If you live in Bergen County, are a skilled choir student, and enjoy singing in an ensemble, performing in the Bergen County Choir is a great chance to show off your musical gift. Talented vocalists from Glen Rock High School Choir are taking part in Bergen County Choir concert on Jan. 15.

The Bergen County Choir is part of The Music Educators of Bergen County, Inc. This program is devoted to helping students learn something new about music and participate in musically engaging activities.

Not only is this group responsible for the creation of the Bergen County Choir, but it has an ensemble for middle schoolers, as well as bands for middle and high school students. Participants can gain a spot in any of these programs by auditioning.

Any Bergen County student in grades nine to 12 who is a skilled individual with musical capability, is part of their school’s music department, and is recommended by a music instructor in the school, can audition to take part in the choir and perform at the concert.

“I auditioned because I enjoy singing  and love to be in a choir,” said Ron Ledeniov, one of the three Glen Rock High School students participating in the choir.

Although seven students from Glen Rock High School auditioned for this opportunity on Oct. 27, 2016 only three were invited to perform in the show.

“In the audition, we were required to sing a high and low diatonic scale, a chromatic scale, a solo to the song ‘Sicut Locutus Est’  in the correct voice part, and sight read a rather difficult melody on the spot,” Ledeniov said.

Students accepted into the choir are required to attend four mandatory rehearsals at Paramus High School, lasting about five hours each, before the big concert.

There are three regular rehearsals and one important dress rehearsal. They  begin on Jan. 10 and end on Jan. 14, right in time for the show on Jan. 15. Any absences result in immediate removal from the ensemble.

After the concert, the rehearsals conclude and the students are free to re audition for the choir the following year.

They sing a variety of pieces from several, different genres. This year the Bergen County Choir will be singing “The Heavens Are Telling” from Haydn’s Creation, a blues piece called “Walk in Jerusalem,” an acapella version of “Flight of the Bumblebee, a patriotic song, “Give me your tired, your poor”, “No One is Alone” from the musical “Into the Woods”, and a gothic piece, “Alleluia”.

All of these songs are very unique in their own ways and will sound beautiful when put together,” Ledeniov said.

Carl Helder, one of the choir teachers at Glen Rock High School, helps prepare students for auditions for the prestigious Bergen County Choir.

“I prepare those auditioning for when they are tested for the range of their voice, the accuracy of their pitch and rhythm, and their ability to read sheet music,” Helder said.

Helder attends the concert every year and is looking forward to the one coming up.