Oaks Christian choir takes trophy

SINGING THEIR PRAISES- Oaks Christian music director Mary Kay Altzier, holding trophies, is surrounded by members of her girls' choir after taking first place at the Music in the Parks competition at Disneyland.

The Oaks Christian School girls' choir won a major competition April 18 and 19 at Disneyland.

The choir- with 30 members in grades nine through 12- came in first place in the women's choir, small school division at the Music in the Parks choral competition.

Directed by Mary Kay Altizer, the ensemble also won best overall choir as judged against all categories and all sizes of schools. Between 15 and 20 choirs from four states competed.

The girls performed three classical selections for the competition: a 16th century madrigal titled "Sing We and Chant It" by Thomas Morley; a 20th century madrigal called the "Mouse Madrigal," arranged by Steve Porter; and "Die Mainacht" by Johannes Brahms, which is a four-part piece sung in German.

Each competing group selected its own repertoire and was judged on the appropriateness of its selections as well as musical interpretation, intonation, diction, balance, and how the group sang as an ensemble.

The Oaks Christian girls received a "superior" rating, the highest possible, with a final score of 97.5 out of 100 overall.

"I think the girls really came together with the interpretation of the music, and they were really on task," said Altizer, who is also the piano and orchestra director at the Westlake Village private school.

The girls rehearse three hours a week and began working on the music for the Music in the Parks competition in January. They have also been preparing for two upcoming school performances: A Spring Spectacular fundraising concert hosted by the Tri-M Music Honor Society on May 8 and the annual high school Spring Art Show and Performing Arts Concert on May 22. Both concerts are open to the public.

For more information visit www.oakschristian.org/Arts.