The Troy Children’s Chorus will wrap up the school year with the final performance of the spring at the First United Presbyterian Church on Saturday, May 16 at 4 p.m.
In the five short years of the troupe’s existence, they’ve become a local staple to the music and culture in the Collar City.
“It’s wonderful. The kids are just really great singers,” said Shelly Ley, the chorus’ music director. “I have a wonderful accompanist (Dianna Parisi) and the parents are really supportive. And, having those things in place makes my job much easier.”
The chorus was founded five years ago by Maury Castro, as a children’s choir for the First United Presbyterian Church. It has since been bequeathed onto the community as a non-for-profit. Ley has been the director since.
The singing company comprises of about 30 children, who range in age of 7- to 15-years-old. They perform throughout the school year, marked by a fall and a spring season each between September and May. Once school ends, the chorus offers a summer camp, before auditions mark the beginning of a new school year.
Practices are still held at the church, though the chorus no longer holds a direct affiliation, said Ley. It still pays homage to the company’s roots, and an appreciated gesture from the church. But, instead of holding performances exclusively within the walls of the house of worship, the chorus travels to local sites. Once of which, is the occasional performance at The Troy Bank Music Hall. An event the children enjoy, said Ley.
While at the famous music hall, Ley says she will often hear the younger singers say, “’I’m so nervous. It’s so big out there.’” To which a common response from an older child would be “‘Oh, I’ve done this three times,’” she said.
Ley is finishing her masters in music education from The College of St. Rose. It’s a career path that culminates her love for music, and the love she’s developed teaching children. She originally pursued the life of a performer, classically trained to sing opera with a penchant for writing songs, she boarded a plane out of Albuquerque to make it in New York City.
“I moved to Brooklyn because I’m a singer and performer,” said Ley. “You have to try New York City for a time if you like to perform. So, I was writing songs and I was in a classical chorus, and I was in opera. I taught music there at a music charter school.
“Then from Brooklyn I moved to the Hudson Valley almost four years ago. After living in the city my fiancée and I were ready to have a change and we love the area. It?s country, but it has culture as well. … It’s just beautiful.”
Since moving from Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley in the summer of 2011, Shelly has created and developed a family music class, Little Wings Music, and she is the director of two other choirs as well.
Discovering her love for teaching, while struggling with her performance career, was an enlightening experience, Ley said. “It was like a light went on,” she said. “Oh my god! This is it. This is exactly what I want to do. … I felt like I was put on fire. It was so exciting. I found my calling.”
What draws her to teaching children is being able to show them that beautiful music is not exclusive to someone famous. “They can make beautiful music right here,” she said. And, their willingness to learn often times helps them earn a deeper understanding of the music quicker than adults.
Those interested in learning more about the chorus should visit troychildrenschorus.org. Fees are associated with the summer camp, and subsequent performance seasons.
“The Troy Children’s Chorus never turns a child away for financial reasons,” said Ley. “We make sure that any child that passes the audition process – which is a very simple process – is able to join.
The chorus’ final performance of the Spring 2015 season is at the First United Presbyterian Church on Saturday, May 16, at 4 p.m.
