WESTMINSTER — The Kurn Hattin Homes Select Choir has been chosen as one of nine regional choruses to appear on the finale of the WGBY public television choral competition series, “Together in Song” on Sunday, April 28.
After reviewing the performances of 36 adult and children's choirs in various categories over four weeks, the judges announced their final selections April 16. The 40-member ensemble from Kurn Hattin was selected for its competition entry in the children's gospel category.
“Together in Song,” now in its third season, is produced and aired by WGBY. The children will perform live on stage at the season finale showcase on Sunday, April 28, at 7 p.m., at the Paramount Theater, 1700 Main St., in Springfield, Mass. The showcase performance will be broadcast live on WGBY.
The Kurn Hattin Select Choir, directed by Lisa Bianconi, is the first Vermont chorus selected to compete in the “Together in Song” series, highlighting non-professional children's and adults' choirs in various musical genres.
The children taped their performance at WGBY's studios in Springfield in early February, and their selections aired on the show's season premiere on March 23. The 36 groups competed in nine categories according to age and musical genre. Kurn Hattin's selection as a Showcase Performer was determined by a combination of judges' scores and audience votes.
“This year in particular has been an amazing adventure for our students,” said Bianconi, Kurn Hattin's music director since 1985.
Last fall, the choir performed on stage with Grammy Award-winning fiddler Natalie MacMaster at the Bellows Falls Opera House.
Earlier this month, Kurn Hattin's best-known musical alumnus, jazz trombonist Dick Nash, returned to the campus to mentor students and shared his talents in the school's annual Jazz Invitational, which included performances by some of the most talented jazz ensembles in northern New England.
The live “Together in Song” showcase performance, hosted by Springfield Symphony Orchestra maestro Kevin Rhodes, will feature the nine selected ensembles, each representing one competition category.