We Are Going to France!

Did I ever post about Addie being accepted to the Texas Children's Choir? She auditioned in May and has been singing with them ever since with twice weekly practices even over the summer. She has learned a tremendous amount about singing techniques and about all music under the direction of the choir director, Dr. Thomas Hardaway, and from her peers as well. I am not sure what her favorite thing about the choir is but if I had to guess I would say that the friends she has made with girls of all ages is way way up there. All the extra time she spends with one of her besties, Haidyn, is probably there too. I didn't really know much about the choir when we brought her for auditions. I was primarily interested in getting her plugged into something that would be a social outlet for her from our Homeschool. But I really had no idea how amazing this organization was until we got into the Fall practice season. Kevin and I are so impressed with TCC. It is hard to explain it, but if you watched them once you would find it hard to believe that it is not a professional choir rather each person there is a volunteer. But I will make an attempt to give you my top five reasons I love the Texas Children Choir:
1. They provide an environment for vocal training that also encourages no expects respectful behavior, a sense of personal responsibility and all around good character.
2. They encourage development in all areas of music by giving each choir child a performance opportunity once a month with a three minute limit. Addie is learning to play guitar and has already performed solo in front of her choir. (Btw, about 53 other children ages 8-18)
3. There are ample opportunities to learn about teamwork not just because she is accountable with her voice, but we are becoming like family to this organization and other choir families. We team up to get kids to events, have them all fed and dressed and help them in other endeavors wether they be related to the choir directly of just to schooling. There is more than ample volunteer participation from choir parents to keep this well oiled machine moving and continuously improving. The kids are amazing but so are the parents.
4. The choir is a 501(c)3 organization . They almost never sing simply for the case of showcasing talent. Don't get me wrong they sing like angels, but these angels sing where they are invited and typically that invitation comes to honor a fallen soldier, a police officer killed in action, a family that has buried a child much too soon and the like
5. They are a small choir with a large recognition. The sing many ceremonies in the San Antonio area but not all invites are local. Last year at this time they were preparing to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. We weren't part of TCC yet. The current invitation is to sing in Normandy for the 70th anniversary of DDay next summer, June of 2014.

So we are all thrilled to be a part. Much more coming with this news about Normandy. Keep posted for updates regarding Sunshine Lemonade and Addie's own blog.