Alice Sorensen	Jennifer Arbige

Mohawk Valley Chorus has selected two winners of its annual scholarship competition: Jennifer Arbige and Alice Sorensen.

The winners -- each of whom will receive $400 grants from the chorus -- are 18-year-old sopranos, Amsterdam High School seniors, neighbors and members of both MVC and the MVC Youth Chorale. In fact, a duet they sang in December was a highlight of the chorus’ annual Christmas concert.

Another duet, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu, will be performed by the pair during MVC’s classics concert on May 19 and 20. Arbige will solo on Handel’s Ombra Mai Fu; Sorenson will sing Ah! Loso by Mozart. Performances will be at 7:30 Saturday, May 19, at the Scotia Reformed Church and at 3 p.m. the next day at St. Mary’s Church in Amsterdam.

Musical backgrounds for both winners are vast and varied, including numerous solo appearances, church services and community performances. Sorensen, the daughter of Rosemary Moors and Ron Sorensen of Wilkes Avenue, Amsterdam, was selected for the All-Eastern Mixed Chorus, which covers 12 states, this year. She and Arbige, the daughter of Donna and Vincent Arbige of Wilkes Avenue, were also chosen for the All-State Choral Festival. Sorensen was in the mixed chorus; Arbige, the women’s chorus. They are members of the Amsterdam High School Select Chorus and have participated in Summer Youth Music Festival programs and All-County choirs over the years. Sorensen has also attended All-County Band programs.

Arbige, who also plays the piano, has had several lead roles for high school Drama Club musical productions; is a member of the National Honors Society, president of the Drama Club and manager of the Honors Society’s tutoring program. She also plays varsity soccer and volunteers for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and SOCKS.

Sorensen, also a National Honors Society member, plays the piano, organ, clarinet, saxophone, flute and piccolo. She is a member of the high school marching band, organist at the West Charlton Presbyterian Church, has accompanied and conducted the MVC Youth Chorale and occasionally plays with the Amsterdam United Presbyterian Church Bell Choir. She plans to purse a career in music education and vocal performance at college; Arbige will major in communications and religion at Liberty University next year.