'Polar Express' to feature Amherst Bel Canto Choir
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

"The Polar Express" will feature Amherst Bel Canto Choir with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 at Kleinhans Music Hall, located at 3 Symphony Circle in Buffalo.

"The music in 'The Polar Express' was challenging, Canto," said Gabrielle Montalbano, a sixth-grader at Amherst Middle School and now in her second year with the choir. "It's one of my dreams to sing with the BPO."

The choir has three groups: Presto for grades 4 to 6, Vivace for grades 7 to 12 and Bravo for boys whose voices have changed and for high school girls.

"I started ABC as a sixth grader," said Amherst High School freshman Devin Finan. "In Bel Canto, what I like is that everyone is friendly - we all like each other. We're all from different schools, but we get along. The music is great, too. I like the idea of the instrumentalists accompanying on 'The Polar Express,' and it'll be a lot of fun to sing at Kleinhans on the big stage."

The choirs are recognized by audiences for their commitment to excellence, and for artistic interpretations of choral works from all styles of music, from medieval chant to the 21st century, according to Bel Canto conductor Sue Fay Allen.

Dimitrios Lippe, a fifth-grader at Smallwood Elementary School, is a member of Presto and is in his second year with the choir.

"It will be fun to sing with the Buffalo Philharmonic, because they play very well," he said. "I saw Yo-Yo Ma play cello in a dress rehearsal once with the BPO. I play cello, too. We'll be on the very same stage. I like the way the time signatures change in the music for 'Polar Express' - it's very exciting."

The students have been selected to perform for area and state music conferences and have sung in joint performances with the Royal Serenaders, High Park Girls Chorus of Toronto, the Ohio University "Singing Men" and many local choirs.

"It's very unusual to have a young choir perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic," Allen said. "They are professional musicians, and we have to be prepared so well, absolutely note perfect, poised and ready to go for this concert."

The choirs have also been asked to perform "The Lion King" with the BPO in the spring.

"Bel Canto is probably one of the best places I could go in my free time," said Heim Middle School eighth-grader, Sarah Tripi, who is also excited about singing with the BPO. "I love to sing and without Bel Canto I would not be able to sing as well as I do now, so I'm really thankful that I'm in it."

Tickets for "The Polar Express" are available at the door or by calling 885-5000.