Village Harmony, the Vermont based teen world music ensemble, returns to the Champlain Islands Sunday, July 14 for a 3 p.m. concert at the Congregational Church of South Hero (CCSH) UCC, 24 South Street, South Hero. Admission is by freewill donation.

All are welcome to bring food for and share in a pot-luck supper following the concert. Food may be dropped off in the church kitchen prior to the concert. For more information about the concert contact CCSH (802) 372-4962 or ccshvt@gmail.com; local facilitator, Mark Kennedy (802) 318-0916 or maylskenn@yahoo.com.

The 22 teen singers come from seven US states, Canada, and France. Their three directors bring expertise in music from many cultures throughout the world.

Singer, composer, director Bongani Magatyana from Cape Town brings music from South Africa's vibrant choral singing tradition. His folk-inspired choral compositions—popular pieces for South Africa's major choral competitions—are sung by choirs around South Africa and internationally. Polina Shepherd was born in Siberia and grew up in a home where songs were regularly sung at a family table. She is now an internationally-renowned singer with a sound deeply rooted in eastern European Jewish and Russian folk. Her choir work is united by the umbrella of The Polina Shepherd Vocal Experience and covers many aspects of vocal music from highly arranged and conducted pieces to on-spot choral improvisations. Village Harmony alumna Sinead O'Mahoney, formerly from Vermont, now of Cambridge, MA, has been singing and traveling with Village Harmony for 16 years. She has been praised for her sure command of rhythm and efficient teaching style, and will begin her master's degree in choral conducting at Boston University this fall. She will lead American shape-note songs.

Village Harmony, a non-profit umbrella organization based in Vermont, promotes the study and performance of ethnic singing traditions from around the world. For more than thirty years they have organized teen ensembles each summer in New England and ensembles for mixed-age and adult singers in numerous foreign countries. Each Village Harmony ensemble develops its own unique sound with a different team of leaders. All share common traits: a powerful, natural, unrestrained vocal sound; a remarkable variety of vocal styles and timbres appropriate to the ethnic and traditional music; and a visible, vibrant community among the singers and audience as they share in a joyful celebration of music. For further information visit http://www.villageharmony.org or email villageharmony@gmail.com.

Event Info

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