In the news:
Three Pasadena ISD choirs to perform
with Bay Area Chorus

Choir students from Turner Elementary School, Lomax Middle School and Schneider Middle School will share the stage with the renowned Bay Area Chorus in the 43rd season of its Awakening performances Sunday, April 20 at 3 p.m. at Pasadena Memorial High School located at 4410 Crenshaw in Pasadena.

"I am honored and excited for the Bay Area Chorus to be performing in our area and to have invited three of our choirs to perform for their pre-concert," said Pasadena ISD's director of fine arts Linda Fletcher. "This is a well deserved recognition of the work being done in our district's elementary and middle school choral programs."

The Bay Area Chorus is one of Houston's oldest non-profit groups bringing musical performances to the Houston and Galveston Bay areas. More than 60 singers comprise the all-volunteer chorus.

Sunday's performance is titled "On the Move: Spotlight on Young Voices," and the Pasadena ISD choirs and Bay Area Chorus will be singing songs about different modes of transportation in different times and places.

Fletcher said the Turner, Lomax and Schneider choirs in unison with the Bay Area Chorus will have a lot to offer the audience.

"The audience will experience the inspiration that comes from witnessing the result of a disciplined, systematic approach to developing musical understanding and singing skills," she said. "This will be a powerfully expressive performance uniting singers of diverse abilities in the common goal of sharing their music with the audience."

Keith Dixon is the musical director for the Bay Area Chorus. Deborah Oakes is the director of Turner Elementary's choir; Jennifer Robbins directs Lomax Middle School's choir and Sharnell Jones and Lori Muirhead serve as directors of Schneider Middle School's choir.

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $6. At the door, adults can purchase tickets for $8 and students and senior citizens (65 or older) can purchase them for $7. Order tickets by phone at 713-684-6030 or e-mail at info@bayareachorus.org. Door sales begin 30 minutes prior to the concert.

Fletcher said she encourages the community to attend the event to support Pasadena ISD students and the Bay Area Chorus.

"This is a great opportunity for the community to see singers from age nine to 70 unite to present a program that offers a wide spectrum of musical styles," she said. "The audience will be able to sing-along with the choir in songs about travel, and most importantly, they will show their support for the Bay Area Chorus and the school district."