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Burnaby singers head south to share songs

Five young women from Burnaby are heading to Central America to sing with the B.C. Girls Choir as part of the upcoming 2012/13 season.

Five young women from Burnaby are heading to Central America to sing with the B.C. Girls Choir as part of the upcoming 2012/13 season.

Simone Chandra, Caily and Emy Kozak, and Annika and Jocelyne Guy will join other girls in the choir from around the Lower Mainland on a 10-day concert tour during spring break 2013.

Touring is a big part of the program for the choir, said artistic director Fiona Blackburn in a recent release.

"We love to share our music beyond our borders," she said.

The group will give educational outreach performances at three schools while in Costa Rica and offer supplies for the schools' music programs.

When they return from their trip, B.C. Girls Choir members will host the Wakayama Children's Choir from Japan as part of a three-day festival.

Singing for peace will be the main theme of this international event.

Another big calendar date for the choir this season will be a Christmas performance at the Orpheum Theatre with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and Orchestra and Ben Heppner, one of the most well-known operatic tenors in the world.

"This really is our most exciting season to date," Blackburn said. "Over and above the tour and guest performances, we still have all our regular concerts, camps and outreach events. One that I'm really looking forward to is a performance in conjunction with the anti-bullying, Pink Shirt campaign, early in 2013."

For girls aged five to young adult who are interested in joining the choir, auditions are scheduled for Aug. 28 and 29.

Rehearsals for four different levels of ability take place in New Westminster on Saturday mornings.

"We would love to have as many girls be a part of our 2012/2013 season as we can," said Blackburn. "It's not too late to contact our office for entrance information."

To register, or for more information, call 604-542-1698, email [email protected], or visit www. bcgirlschoir.org.