Feel the Spirit and Ron Kean's American Mass. MVC hopes you enjoyed the performance and will continue to support us in the future!

Please enjoy this video clip from the performance:


Excerpt from When the saints go marching in from Feel the Spirit, arr. John Rutter