North Iowa Choral Society presents its Annual Winter Concert, “Love and Joy to All,” on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. in the North Iowa Area Community Auditorium.  The audition-only SATB choral ensemble is under the direction of Linda Ferjak and accompanied by Emily Overy.  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.

A few of the featured musical selections include “Sure on This Shining Night,” by Morten Lauridsen, “Nunc Dimittis” by Eriks Esenvalds, “Winter’s Waking” by Amy F. Bernon, along with some classic holiday selections such as “Here We Come A-Caroling,” a Traditional English Carol arranged by Josh Sparkman, “Carol of the Bells,” a traditional Ukrainian New Year’s Carol, and “Night of Silence” by Daniel Kantor, Arr. John Ferguson. The ensemble will also feature several soloists from within the group and flutist, Gayle Heimer, on several of the musical selections.

Linda Ferjak is a graduate of Wartburg College (BME) and the University of Northern Iowa (MM).  She is a lifetime resident of Iowa and is recently retired as the Director of Vocal Music for grades 7-12 at Bishop-Garrigan in Algona, Iowa.  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, and Our Lady of Gaudalupe 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 received the “Outstanding High School Teacher” award from Wartburg College in 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 44 years of teaching.

North Iowa Choral Society Children’s Choir is an extension of the adult vocal ensemble and was created to provide a high quality performance opportunity to children in grades 4-8 with unchanged voices.  Rehearsals and performances are held on the NIACC campus and directed by Betsy Kirby.

The Children’s Choir represents the Mason City schools of Jefferson Elementary, John Adams Middle School, Lincoln Intermediate, and Newman Catholic.  Members include Emily Blakely, Korbin Bouska, Nevaeh Bouska, Paizlee Carter, Samuel Collins, Bradly Depies, Leah Gerrietts, Maggie Gerrietts, Kallie Gibbons, Henry Hansen, Janae Hansen, Madison Heard, Kairi Hudson, Norah Massawe, Addison Menke, Avery Patterson, Danika Wyborny, Jade Yen, Ashton Young, Brooklyn Young, and Aubrey Zimmerle.

Children with a love and passion for singing who would like to be a part of an ensemble with others who share that passion should definitely consider joining the Children’s Choir.  We have great music to learn and important messages to share with our audience.  Please consider being a part of the experience!

North Iowa Choral Society rehearses on Sunday evenings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. from September through April in the NIACC Vocal Music Room.  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.  If interested in membership in either the adult or children’s choir, please reach out to Choral Society President, Julie Phillips, at 641-529-6039.  You may also visit the ensemble on NIACC’s website at https://www.niacc.edu/the-arts/vocal-music/nics/.  Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from any Choral Society member or at the door the afternoon of the performance.

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