The Lawrence Academy of Music‘s 56-member Bel Canto Girl Choir, the high school component of the Academy’s 330-member Girl Choir, earned second-place honors in the 2012 national American Prize in Choral Performance competition.
Conducted by the Connecticut-based Hat City Music Theater, Inc., the American Prize supports national competitions for the best recorded performances of music by ensembles and individuals each year in the United States at the professional, college/university, church, community and secondary school levels.
Karen Bruno, director of the Academy of Music and the Girl Choir program, submitted more than 30 minutes of music culled from a variety of the choir’s recent performances for the national competition.
“We are thrilled to have earned this recognition, particularly as it is named the ‘American Prize,'” said Bruno. “The Academy Girl Choir program is proud to represent the Fox Cities and Wisconsin with this award. Our singers hail from a wide geographic area, attend public, parochial and home schools, and have families representing a wide range of income levels. Our scholarship program ensures that access to the Academy Girl Choir program is available to any girl who wishes to participate. We are truly a cross-section of our community; we are the Fox Valley’s girl choir program. On behalf of our singers, sincere thanks to the parents, teachers, and community members who have supported us for more than 20 years.”
The Girl Choir program provides quality choral opportunities for more than 300 girls throughout the Fox Valley region. Through the study and performance of the highest quality music, girls develop vocal technique, musical skills, creativity, expressive artistry, and an awareness of various cultures. The Girl Choir program strives to create an atmosphere that encourages girls to respect the uniqueness of others, to take risks that foster individual growth and to continue their development into self-assured young women.
About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.
