Children's chorus performs at Orlando festival

COURTESY PHOTO Children from the Southwest Florida Children's Chorus performed at the Children in Harmony Choral Festival at the Walt Disney Resort last month. The Southwest Florida Children's Chorus participated in the Children in Harmony Choral Festival at the Walt Disney World Resort May 24 - 27. The chorus performed with over 300 children as a part of the Children in Harmony Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Barbara Tagg, Artistic Director/Founder of the Syracuse Children's Chorus and Syracuse University Women's Choir director. The children premiered a new commissioned work composed by Jim Papoulis entitled 'Everybody Has a Reason' on stage at MGM Studios. Other pieces for the festival concert were Papoulis' "Can You Hear" "Stars, Songs, Face" by Nick Page, "America the Beautiful" arranged by Betty Bertaux, and "The Child with the Starry Canyon" by Eleanor Daley.

Now in its fourteenth year, Children in Harmony draws the finest children's choruses from all over the United States. The choruses are selected based on accomplishments and audition tapes. "This was an amazing opportunity for our Children's Chorus. We all learned many things and were able to perform at a high level with children from all over the country," said Joseph Caulkins, Associate Conductor of the Symphony.

COURTESY PHOTO Southwest Florida Symphony Associate Conductor Joseph Caulkins, left, and composer Jim Papoulis. Papoulis' composition, "Everybody Has a Reason," was performed at the Children in Harmony Choral Festival at the Walt Disney World Resort last month.