The fourth and fifth grade chorus at Tesago Elementary School in the Shenendehowa School District will get to watch themselves on television, and again on DVD, when WMHT’s annual Music for the Holidays concert airs.
The 71 student chorus was one of 18 chosen from around the region (out of 26 that auditioned) to participate in the televised holiday special that will air at two times on Sunday, Dec. 19, Friday, Dec. 24 and Saturday, Dec. 25.
This says my group works hard, they have lots of expression when they sing, diction, said chorus director Michael Lotano. `They’re happy just to be singing all the time so that energy is something that maybe was a deciding reason.`
Lotano took his first batch of young singers to the WMHT studios three years ago, so now he’s on the lookout every October for the call for auditions.
`I think it promotes responsibility on their part to learn the music pretty quickly, because our holiday concert is not usually until December, but we have to prepare music in November to do this, so they work a little harder in rehearsals,` said Lotano. `I think it’s a great opportunity for them to get outside performance and as a life experience to say that they were in a television studio, and I think they all think that’s pretty cool.`
His young carolers do, in fact, think being on TV is pretty cool. It’s Preston Scagnelli, a fourth grader’s, first year in organized chorus and he said the trip to WMHT was exciting.
`It was pretty fun and cool because cameras were everywhere. My reaction was excited because I always wanted to be on TV and I felt proud that we were chosen to do this,` said Scagnelli. `I thought it was an honor for the whole chorus to be picked to go there.`
Victoria Silaika, a fifth grader, said the group worked hard to prepare, practicing for 45 minutes once a week. She said they’d sing through a whole song and if there were parts that needed work, they stopped and worked to get them right. She also took it a step further and made sure to practice by herself at home.
`I started singing last year. My sister really liked chorus when she first joined and told me it was really fun, so I thought I’d try,` said Silaika. `I like how we get to sing some cool songs and have fun at the same time.`
Silaika and Scagnelli said besides singing and being taped doing so, they loved the backdrop to their special experience.
`The set looked like a winter wonderland,` said Silaika.
`It looked like it was a wintery place and I like winter places because they look so cheerful,` said Scagnelli.
WMHT takes special care to make kids awestruck by the indoor winter they’re singing in, said producer Joanne Durfee.
`We have some trees that we put quilt batting draped to look like the branches are heavy with fresh fallen snow and we have snow blankets that surround the risers that they stand on so it looks like they’re standing in snow, and we have some sparkle snow we put in,` said Durfee. `The little kids, when they walk in, want to touch it because they think it’s real, so it’s more magical for them.`
Durfee said Music for the Holidays is an important way to showcase the talented youth in the Capital Region and makes for a tradition many look forward to.
`A lot of people love and look forward to Music for the Holidays. We hear from people who put it on and decorate the tree and do the holiday activities with the family while it’s on,` said Durfee.
Viewers will hear traditional carols and music from around the world. Tesago chose `Calypso Navidad` to sing for the televised portion, and `Up on the House Top` and `First Noel` for the scenes included on the DVD.
`I let them choose which one we’d do. It’s fairly difficult and has some difficult rhythms and harmonies. It’s a little challenging but they did quite well with it,` said Lotano.
Other Saratoga County choruses involved are Saratoga Children’s Choir and Saratoga Springs High School Choraliers.
Music for the Holidays will air Sunday, Dec. 19, at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 24, ad 5 andn 8 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 25, at 9 a.m. and noon on WMHT.
“
