For Corbin Thomas Pinto, taking on the mantle of artistic director of the Virginia Children’s Chorus (VCC) this year is part of a lifetime of raising her voice with the VCC. “It feels very much like I’m coming home,” Pinto says.
Growing up in the area, Pinto was a member of the VCC for six years. As an adult, in addition to a life of choral leadership, teaching and performing, she directed the VCC Chamber Singers for five years and has been involved with various VCC projects for two decades.
Having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary season, the Virginia Children’s Chorus offers auditions in the fall for students in kindergarten through high school age. The students meet weekly for rehearsals and perform at venues throughout Coastal Virginia as part of four choir groups of varying levels. One of the most exciting aspects of membership in the Virginia Children’s Chorus is the opportunity to perform with professional arts organizations throughout the area like the Virginia Symphony and the Virginia Arts Festival.
Pinto says she’ll never forget performing with VCC in a production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana on New Year’s Eve of 2000 when she was a senior in high school. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra was playing, Pinto’s father was singing with the VSO chorus and the Governor’s School for the Arts was dancing Todd Rosenlieb’s choreography.
“With the dancers and the symphony and the choir it was just—it’s one of my favorite performing memories of all time,” she says.
Pinto also remembers traveling to England with the VCC, singing at beautiful cathedrals and performance spaces and staying with local singers. Over the years, the VCC has performed at small local venues and also at Sandler Center and Chrysler Hall, as well as touring to perform at renowned halls like Westminster Abbey and Carnegie Hall.
Pinto stresses that the VCC is an affordable way for children to get a strong musical education and quality vocal training. “We focus on making sure the kids are doing healthy singing so that their voices can be used for the rest of their lives,” she says.
“This is a group for everyone,” says Pinto. “We are all trying to raise not only students who are singing in a healthy way and who are smart musicians and can read music but also students who are empathetic and aware of how music can connect communities.”
The VCC will present its fall concert on November 20 and will be performing throughout the year.
For more information visit VAChildrensChorus.org.
Beth Blachman
