Texas State’s Hill Country Youth Chorus in charity concert

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
April 28, 2008

The Texas State University-San Marcos Hill Country Youth Chorus joins Grammy Award-winners Tingstad and Rumbel for the “Around the World in 80 Days” concert Sunday, May 4 to benefit the Hays County Food Bank.

The San Marcos community is invited on a whirlwind world tour during the 3 p.m. show in Evans Auditorium. The Austin Children’s Chorus will also perform.

Well-known for their beautiful original compositions and innovative treatment of popular standards, Eric Tingstad (guitar) and Nancy Rumbel (oboe, English horn and ocarina) create classically inspired music from America, the British Isles, Asia and Spain. Their anecdotal storytelling and delightful humor speaks to the heart, stirs the soul and creates a comfort zone that encourages an appreciation for community and stewardship.

“The Hill Country Youth Chorus is made up of about 50 talented local youth from Hays and surrounding counties,” said Lynn Brinkmeyer, artistic director of the chorus, which is hosted by the Texas State School of Music. “The program serves boys and girls from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, with a curriculum that equips these young artists with the musical skills that enable them to seek the highest artistic standards in performances of challenging music.”

Brinkmeyer is assisted by Abbie Alleman, executive assistant director. Denise Bindel serves as the accompanist. The Arts Resource team, chaired by Bob Whalin, created the Hill Country Youth Chorus several years ago as a way to develop and support youth choral arts in the Hays County area.

“The Hill Country Youth Chorus provides youth with a choral music experience where successive levels of high artistic achievement and performance are fostered in can participant,” Brinkmeyer said, adding that the chorus is also intended to supplement and enhance the music training students receive in school.

Admission to the concert is one non-perishable food item, which will be donated to the Hays County Food Bank, a local United Way agency that serves thousands of Hays County residents every year. For more information, contact hcyouthchorus@yahoo.com or call (512) 245-9645.