Naugatuck Community Choir

The Naugatuck Community Choir

Don't miss this opportunity to join one of the finest community choirs in the state of Connecticut under the direction of Mr Mark Silva. The choir meets every Monday evening, 7:00 PM at the Naugatuck High School Choir Room. On certain holidays and school snow days rehearsals shall take place at the Salem Lutheran Church at 14 Salem Street, Naugatuck CT. Singers of all voice parts are welcome!

New members are encouraged to come on down and join. Open registration dates for Spring 2012 are January 23^rd and 30^th. No audition is required! Vocalists from ages 16 and older are welcome to become members. The choir is open to people from all over the Naugatuck Valley Region and beyond. So, don't hesitate. Come join and make great friends and perform great vocal music.

For more information please call Aldona Laporta 203-729-2772 or email for general information or questions

A Brief History

In October of 1997 the Naugatuck Arts Commission sought out singers to start a community choir here in the borough of Naugatuck. The Naugatuck Community Choir, now in its 13th year, encourages interest in choral music for residents of the greater Naugatuck area and beyond. It provides great music as a source of entertainment and education for the general community.

With members from 17 communities the NCC provides year round opportunities for participation in performance at a variety of local venues for entertainment, education, fundraising and the personal satisfaction of the members and the audience. The Naugatuck Community Choir is a non-profit, non-audition organization that is open to any and all adults that have a love of great choral music and a passion for excellence.

About the Artistic Director

Mr. Mark C. Silva received his Master of Music degree from the University of Connecticut and Bachelor of Music degree from Western Connecticut State University. Both degrees were awarded with a concentration in Classical Vocal Performance.

While at UCONN, Mr. Silva was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society; one of the highest academic honors bestowed upon musicians in the United States. “Election to membership in Pi Kappa Lambda has been indicative of superior attainment in music, together with the personal qualifications pertaining to an outstanding exponent of the art.” Additionally, Mr. Silva served as choirmaster of the university’s Opera Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Susan Quigley-Duggan, and assistant conductor of the University’s Men’s Chorus under the direction of Dr. Peter Bagley. He also pursued performing as a tenor soloist studying with Dr. Sylvia McClain. Furthermore, Mr. Silva worked in the university’s Graduate Assistant Program teaching voice to undergraduate music majors and non-majors.

At WCSU, Mr. Silva studied voice with Dr. Margaret Astrup and choral conducting with Dr. Kevin Isaacs. Numerous solo vocal opportunities were supplemented by conducting duties and choirmaster positions in the university’s Opera Ensemble.

Since earning both degrees, Mr. Silva teaches private lessons, performs as organist or tenor soloist in various capacities throughout the state, and is currently employed as Director of Music Ministry at First Congregational Church of Waterbury, CT and Artistic Director/Conductor of the Naugatuck Community Choir. Mr. Silva is a lifelong resident of Waterbury and currently resides with his wife, Denise and dog, Emma in the city’s East End.

About the Accompanist

Todd Gorski, a Southington High School graduate, holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Music Education from Western Connecticut State University. While at WestConn, he accompanied students from many vocal and instrumental studios, the Opera Ensemble, and the Theater Department's musical productions. He has accompanied and produced many shows for community theater groups, schools and colleges. Todd taught K-8 general and choral music at the Fraser-Woods School in Newtown before becoming the choral director at Bethel Middle School, a position he has held since 2004. In Bethel, he is also the piano accompanist for the high school's choirs and performs with them at concerts and adjudications in the United States and abroad. In August 2011, Todd became the Director of Music at Bethel United Methodist Church after five years as Director of Music at the Church of the Epiphany in Southbury. From 1995-2005, Todd served as organist and eventually Director of Music at Grace United Congregational Church in Farmington. He currently serves as the Western Region Middle School Festival Chair for the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA). He is also an active member of the Connecticut chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and a member of the American Guild of Organists (AGO).

Board of Directors:

Aldona Laporta, President
John Allen, Interim Vice President
Denise Silva, Secretary
Marty Donovan, Treasurer
Leslie LaCharity, Librarian
Diana Scalzi, Soprano Section Leader
Merci Matcheson, Alto Section Leader
Rosemary Westhaver, Tenor Section Leader
Frank Hayden, Bass Section Leader

Membership

The Naugatuck Community Choir (NCC) is an organized choral ensemble dedicated to performing serious choral music. Membership is open to all singers in our community and surrounding towns. Our goal is to encourage interest in choral music for residents of the greater Naugatuck area and provide a source of entertainment for the general community and be numbered among the best musical organizations in the area. We require our members to be dedicated to vocal excellence and to be fiscally responsible for the future of the organization. Membership in NCC means that each member is committed to:

Attendance: Attendance will be taken by the section leaders. Each member is expected to attend all normally scheduled rehearsals. After three absences the member may be requested by the Music Director to review the music in private to assess whether the member is at a level consistent with the rest of the choir. In addition to the consistent and timely attendance of normally scheduled rehearsals, it is expected that each member shall increase his/her personal proficiency through such methods as listening to rehearsal tapes, home study and practice of the music.
Time: Each Member must realize that the NCC cannot exist if the only time allocated by the member is for singing. In addition to our normal rehearsal time, there will be time reserved and allocated to other group activities, whether administrative or social, which will help to ensure the Choir's success in its development as a choral organization.
Fiscal Responsibility: Each member should feel personally responsible for their fair share of the fiscal health of the choir. Dues payment is merely the foundation. Fundraising activities, and other revenue solicitation efforts must be considered as part of every member's normal activity. Without your commitment to our financial obligations, it will be difficult to expand our artistic program and continue to pursue programs involving orchestra and other musicians.
Performance: The NCC will present a yearly series of concerts, consisting of one in December and one in May. Additionally, to support the Arts in Naugatuck. The NCC may participate in the Annual Veterans Concert as well as other performances to which the NCC is invited to perform. The concerts will consist of various selections of music of all types and spanning the entire range of choral periods. Typically, the choir will perform with a piano, organ, chamber orchestra, or instrumental ensemble. Musical selection and selection of soloists is done by the Music Director.

Without effort and commitment in all these areas, the enormous potential and fun of choral singing cannot be maximized.

In our pursuit of choral excellence, the NCC and its members are committed to maintaining a high musical level of the choir through personal dedication, hard work and an understanding of the team effort needed to attain its goals.

Spring 2013 Schedule

Rehearsal Schedule
Day	Date	Event	Time	Place

Monday	May 13	Rehearsal	7:00 - 9:30 PM	NHS Choir Room
Friday	May 17	Concert	7:30 PM	St. Francis-Xavier, 625 Baldwin Street, Waterbury
Sunday	May 19	Concert	3:00 PM	St. Hedwig's Church Hall, 32 Golden Hill Street, Naugatuck

**Spring Concert 2013**
Friday	May 17	Concert	7:30 PM	St. Francis-Xavier, 625 Baldwin Street, Waterbury
Sunday	May 19	Concert	3:00 PM	St. Hedwig's Church Hall, 32 Golden Hill Street, Naugatuck

First half selections:
Simple Gifts	arr. Kirby Shaw
The Irish Blessing	arr. Joyce Eilers Bacak
The New World	Antonin Dvorak (arr. Michael Scott)
Danny Boy	arr. Joseph Flummerfelt
O Captain, My Captain!	John Leavitt
Regina Coeli	W. A. Mozart
The Promise of Living	Aaron Copland

Contact Information

**List of Contacts**
General Information:	info@naugatuckcommunitychoir.org
Membership Inquiries:	membership@naugatuckcommunitychoir.org