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December 1, 2006

Elementary Ensemble

A local elementary school choir treats the university to a concert

Story by: Deborah Threlkeld

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Monica Lopez

Shelby Turner, a fifth grader in the Husky Harmonics choir from Holiday Heights Elementary School in North Richland Hills, sings Christmas carols Wednesday in the University Center Palo Duro Lounge. Choir director Mark Dvorak is an alumnus who has been bringing his choir annually for the last two years.

Watching the Husky Harmonics perform their holiday concert Wednesday brought back memories for English junior Crystal Crouch.

“I used to go to Holiday Heights Elementary School, and I was a member in the choir,” she said.

She noticed some differences about the choir since she last sang in it.

“There were only about 35 of us, and we didn’t go anywhere for concerts,” she said.

The holiday performance featured the serenading sounds of 57 fourth- and fifth-grade choir members from Crouch’s old school in North Richland Hills. The choir performed a rendition of “New York, New York,” and other songs in the University Center Palo Duro Lounge, as about 150 university community members and doting parents listened.

The College of Education and the Education Constituency Council sponsored the reception.

Choir director Mark Dvorak, an alumnus, said Louann Schulze, education assistant dean for student affairs, came up with the idea for a concert to provide entertainment before finals.

Dvorak brings the choir back each year because he loves the university and said the children love to perform.

“They get so excited,” he said.

Schulze called the concert a recruiting event, saying Dvorak tells the students that “UTA is the only place to go” and gives them name tags reading “Future UTA Student.”

Schulze enjoys seeing the children excited.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase our campus to a group of enthusiastic young people, and it’s great for our campus to see young people who love their choir,” she said. “They all want to come to UTA, and I tell them, ‘When you get here, look me up, and I’ll buy you a UTA T-shirt.’ ”

Interdisciplinary studies junior Darcy Wild, Education Constituency Council president, said the reception was a good opportunity for education majors to interact with the children and great entertainment for college students.

Business senior Martin Castillo enjoyed the concert. He said he heard it as he was passing by and stopped to listen.

“It’s a great change of pace,” he said. “We usually have student organizations in here. This is just kids being kids.”