North Iowa Choral Society is announcing auditions for the 2017-2018 performance season. Auditions will be held for both the Choral Society’s children’s choir and adult choir from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 11, and Sunday, September 18, in the NIACC Vocal Music Room #172.

Solo and small group opportunities are available in both choirs. The children’s choir will have opportunities to solo with the adult group as well and will perform together on Sunday, December 10, 2017, in the North Iowa Area Community Auditorium. Both choirs are under the direction of Linda Ferjak. Children with unchanged voices in Grades 4-8 are invited to audition for this opus-type opportunity as well as adults college age and older.

In addition, NIACC offers credit hours for membership in the Choral Society for college students and continuing education credit for area vocal teachers who require continuing education accredited hours.

The ensemble, which is sponsored by North Iowa Area Community College, has been vocalizing and sharing beautiful music with North Iowa audiences since Fall 1994 when the ensemble was formed under the direction of Robert Davis. The ensemble performs sacred and secular music from various genres (classics, spirituals, musical theater, jazz, swing, blues, etc.) and has performed at Iowa Choral Directors Conventions, the Choral Symposium, KCMR Live Christmas, Waldorf Performing Arts Series, NIACC’s Candlelight Christmas and Holiday Pops, and in NIACC’s Performing Arts Series with Shirley Jones in 2002.

Linda Ferjak is a graduate of Wartburg College (BME) and the University of Northern Iowa (MM). She is a lifetime resident of Iowa and just completed her 44th year of teaching music in Iowa Schools. Ferjak recently retired as Director of Vocal Music for grades 7-12 at Bishop-Garrigan in Algona, Iowa. Prior to that, she was Choir Director at Forest City High School for 18 years. High school choirs under Ferjak’s direction have earned multiple Division I ratings in both large and small group contests, performed for numerous church and community events, and have represented their schools in the Iowa All State Chorus. Her choirs have sung in St. Matthews Cathedral in Washington D.C., Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Trinity of Wall Street in New York City, and the United Nations in New York City. In 2005 she was co-director of the North Iowa Youth Chorale participating in a Carnegie Hall residency performance and was the guest conductor for the North Central District Honor Choir and the Iowa OPUS Honor Choir in Fall 2012. She awarded by Wartburg College the Outstanding High School Teacher of the Year in the Spring 2015. Ferjak is an Adjudicator for the High School Music Association and has served as a mentor for first year teachers through the North Central District of the Iowa Choral Directors Association. She has also directed church choirs and community choirs in several communities over her lifetime of teaching.

The ensemble is delighted for the new upcoming season to share music with our audience. If interested in an audition slot, please call or text Choral Society President, Julie Taylor, at 641-529-6039, to obtain a date and time to audition. Anyone auditioning should come prepared to sing a prepared piece or sing something as simple as My Country Tis of Thee. The Choral Society is especially looking to add tenors to the ensemble. An accompanist will be available, however, you may bring your own accompanist if that is preferred.

Come make music with us!

# # #

Ref # 6169