Rio Rancho NM – It’s an exciting time for youth and children’s performing arts in Rio Rancho! The Rio Rancho Youth Chorus is celebrating its 10th Holiday Choral Concert this December! Founded back in 2013 by Board President Neal Shotwell and Artistic Director Aaron Howe, the RRYC has been bringing the holiday spirit to the Rio Rancho area on the first weekend in December, just in time to get everyone into the spirit of hope, joy, and thankfulness. This December marks the RRYC’s 10th Holiday Chorus Concert, now under the new and dynamic leadership of Artistic Director Colin Burdge! And to add to this joyous anniversary, the newly formed Children’s Chorus of Rio Rancho will be presenting its very first holiday concert! Under the experienced and enthusiastic leadership of Louise Loomis, these kids are bursting with pride to show you what they have been learning and preparing. This holiday concert will be a combined RRYC and CCRR extravaganza, performed on Saturday December 3 and Sunday December 4 at Avix Art, 4311 Sara Rd SE, Rio Rancho. Both concerts will be at 2:00pm. You don’t want to miss this momentous and festive event, sure to be a unique and ground-breaking event in the growing performing arts community of Rio Rancho!
Tickets are available for purchase on our website www.rr-cc.org, or at the door for $15 Adults, and $12 for Military, seniors 65+ and children under 13. Each concert begins at 2:00 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
The titles for each chorus’ set give a preview of the kind of music that we can expect to hear at this concert. The title for the CCRR’s is “Our Very First Holiday Concert”, and Louise Loomis has picked out some joyous and energetic tunes, like Chrissimas Day (detailing the animals involvement on the festive holiday) and Santa Makes The Rounds (several melodies sung in a round, letting us know Santa’s itinerary). “I wanted to program music that I knew would get the new singers excited about being in a chorus, and for performing for their very first audience. All of these pieces show off what we have been learning about tone quality, rhythm and pitch accuracy, while still singing about things that brings kids happiness, like animals, baking, and Santa Claus!”, says Louise Loomis, Artistic Director of the CCRR.
When programming the RRYC set “Ring Bells Of Joy”, Artistic Director Colin Burdge wanted to create a sound tapestry inspired by the Ukrainian Bell Tune, or more commonly known as “Carol Of The Bells”. Although stylistically the music selections range far and wide, the familiar melodic tune reappears frequently enough to give the listener a sense of continuity and of story. “I was inspired by the idea of theme and variation for this concert, an exploration of the emotional impact of that familiar tune, but also of the nostalgia that comes to us this time of year in the sound of bells”, says Colin Burdge, RRYC Artistic Director. Burdge continues, “Also, since this tune has its origin in the country of Ukraine, I wanted this concert to be a reminder of the violence and tragedy that still plagues that region, but also of the hope for a new day of peace.”
For this concert, the CCRR and RRYC are collecting items to support Storehouse West. Storehouse West serves individuals and families who are residents of Sandoval County and meet the federal income guidelines for low-moderate income households. In this time of giving and community support, we are asking concert attendees to bring non-perishable food items such as cereal, tuna, peanut butter, etc., or household items like laundry detergent or diapers. Please visit their website for more information about the important work that they do: https://www.storehousewest.org.
Rio Rancho Youth Chorus is a program of Rio Rancho Creative Crossroads, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bringing community cultural arts to Rio Rancho. Since 2013, RR-YC has been offering musical instruction in a welcoming, open, and fun environment. We welcome middle and high school age singers of all backgrounds, styles, cultures, orientations, abilities, or identities. No auditions. All are welcome. We also have an advanced chorus, Encore, for more experienced singers. Our choruses perform throughout NM on our own and in collaboration with other arts programs on projects big and small.
Contact Info
Aaron Howe – Executive Director
Rio Rancho Creative Crossroads
505-730-1045
ahowe@rr-cc.org
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