LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR TAKES TOP HONORS IN KANSAS CITY

The Lincoln Boys Choir’s Chorale won top honors in its division when it competed at the Festival of Choirs at Worlds of Fun on April 29, 2006.

Both the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale and Concert Choir traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to perform in the park’s annual choral competition, which gathers elementary, middle school and senior high school choirs from across the region.

The Chorale, directed by Burton Schernikau, competed with 35 other choirs at the Junior High and Middle School Open level. The Chorale was one of only five choirs in its division to receive a rating of One, or Superior, and earned enough points overall to take the Sweepstakes title in its division. The Chorale also received the division Sweepstakes trophy for best choir at the 2005 competition.

The Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele, did not compete for points, but performed for comments. The judges stated that they were very well trained for such a young choir and produced some very nice sounds, said Schernikau. They received very good comments from all three judges and were encouraged to continue singing so their voices will mature.

This summer, the Chorale Choir will appear by invitation at two select occasions. The Nebraska Choral Directors' Conference has asked the Chorale Choir to perform at its July 10, 2006, annual meeting at Doane College in Crete. This conference gathers vocal music directors from elementary, middle and senior high schools, college and university professors, private music studio teachers, and music dealers.

The July performance will come on the heels of the Chorale’s return from series of performances in Austria in late June. Chorale members will perform with choirs from around the world at the International Mozart Youth Choir Festival in Salzburg and Vienna. This festival celebrates the 250^th anniversary of the classical composer’s birth. The Chorale is one of only eight youth choirs invited from the United States.

Now wrapping up its fourth year, the Lincoln Boys Choir is made up of 70-plus boys aged 8 to 15 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. Find out more about the Lincoln Boys Choir at www.LincolnBoysChoir.org.

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR ANNOUNCES ITS SPRING APPEARANCES

The Lincoln Boys Choir will present its spring concert on Sunday, May 14, at 7 p.m., at Nebraska Wesleyan O’Donnell Auditorium, 50^th and Huntington streets. This event is open to the public. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for children 5 to 12 years and admission is free for children under 5. Tickets will be available at the door.

Immediately preceding the concert, the Lincoln Boys Choir will host a by-invitation reception to honor alumni of the Choir. Invited are those who participated in the Lincoln Boys Choir during its early years, from 1952 to 1972. Also invited are younger alumni who have been members since the Choir’s recent reorganization beginning in 2002. Bill Walker, current president of the Lincoln Boys Choir board of directors and an alumnus himself, invites his former colleagues to be in touch. “We are in contact with many of the past members from the Choir’s early days, but we know there are folks we’ve missed. We hope they will let us know where they are.” Walker can be reached at 202-2786 or president@lincolnboyschoir.org, or care of the Lincoln Boys Choir, P.O. Box 5772, Lincoln, NE 68505.

Additional performances this spring by the Lincoln Boys Concert and Chorale Choirs include a trip to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 29. Both choirs will compete for the third time in the annual Festival of Choirs, which gathers middle- and senior high school choirs from across the region. Last year, competition music judges from around the country rated both choirs at the top of their divisions, giving the Chorale one of only three Superior ratings awarded in its division.

On May 16, the Chorale members of the Lincoln Boys Choir will tour four elementary schools in Lincoln. The program will feature a performance of four to five musical numbers, interspersed with educational talks by Director Burt Schernikau on the cultural and historical context of the music being presented.

The Concert Choir will sing the national anthem at the Salt Dog’s home game against Sioux City on May 25. This pre-game performance will take place at Haymarket Park. Start time is 7 pm, cost is the Haymarket Park entrance fee.

In June, Lincoln Boys Choir members will travel to Austria to perform at the International Mozart Youth Choir Festival in Salzburg and Vienna. This festival celebrates the 250^th anniversary of the classical composer’s birth. The Choir is one of only eight youth choirs invited from the United States.

The present-day Lincoln Boys Choir was established in 2002. Now in its fourth year, it is made up of more than 70 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele and Judy Welch. Find out more about the Lincoln Boys Choir at www.LincolnBoysChoir.org.

Lincoln, October 13, 2005

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR SPONSORS WAFFLEMAN ON NOV. 5

The Lincoln Boys Choir will host an all-you-can-eat Belgian waffle fundraiser with the Waffleman at the Scottish Rite Temple, 16^th and L streets, on Saturday, November 5. Waffle breakfasts, which will include sausage and drinks, will be served from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children ages 5 to 11 and free for ages 4 and under. Tickets will be available at the event or they may be purchased in advance from any member of the Lincoln Boys Choir.

The Lincoln Boys Choir is made up of more than 80 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. 

Now in its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir has gained the attention and confidence of prominent local and national conductors and performance organizations. In addition to two ‘home’ concerts a year and other scheduled performances, the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale has performed with the Abendmusik Choir and Plymouth Brass as part of the Abendmusik Lincoln Series.

Both choirs traveled to the Worlds of Fun Festival of Choirs in April of 2005 and received high marks from judges from across the United States, with the Chorale ranking first in its division. The Lincoln Boys Choir is also one of only six U.S. youth choirs to be invited to perform in Salzburg and Vienna, Austria, at the International Mozart Youth Choir Festival in June 2006. Find out more about the Lincoln Boys Choir at www.lincolnboyschoir.org.

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR TAKES TOP HONORS IN KANSAS CITY

The Lincoln Boys Choir’s Chorale won top honors in its division when it competed at the Festival of Choirs at Worlds of Fun on April 30, 2005.

Both the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale and Concert Choir traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to perform in the park’s annual competition, which gathers elementary, middle school and senior high school choirs from across the region.

The Chorale, directed by Burton Schernikau, competed with 30 other choirs at the Junior High and Middle School Open level. The Chorale received a rating of One, or Superior, and had enough points overall from the three judges to win in its division. Only three choirs in the open division received Superior ratings.

The judges, who are music faculty from universities around the country, were extremely positive, said Schernikau, and encouraged the Chorale to enter more competitions. The Chorale was praised for its overall blend, balance, use of dynamics and interpretations of the songs.

“One judge said that the boys wowed him when they entered the stage because they were so poised and had great presentation,” said Schernikau. All judges commented that they especially liked the choir’s repertoire. The Chorale will receive a plaque in honor of its Superior rating.

The Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele, did not compete for points, but performed for comments. The judges stated that they were very well trained for such a young choir and produced some very nice sounds, said Schernikau. They received very good comments from all three judges and were encouraged to continue singing so their voices will mature.

This is the second year the Lincoln Boys Choir performed at the Worlds of Fun Festival of Choirs. In April 2004, both choirs received high marks from competition music judges from across the United States.

The Lincoln Boys Choir, sponsored by the Scottish Rite, was established in 2002. Now finishing its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir is made up of 83 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. Find out more about the Lincoln Boys Choir at www.LincolnBoysChoir.org.

Lincoln, April 22, 2005

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR ANNOUNCES ITS SPRING APPEARANCES

The Lincoln Boys Choir announces it will appear in several upcoming events throughout Lincoln and the region in the coming weeks.

On Saturday, April 30, The Lincoln Boys Choir will travel to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, to compete for the second time in the annual Festival of Choirs, which gathers middle- and senior high school choirs from across the region. Last year, competition music judges from the University of Oregon, the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois rated the Lincoln Boys Choir at the top of their divisions.

The Lincoln Boys Choir will present its spring concert on Sunday, May 8, at 7 p.m., at Nebraska Wesleyan O’Donnell Auditorium, 50^th and Huntington streets. This event is open to the public. Tickets are $8 and may be purchased at the door. The Touch of Class Jazz Choir, under the direction of Boyd Bacon, will appear as a guest performing group.

On Tuesday, May 10, the Chorale members of the Lincoln Boys Choir will tour four elementary schools in Lincoln. The program will feature a performance of four to five musical numbers, interspersed with educational talks by Director Burt Schernikau on the cultural and historical context of the music being presented. Schools on the tour are Hill, Fredstrom, Roper, and Meadow Lane.

The Chorale of the Lincoln Boys Choir will make its final performance of the year as a guest choir of the Lincoln Civic Choir in a concert on Sunday, May 15. This concert will take place at 3 p.m., at Nebraska Wesleyan O’Donnell Auditorium, 50^th and Huntington streets. It is free and open to the public. The Lincoln Civic Choir performs under the direction of William Wyman, director of choral activities and professor of music at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

The Lincoln Boys Choir, sponsored by the Scottish Rite, was established in 2002. Now in its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir is made up of 83 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele.  Find out more about the Lincoln Boys Choir at www.LincolnBoysChoir.org.

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR HOSTS SPAGHETTI FUNDRAISER ON APRIL 16

The Lincoln Boys Choir will host a Spaghetti Feed and Silent Auction fundraiser at the Scottish Rite Temple, 16^th and L streets, on Saturday, April 16. The all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner will be served from 4 to 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 4 to 11 and free for ages 3 and under. Homemade desserts can also be purchased for $1. Tickets will be available at the event or they may be purchased in advance from any member of the Lincoln Boys Choir.

During the event, gift baskets for all ages and both genders will be available for purchase through a silent auction. Basket themes include music, pool party, cooking, games, jewelry, pamper party, weekend away, and movie night. Individual items, such as jewelry, gift certificates, bikes, and games, will be available as well.

The Lincoln Boys Choir is made up of 83 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. 

Now in its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir has gained the attention and confidence of prominent local and national conductors and performance organizations. In addition to the Choir’s two ‘home’ concerts a year and other scheduled performances, the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale has performed with the Abendmusik Choir and Plymouth Brass as part of the Abendmusik Lincoln Series. Both choirs traveled to the Worlds of Fun Festival of Choirs in April of 2004 and received high marks from judges from across the United States. The Lincoln Boys Choir is sponsored by the Scottish Rite.

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR TO PRESENT HOLIDAY CONCERT

The Lincoln Boys Choir will present its Holiday Concert at Nebraska Wesleyan O’Donnell Auditorium, 50^th and Huntington streets, on Sunday, December 19, at 7:00 pm. The York Area Children’s Choir will also perform as a guest choir. The concert is open to the general public. Tickets are available at the door. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children 5 to 12 years. Admission is free for children under 5.

The Lincoln Boys Choir, sponsored by the Scottish Rite, was established in 2002. It is made up of 83 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. 

Now in its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir has gained the attention and confidence of prominent local and national conductors and performance organizations. In addition to two ‘home’ concerts a year and other scheduled performances, the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale has performed with the Abendmusik Choir and Plymouth Brass as part of the Abendmusik Lincoln Series. Both choirs traveled to the Worlds of Fun Festival of Choirs in April of 2004 and received high marks from judges from across the United States.

You can learn more about the Lincoln Boys Choir at www.LincolnBoysChoir.org.

The York Area Children's Choir, directed by Toni Hess, is in its twelfth season. The 73-voice choir is made up of students in grades 4 through 8 from York and surrounding communities. The choir was founded in 1993 with the intent of offering an opportunity for children to learn more about choral singing and quality literature.

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR INVITED TO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL IN VIENNA

The Lincoln Boys Choir announced it has received an invitation to perform in Vienna, Austria, at the International Mozart Youth Choir Festival. The June 2006 festival celebrates the 250^th anniversary of the classical composer’s birth.

The Chorale Choir, which received the formal invitation from Music Celebrations International earlier this month, was selected from a large group of choirs from all over the world.

“We are so proud of these young men,” said Burton Schernikau, the director of the Chorale Choir. “They have been commended by judges as ‘a wonderful young choir, very disciplined, poised, with very, very good voices’.”

The Lincoln Boys Choir, sponsored by the Scottish Rite, is made up of 83 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Schernikau, and the apprentice Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. 

Now in its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir has gained the attention and confidence of prominent local and national conductors and performance organizations. In addition to two ‘home’ concerts a year and other scheduled performances, the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale has performed with the Abendmusik Choir and Plymouth Brass as part of the Abendmusik Lincoln Series.

Both choirs traveled to the Worlds of Fun Festival of Choirs in April of 2004 and received high marks from judges from across the United States. Competition music judges from the University of Oregon, University of Missouri and University of Illinois rated the Lincoln Boys Choir at the top of  their divisions. Their comments praised the choir, pointing to its “beautiful tone quality, exceptional expressiveness, excellent balance and blend, and terrific attention to vowels, style and dynamics.”

Lincoln, October 11, 2004

LINCOLN BOYS CHOIR SPONSORS WAFFLE MAN ON OCT. 23

The Lincoln Boys Choir will host an all-you-can-eat Belgian waffle fundraiser at the Scottish Rite Temple, 16^th and L streets, on Saturday, October 23. Waffle breakfasts, which will include sausage and drinks, will be served from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 5 to 11 and free for ages 4 and under. Tickets will be available at the event or they may be purchased in advance from any member of the Lincoln Boys Choir.

The Lincoln Boys Choir is made up of 83 boys aged 8 to 13 who perform choral music for boys with unchanged voices. Choir members sing in one of two groups, the Chorale, under the direction of Burton Schernikau, and the Concert Choir, under the direction of Kevin Scheele. 

Now in its third year, the Lincoln Boys Choir has gained the attention and confidence of prominent local and national conductors and performance organizations. In addition to two ‘home’ concerts a year and other scheduled performances, the Lincoln Boys Choir Chorale has performed with the Abendmusik Choir and Plymouth Brass as part of the Abendmusik Lincoln Series. Both choirs traveled to the Worlds of Fun Festival of Choirs in April of 2004 and received high marks from judges from across the United States. The Lincoln Boys Choir is sponsored by the Scottish Rite