photo by Stephanie Croston Members of the Seward Summer Chamber Choir rehearse under the direction of Dr. Kurt von Kampen Aug. 3. The high school choir has three concerts planned this week-one in Milford and two in Seward. Choir members represent schools around the area, including Seward, Milford, Centennial and Friend.

by Stephanie Croston

    Ah, the sounds of summer.
     The crack of the bat. The splash of water. The sizzle of burgers and steaks on the grill. The voices of young people singing scales.
     This is the third summer for the Seward County High School Summer Chamber Choir under the direction of Kurt von Kampen. The choir includes 16 members from the schools in and around Seward County.
     Von Kampen said he started the choir so the young musicians would have "a summer outlet for choral music."
     Members must audition for places in the choir, even if they were in the choir the previous summer.
     "It feels more like it's something special," von Kampen said.
     Each year, the choir loses seven to eight members to graduation, leaving plenty of opportunities for other musicians to try out.
     Anyone who has completed his or her freshman year of high school is eligible to audition, and the membership goes through those who graduated from high school in the spring. Home-schooled students are also welcome to try out, von Kampen said. Each year, he's heard between 30 and 50 vocalists during the audition process in February and March.
     "I didn't know if it would take off," he said. "It's been really successful."
     Members rehearse twice a week, and attendance has been outstanding, von Kampen said.
     "There's no screwing around in rehearsals. It's a fun intensity," he said.
     The group's concert program includes The Road Not Taken by Randall Thompson; Ipharadisi, arranged by Jerry Ulrich; The Sound of Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein; This is My Country, arranged by Tom Scott; Irish Blessing by Bob Chilcott; and The Impossible Dream, arranged by Marcel G. Frank.
     Each year, the group has added a concert and had four scheduled this year. The first was on the Fourth of July, with the next three coming Sunday, Aug. 13, at 3 p.m. at the Milford United Methodist Church, 610 Second Street, and at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center auditorium and Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Concordia University Music Center Recital Hall.
     While there is no charge for the concerts, a free-will donation will be accepted. The summer choir is a private venture, von Kampen said, adding that money raised pays for the director, accompanist, section leaders and printing.
     The choir plans to record a CD this summer to be released around Christmas, von Kampen said.
     Choir members include:
     - sopranos-Clarissa George, Centennial; and Megan Heidemann, Keri Volnek and Rachel von Kampen, Seward;
     - altos-Lindsey Himmelberg, Friend; and Holly Petersen, Regina Roebke and Lauren Vos, Seward;
     - tenors-Dustin Dye, Centennial; and Dustin Hegy, Michael Kuhn and Nathan Lee, Seward; and
     - basses-Zachary Lauer, Milford; and Roger Cattle, Nick Lee and Paul von Kampen, Seward.
     Kurt von Kampen is the director, and Jeffrey Blersch is the accompanist.