Carl Christie

AYS Treble Tour Choir

JoEllen Holmes

Paige F. Mathis conducts members of the AYS Youth Chorale and Treble Concert Choir, March 2008

It's a small world, after all! In 2000,in Tuscany, Italy, the directors and singers of the Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde and the Children's Concert Choir of the Master Chorale of Ventura County crossed paths at a children's choir fesival. Their paths cross again on the weekend of July 12 and 13 as the Atlanta Singers make a brief stop in Ventura County on their way to the Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Paige Mathis, Atlanta's director, came to Ventura County during the 2007 Ojai Festival and discovered the Gold Coast when she performed with the Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus. The opportunity to return arose earlier this year when she contacted Marcene Jardine, Ventura's retiring director, to discuss the possibilities of making a stopover en route to the Islands. A joint concert, now titled, "The More, the Merrier!" was discussed and scheduled for Sunday, July 13 at 7:00 pm in the Ventura College Theater.

The Atlanta Young Singers touring group is a Treble Choir of boys and girls, ages 11-15, especially selected to attend the Pacific Rim Festival. Bringing some samples of the Asian and Polynesian repertoire they will perform there, Ms. Mathis and her singers be featured in one part of the program; the Ventura Concert Choir gets the spotlight to sing some of their favorites as well. Then both will assemble for a performance of Canadian composer Imant Raminsh's Missa Brevis, a work commissioned by Henry Leck for children's choirs. It will be conducted by Ms. Mathis who will also lead the same work in Carnegie Hall in 2009.

Instrumental and vocal soloists will be drawn from the Ventura group who come from cities throughout the county. Ventura is represented by oboeist, Addison James and soprano Alexa Constantine; Oxnard soloists are mezzo Hannah Martin, altos Jonathan Ybanez and Claire Winch; Camarillo claims Lori Bell, mezzo, and Melissa Cook, violin/fiddle; James Graham of Fillmore sings alto. Director Marcene Camp Jardine and Mary Canfield come from Oxnard and Camarillo, respectively.

"The More, the Merrier" will be presented at the Ventura College Theater in one performance only on Sunday evening, July 13 at 7:00 pm. Tickets will be available at the door - $10, adults; $5 children/students and a $25 family pack. For additional information, call (805) 654-0995.