The Nashville Children's Choir, known for its appearances on the nationally televised "Christmas at Belmont" specials on PBS, will perform a free concert at Murfreesboro's First United Methodist Church at 3:00 o'clock Sunday afternoon, February 17th. Seating will be first-come, first-served in the church's main sanctuary and no advance tickets are required. Free parking is available.

 

A children's choir program for boys and girls, ages 8 through 18, the Nashville Children's Choir organization is committed to the rehearsal and performance of quality choral music in a positive and affirming setting. The choir functions in cooperation with Belmont University.

 

Officials will also be on hand after the Murfreesboro concert to answer questions about the Nashville Children's Choir program. Auditions occur each spring for the following school year. Weekly rehearsals during the school year provide exciting vocal opportunities for youth from about 25 area schools, as many home-schooled students.

 

The Nashville Children's Choir Program includes four choirs -- the Touring Choir, the Concert Choir, the Preparatory Choir and the Nashville Youth Choir. Children accepted into the Nashville Children's Choir Program are placed in the choir appropriate to their age and ability.

 

The Touring Choir, which will be performing in Murfreesboro, is directed by Madeline Bridges and James Wells. Bridges, who serves as program director, also teaches music education and is associate dean for Belmont's School of Music. Wells, a graduate of MTSU's School of Music, is the director of music for youth and children at Brentwood United Methodist Church.

The Touring Choir fills a dual role as a quality choral organization and as an ambassador of good will, performing frequently throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee with groups such as the Nashville Opera, the Nashville Symphony, the Nashville Ballet and the Middle Tennessee Choral Society.

 

The choir has also performed with recording artists Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Melinda Doolittle, Laura Bell Bundy, Joe Diffy and Riders in the Sky. Destinations for the Touring Choir in recent years have included San Antonio, Toronto, St. Louis, New York City, Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans, Charleston and Chicago.

 

It has recorded three CDs: one of Christmas music with the Iliad recording label; a 10th-anniversary CD titled Music of Your Life; and an anniversary CD, 15 Years with the Nashville Children's Choir.

For more information about the choir, visit http://ncc.belmont.edu.