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Join us as the Bel Canto Youth Chorus hosts a week-long immersive experience, the Choral Village.
We invite rising 6–9th graders to explore our differing cultural backgrounds and lived experiences! Build leadership, self-confidence, and empathy through activities like:
- Theatrical Games
- Drum Circles
- Musical Experiences
- Artistically expressive choral performances
Location: Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church, Catasauqua
Dates: July 25-29, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Tuition: $200, with lunch included (need based financial assistance is available)
Sessions with Camille WHO?
We are excited to have back Camille Armstrong! Ms. Camille will guide our Villagers through a week of dynamic exercises, including:
- Acting/Live Performance-Fundamentals of Theater, and energy & expression in live performance
- Poetry/Spoken Word– Dissect a piece of poetry for meaning, tone, and personalization
- Creative Movement– With an emphasis on choreography and collaboration
- Poetry/Spoken Word– How to perform the piece of poetry with voice and body
- Body Percussion – Make rhythms with our bodies
To learn more about this Performing Arts Renaissance Woman, visit CAMILLE WHO?
Daily Schedule
Monday – Thursday
8:15 – 8:30 | Arrival |
8:30 – 9:55 | Warmup/Singing with Dr. H. |
9:55 – 10:10 | Break/Snack Time |
10:10 – 11:40 | Session I with Camille Armstrong |
11:40 – 12:20 | Lunch provided |
12:20 – 1:20 | Drumming Circle |
1:20 – 1:30 | Break |
1:30 – 2:30 | Session II with Camille Armstrong |
2:30 – 2:40 | Break |
2:40 – 3:00 | Reflection/Singing with Dr. H. |
3:00 | Dismissal and Pick up |
Friday
8:15 – 8:30 | Arrival |
8:30 – 9:55 | Warmup/Singing with Dr. H. |
9:55 – 10:10 | Break/Snack Time |
10:10 – 11:40 | Drumming Circle |
11:40 – 12:20 | Lunch provided |
12:20 – 1:20 | Singing with Dr. H. |
1:20 – 1:30 | Break |
1:30 – 2:30 | Session with Camille Armstrong |
2:30 – 2:40 | Evaluations |
2:40 – 3:00 | Presentation for parents |
3:00 | Dismissal and Pick up |
Dr. Joy Hirokawa (Vocal Instructor and Director of Choral Village) is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Bel Canto Youth Chorus of The Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
She formerly led the music education program at Moravian College for ten years, was an adjunct instructor at Temple University, and was Director of the Lafayette College Concert Choir.
Dr. Hirokawa is a published arranger and frequent guest conductor and clinician, presenting regularly at ACDA, NAfME, and PMEA conferences. She is the ACDA National Repertoire and Resources Chair for Children and Youth Choirs.
Dr. Hirokawa taught in public schools for 20 years prior to teaching at the collegiate level.
Named “A Performing Arts Renaissance Woman”, Camille is known for her work worldwide as a singer, composer, arranger, lyricist, dancer, choreographer, rhythm & percussionist, actress, director, and teaching artist.
Some of her many works include, but are in no way limited to composing and choreographing with and for Harry Connick Jr.’s show Elf; Hip-Hop and Body Percussion (making music with our bodies) dance instruction and choreography at DeSales University, Tap Ties, and Pennsylvania Youth Theater as a Movement Instructor in Drama and Choreographer for main stage musical theater productions.
She also teaches acting, singing, rhythm, dancing, artistic development, double-dutch jump rope, and Body Percussion workshops for all ages at music festivals in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York.
Maureen ‘Moe’ Jerant is a teaching artist who lives in the Lehigh Valley, Pa. In 1996 Moe took up djembe on a challenge. “The djembe changed my thinking about how to play drums and be a time keeper” she said. “It also introduced me to a world of healing and understanding that can only be achieved through drumming.”
Facilitation training introduced Moe to community drumming. She’s since created a local drumming scene that never stops. Drum circles happen on the first Wednesday of the month and at local festivals and gatherings. Moe’s drum circles and drumming programs also reach out to school children, youth at risk, the business community, special needs students and senior groups.
She completed HealthRhythms training in September 2005. Moe is especially proud of the annual Stress Buster Drum Circles that take place in December right before the holidays. Based on the HealthRhythms protocol and targeted specifically at stress reduction, this circle has consistently grown over the past few years.
Last but not least Moe maintains a very active performance schedule. She can be seen with all women’s djembe group the Jamani Drummers, playing world percussion for Celtic band Emerald City, and playing guitar, drums and singing for the Large Flowerheads a band recreating the “groovy” music of the 1960’s.