Houston Children's Chorus Readies for Carnegie Hall Performance
Enchanted by the "goodness" of another child's poems and love of life, the Houston Children's Chorus will chant and sing the thoughts and prayers of Mattie Stepanek, a best-selling American poet who died at age 13 from a rare form of muscular dystrophy in 2004.
Mattie enjoyed life so much, says Whitney Wells, age 13, that he wrote poems about how good life can be, finding strength in peace. Whitney, a third-year member of Houston Children's Chorus, is a seventh-grader at Spring Kleb Intermediate in Kline Independent School District.
"He wrote ‘I have a song that's deep in my heart...It's a song with such beautiful things and I want to share it...' while knowing he would die at a young age from a disease, just as his sister and two brothers had before him," said Whitney, quoting verses from Mattie's "Heartsong" poem.
Houston Children's Chorus, in its 21st year under the direction of HCC founder Stephen Roddy, will premiere an expansive selection of newly composed music based on Mattie's poems at Carnegie Hall in New York on Sunday, June 6, 8:30 p.m. A full 30-piece orchestra will accompany the HCC singers.
Texas' acclaimed composer, Joseph Martin, has written most of the music, including "Heartsong."
"We pray that the ‘Heartsong' repertoire brings hope to all faced with life-threatening diseases," said Martin.
Mattie said a ‘heartsong' is a person's special gift meant to be shared and reflects an individual's very soul, says Roddy.
"He beckons ‘If you believe in magical, musical hearts, then you, too, will hear your heartsong,'" said Roddy.
Mattie began writing poetry at age three to cope with the death of one of his brothers. During Mattie's brief life, he published a compilation of his poems and artwork in five books, all of which were "New York Times" best-sellers.
Imani Daffin, age 14 and a five-year member of HCC, explains that Mattie always found the happiness in life.
"He makes me want to value life more and know we're blessed," said Imani, an eighth-grader at Wesley Academy in West Houston.
Despite the sorrow of death, Mattie reflects on the joy of friends and family and the importance of being generous and loving, says Christopher Auchter, age 12 and a first-year member of Houston Children's Chorus.
In the song "I Believe in Someday," Christopher says Mattie prays that "Someday we will all join our hands in a loving circle none can break."
"As a singer, it's inspiring how Mattie expressed his thoughts and understood the happier, lighter side of life," said Christopher, a seventh-grader at St. Michael Catholic School in the Galleria area.
Houston Children's Chorus includes 120 children divided into three choirs: Preparatory Choir, Town Choir and Concert Choir. Children from the entire Houston area are represented from the inner city through metropolitan Houston.
Auditions for HCC's 2010-2011 HCC music season begin in early May. Children grades two through eight who want to audition may call 713-650-3800 or log onto the HCC website: www.houstonchildren.org.
Distinguished Concerts International is hosting the Carnegie Hall program, with Timothy Seelig and Stephen Roddy conducting. Seelig is Conductor Emeritus of Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas.
More than 3,500 children across greater Houston have participated in Houston Children's Chorus over the past 21 years. HCC hosts concerts citywide, statewide and nationwide and has performed worldwide in destinations including New Zealand, China, Russia, England, Scotland, Italy, Japan and Mexico. In summer 2011, HCC will perform at Sidney Opera House in Australia.
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