Cantate Children’s and Youth Choir of Central Virginia is seeking children and youth singers for the fall 2025 semester. Informal auditions are being held by appointment from 2 pm - 5 pm on May 12, 13, and 14, or at any other special time arranged with the director through the end of August. The fall semester begins September 8th. Rehearsals mostly occur on Mondays from 4:15 pm -6:15 pm (younger children end a bit earlier).
Fall performance opportunities include a Halloween concert, a holiday performance for The Woman’s Club of Lynchburg, “The Nutcracker” with the Charlottesville Ballet, and A Festival of Lessons and Carols.
Cantate is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing healthy vocal training and exceptional musical experiences to the children and youth of Central Virginia. Actively taking part in the cultural life of the region, the choir accepts students in second grade through high school and is headquartered at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 205 Elmwood Avenue, Lynchburg, Virginia 24503.
Each chorister receives training in proper vocal production, note reading, and singing in parts. Cantate is currently in its thirty-second season.
Peggy Haas Howell serves as the Music Director and Conductor, and Elizabeth Wilkinson is the Assistant Director and Accompanist. Called a “play-anything virtuoso” by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ms. Howell is a consummate organist who has given recitals throughout America and Europe. In addition to serving as Organist and Choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church, she is also the National Vice President and Councillor for Competitions and New Music for the American Guild of Organists.
Ms. Howell received a BA in Church Music from Susquehanna University and a Master of Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary. Ms. Howell has been the Director of Cantate since 2009. Since then, Cantate has performed with Opera on the James, the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, the Charlottesville Ballet, the University of Lynchburg Choral Union, the Jefferson Choral Society, the University of Virginia Chamber Singers, and St. John’s Episcopal Church Parish Choir. Ms. Howell founded and directed the Jefferson Youth Chorale from 2003-2012 and was the Director of Chorale, the Concert Choir of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, from 1996-2000.
To schedule an audition, please email Julie Strickland at stricklandj@cantatechoir.org. Additional information is available at cantatechoir.org and includes a link to Cantate’s YouTube channel where recent performances may be viewed.
