Festival of Voices

The Acabellas are Valpo's women's acapella group. This is the group's sixth semester in existence, and the girls enjoy being completely student-run and directed. The girls represent all ages and areas of study, but share a deep love for music. The Acabellas have performed at various coffee houses around town and on campus, community events such as Relay for Life, and March of Dimes, and campus events such as Songfest, 707 Lounge, and Crusader Search.

Members:

Emily Adams
Libby A'Hearn
Natalie Bump
Valerie Cochran
Angie Crook
Sydney DeVries
Anna Gasper
Lauren Kamka

Katie Lay
Kristen Lyons
Tracy Monson
Jana Rausch
Corryn Short
Mary Weissinger
Leigh Wiedelman
Holly Wright

Choreographer/Instructor: Jose Ovalle

The Ballet Folklorico of East Chicago is an organization started by Jose Arrendono to help youngsters develop a good self-image of themselves (through the development of self-esteem) by expressing pride in their culture and heritage through the form of dance and music. The goals of this project are to provide an art form whereby the exciting, rich cultural diversity which resides on the local level among Hispanic youngsters can be showcased and used to install a sense of self-image and foster self-esteem.

A major focus of the Ballet Folklorico is to ensure that all students participating will see themselves in a positive light as productive learners with increased educational aspirations, and to develop the feeling that they can make constructive contribution to the community in which they live. Parental involvement also plays a major role in this type of project. Monthly meetings are conducted with parents to keep them informed. Parents and students are also held responsible for their equipment, costumes and all necessary items required at all practice sessions and performances.

Ballet Folklorico is truly an innovative program for children and parent involvement and participation. This type of activity will encourage children to believe they can become something in life and will provide children with consistent discipline. Hopefully, it will foster an incentive to academic success and encourage teamwork.

The Northwest Indiana Youth Chorus (NYIC)

The Northwest Indiana Youth Chorus (NYIC) was founded as a non-for-profit educational, training and vocal performance group in 1987. The NYIC embraces the dual ideal of musical excellence and social mission. These goals are realized by drawing upon wealth of ethnic racial communities in the Calumet Region to come together to celebrate out common humanity through choral music. NYIC's credo is, "believing in the promise and potential of our people, we offer the unified voices of our children as a model for the greater community."

NYIC has had man accomplishments, some of which include receiving a third grant from the Indiana Arts Commission to develop a community project in choral music, successfully auditioning twice for International Choral Competition (receiving excellent ratings in 2001 for both Broadway/jazz and choral work). Performing with the DePaul University's community choir production of Carmina Burina, and participating in FAME yearly. Two special concerts are performed annually: the fall concert, "That Holiday Feeling!" and the spring concert, "Songs of the People," both of which feature all choirs. NIYC frequently performs at the Holiday Pops concert with the Indiana Symphony Orchestra and at Festival of Voices in the fall.

The artistic staff of NYIC includes G.R. Snow, Senior Artistic Director, who graduated with a BA in vocal and organ from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. He then continued his graduate studies at Western Illinois University in voice, conducting, and organ. In Chicago, Snow has studied with Winifred Faix Brown and with Lyric Opera's Thomas Sillitti. His choir work includes directing Rushville UMC children's choir directing Austin Messiah children's choir, and serving as co-director of Western Avenue Community Center Children's Chorus in Illinois. He also has serves as business manager for critically acclaimed Chatham Choral at Gamble Music Company in Chicago and is also a bass soloist, as vocal composed, and a published poet.

Suzanne Syler, Junior Artistic Director for NIYC received her Bachelors and Masters in Flute Performance as well as a Bachelor and Masters in Music Education from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She is one of the founders of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus. Suzanne Grew up and attended schools in the region. She was involved in choir and band since third grade, all the way through college and continues her interest currently. Presently, Suzanne is teaching music in the Illinois School Systems, grades Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade. She is also a church choir director. In the past, Suzanne has taught at different schools, kindergarten all the way thought high school. Suzanne has also worked with different theater groups in the area as vocal director and also playing the flute for groups.