"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokee National Youth Choir Auditions Announced

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – The renowned Cherokee National Youth Choir will be holding auditions for the 2007 Choir on Tuesday, January 9, from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Cherokee Nation Complex south of Tahlequah. Registration will be in the lobby and the auditions will be held on a first-come, first-served basis.

One of the Cherokee Nation's most successful cultural programs, the choir, has traveled around the country and has been the recipient of many national awards and honors, including singing at the White House, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and the Washington Cathedral. The choir has also recorded several CDs and won numerous awards at the Native American Music Awards.

"This year there will be several openings in the choir as some of our older students move on," said Mary Kay Henderson, choir director. "I know there is a lot of talent in the Cherokee Nation and I want to encourage everyone to attend the auditions. You don't have to speak Cherokee to be in the choir; we teach them the Cherokee songs."

"It's a wonderful experience for our young people," said Kathy Sierra, assistant choir director. "Last year's group had so many great experiences. It is hard work and they have to put in many hours of practice and they have to behave. I think it is worth it for them; they get to travel and meet famous people."

Choir hopefuls need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, bring their Cherokee tribal citizenship card or their Cherokee Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) card and they must be entering the 7th through the 12th grades to qualify. Applicants must also bring a letter of recommendation from a school official stating that they are a student in good standing and they must live within the Cherokee Nation's 14-county jurisdictional area.

For information about the auditions or the choir, please contact Mary Kay Henderson, phone: 918-931-1360 or Kathy Sierra, phone: 918-453-5618, or send an e-mail.