Stephanie Croston

    Judy Mullally counts the time, and the members of the Seward Area Youth Choir begin to sing "Under the Calico Tree."
     Their enthusiasm is evident by the smiles on their faces as they sing.
     The choir, which was formed in 2003, includes students in fourth through eighth grades from around Seward County.
     "It's nice to have more than just Seward," Mullally, the choir's first-year director, said.
     Schools represented include Seward Elementary and Seward Middle schools, St. John Lutheran School, Milford Elementary and Milford Junior/Senior High schools, Malcolm Elementary School and St. Paul Lutheran School in Utica. In addition, some of the students are home-schooled.
     The group will perform a free concert Sunday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m. at the Seward United Methodist Church.
     Mullally, accompanist Heather Stahr and the choir practice on Monday nights at the Seward Elementary School.
     Mullally said the group is a treble choir, which means all the music is written and sung in the treble cleff.
     This year's choir has just two boys, which isn't surprising since young men go through voice changes between fourth and eighth grades, she said.
     Auditions were held in August for the choir, which has 25 members.
     Also in August, the choir members attended a music camp with Concordia University students.
     During the auditions, Mullally said, she looked for students who could mimic what was played, sing in a round with just one other person and carry a tune.
     Mullally and Stahr went through music during the summer to find the choir's repertoire. They started with 25 to 30 songs and have narrowed that to 15 or 16.
     Mullally said each song teaches something, whether it's art, history, literature or musical styles.
     The song list includes both secular and sacred pieces.
     A couple require the choir to sing parts.
     Mullally said the students especially like "Somebody's Knockin'," "Under the Calico Tree" and "Festival Alleluia," but they enjoy singing all the songs.
     Mullally said the students are learning to read music and that the youth choir compliments what the students are learning in music classes at school.
     The songs are memorized, and as the concert date draws closer, Mullally and the choir are working more on dynamics and expression in the songs.
     Mullally said it's sometimes difficult to keep the students focused.
     Music has been part of Mullally's life for as long as she can remember.
     As a child, she took piano lessons and was part of the choir at her school. She has taught voice and piano lessons since that time.
     Stahr majored in music education at Midland Lutheran College and is originally from McCool Junction.
     She also took piano lessons and played in her high school band.
     In addition to the Dec. 2 concert, the choir plans to go Christmas carolling around the Seward square Thursday, Dec. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
     They will visit the open businesses that night.
     A burger night at the Seward VFW Club on Friday, Dec. 7, will benefit the choir.
     Money raised will go to purchase music and other needed items for the choir, Mullally said.