Fairfield Choraliers preparing for World Choir Games

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Choraliers don’t have to travel all the way to the Olympics in London to participate in an international competition.

The multiple award-winning group is gearing up for the World Choir Games in Cincinnati, which have come to the United States for the first time. The Choraliers compete in the Games at 1:15 p.m. July 12 at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati.

The Choraliers will perform its 2011-2012 competition show, which has a theme ready-made for an international event: “Around the World in 80 Days,” based on the Jules Verne novel featuring songs and colorful costumes from multiple countries.

The students took a break in June, but with the competition nearing, “We’re working to get the show back into our bodies. We’re probably going to work on the vocals and things and refine and perfect it,” said Jeff Clark, the Choraliers’ director. The Choraliers got to perform in the event at the impetus of Lori Lobsiger, who contacted Clark last year and was suitably impressed with the group. Lobsiger is the director of Interkulter, which organizes the games.

“That was a great little way to be recognized,” Clark said.

At first, the students didn’t quite realize just how big the event was, the director said, but that’s dawning on them now.

“It’s going to be a really different experience for us,” said Sam Chenoweth, the student director of the Choraliers. That said, he feels the group is ready to go.

“I don’t know that you’ll find another show that has so many styles of dance and singing,” he said.

The group has several performances on its schedule:

•A free friendship concert wit h international choirs at 7 p.m. July 5 at Village Green in Fairfield.

• Guests at Showchoir Camps of America at 7 p.m. July 8, Heidelburg University in Tiffin,Ohio.

• Final rehearsal at from 6 to 9 p.m. at Fairfield High School July 11.

• Judged performance at 1:15 p.m. July 12 at the Procter and Gamble Hall of the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati.

• Awards ceremony for the second week of the games, 7:30 p.m. July 13 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.

• Closing ceremonies of the World Choir Games at 7 p.m. July 14 with gospel star Kirk Franklin and “Wicked” star Idina Menzel.

For tickets to the World Choir Games events, visit www.2012worldchoirgames.com.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or eric.robinette@coxinc.com.

About the Author