The Camarata Music Company is setting up a new children’s choir, which will begin rehearsals next month.

Introductory meetings to give more information to parents about the choir, open to children aged 7-14, will be held in Seoul on Jan. 17 and 24.

CMC director and conductor Ryan Goessl said the choir would focus on giving kids the opportunity to learn and enjoy music.

“Basically it is going to be something fun for the kids that will be advantageous for them and hopefully we can teach them about good music and how to appreciate it,” he said.

“We will also probably incorporate movement and dance into the songs they sing.”

Goessl said that there was no non-school choir that provided music instructions in English, so they hoped to fill that gap.

“We will have a vocal coach who will be working with the singers in small group situations to help better their vocal technique,” he said, adding that around 15 students had already expressed an interest in joining.

Schedules and fees have not yet been finalized, but the choir will rehearse for about 2 1/2 hours per week, tentatively on Saturday mornings. There will be two major concerts per year, with other smaller performing opportunities in the Seoul area.

The choir is open to all, but as instruction will be in English, children should have a good grasp of the language.

“They do not have to be fluent, but they should have a good competence, because we are not going to teach English,” said Goessl.

The Jan. 17 meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the International Lutheran Church of Seoul, near Hangangjin Station. Those unable to attend the meeting can still sign children up for the choir by contacting the organizers.

CMC is also inviting members for its chorale, a choir for adults, which will begin rehearsals for a May 2 performance of Beethoven’s Mass in C major on Feb. 1.

For more information, email info@camaratamusic.com or call 010-9806-8655.

By Paul Kerry (paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)