Members of the Southwest Virginia Children's Choir in rehearsal.
Cultural programming has been the focal point of Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC) since the Richlands, Va., College was founded in 1967. A strong program encompassing music and visual arts and crafts has encouraged and trained students for many years.
The Community Chorus is made up of youth and adult singers who include college music majors, church musicians, and music teachers, along with singers from throughout the area. "While student participation experiences turnover as young people graduate," Dr. Trivette notes, "there is a core of adult members who help us recruit new members. Now that we are an established presence in the community, involvement is fostered by exposure to our concerts, by word-of-mouth, announcements in churches and local newspapers, but most of all by current members who spread the word."
The Children's Choir (grades 5-8) was organized in 2003 as a collaborative effort between SWCC and school boards in Buchanan, Russell, Dickenson, and Tazewell Counties. The Choir is directed by Dr. Trivette, along with Wrenda Fuller, a retired music educator from Russell County. The Children's Choir performs annually as the "Singing Christmas Tree" and has sung by invitation at Dollywood; at the Virginia Music Educators Convention in Norfolk, Va.; and at the Duke University Chapel, Durham, N.C. They have been invited to return to Duke Chapel in May of 2011. Each spring the Choir performs under guest conductors who have included John Hormon, Sandy Holland, Darren Daily, Dr. Jim Daugherty, and Dr. Rollo Dilworth.
READ ON:
