"Dedicated to giving children the opportunity to study and perform the finest choral literature written for the treble voice."
The Bennington Children's Chorus is directed by Kerry Ryer-Parke. Ms. Ryer-Parke has been singing professionally since the age of six and is a well-known soprano soloist and private voice teacher in the tri-state area. She has been working with the chorus since 1993, Director since 1995 and is currently an adjunct instructor of voice at Williams College.
copyright © 2007 Bennington Children's Chorus
Kerry Ryer-Parke
Director
Gwen Winseman
Accompanist
Gwen Winseman has studied, freelanced and taught piano in New York City and has been a vocal and chamber music recitalist at the Aspen and Waterloo Festivals. Ms. Winseman has been the accompanist for the chorus since 1999.
We are extremely fortunate to have a talented team
working with your children.
Susan Trimarchi
Chorus Manager
Susan, a lover of music of many genres, is the mother of three young daughters, all with a passion for music and singing. Previously Director/Owner of Little Sprouts Music Together of Dighton, MA, she deeply believes in making the creation of music accessible and fun for all children. Susan is responsible for the administrative duties of the chorus.
Deborah Teller
Production Manager/Music Librarian
Deborah's professional life is rooted in theatre. She is an Equity stage manager and has been the executive director of the National Shakespeare Company in New York City and the production/company manager of The People's Light & Theatre Company outside of Philadelphia. She has been working with the Bennington Children's Chorus since 2007.
HISTORY
The Bennington Children's Chorus was started in 1987 by Barbara Kourajian. Kourajian had been an accompanist to a children's choir in Montana as well as a high school choral director there before she moved to Vermont in 1985. While working in admissions at Southern Vermont College Kourajian found she really missed music and, with the help of the van der Linde family, recruited students for a children's chorus. The Bennington Children's Chorus met for its first rehearsal in February of 1987 and gave it's first performance three months later.
Kerry Ryer-Parke, who majored in music at Bennington College, took over as director in 1995. She continued Kourajian's tradition of emphasizing quality music, including classical, folk and traditional pieces, written for the treble voice. With both junior and senior ensembles, the chorus has performed hundreds of songs in multiple languages in dozens of venues. Countless children between the ages of seven and eighteen have been introduced to the intricacies of rhythm, the beauty of lyrics and the joy of mastering a challenging series of notes during their time with the Bennington Children's Chorus.
P.O. BOX 335
BENNINGTON, VT 05201
