Youth in Harmony

Last fall, September 2007, the Alexienne Chapter of Sweet Adelines offered a Youth in Harmony class to students at St. Mary's Elementary School in Alexandria, Minnesota, grades 4 through 6. Thirteen students agreed to come for one hour of practice every Tuesday until Christmas time. We had four girls and nine boys.

They were auditioned and placed in the tenor, lead, baritone and bass positions of the chorus. We had one Alexienne to assist with each part. With this age level, it was very important to have enough adult singers to help.

During our rehearsals, we did physical warm-ups, vocal warm-ups and singing of songs. We also shared information about the beginnings of barbershop harmony and how it developed over the years. We did a lot of work on our songs in sectionals so they could become very familiar with their part. Then we added one section at a time so they could hear what it should sound like.

They learned three songs: "Christmas Chopstix", "Carol of the Bells" and the "Nursery Rhyme Round" with the "Mickey Mouse Tag" from our textbook. They performed three songs at our Christmas Tea and one song at their school Christmas program. They did well at both performances and received many compliments on their singing.

After Christmas, their basketball schedule began and we had to take a break, but we will begin again in March and work up something suitable to sing at their 6th grade graduation ceremony.

The kids seemed to have a great time learning to sing barbershop harmony and were sad that it had to end. Most of them want to begin again in March. Three of our boys also sing in the St. John's Boys' Choir in Collegeville, Minnesota. We had great singers and we all learned a great deal.

Submitted by: Helen Johnsrud, Gunny Johnson, Mary Rolf and Joan Huseth