Choral singing is a team sport—it is impossible for an individual singer to make the sound of a group of voices. The harmony, the resonance of the collective, cannot be accomplished by the single voice. In choral singing, as with all team sports, excellence takes on an entirely different meaning—it defines the group, not the individual. The Music Advocacy Group, Orcas Choral Society, Orcas Island School District, Orcas Christian School and Orcas Park and Recreation District are collaborating to establish an Orcas Youth Chorus for island youth. The first meeting of the group will be Monday, Jan. 6t, 2020. The chorus will be under the co-direction of Kelli Vigil and Andy Rivera, both accomplished music educators. The group will meet and sing every Monday evening from 6-7 p.m. in the new music/multipurpose room at the Orcas Island Public School. The nominal fee for participation, $50 for 18 weeks, will cover the cost of music. Financial aid is available. All students in grades 6-12 — OCS, OISD, Oasis, Spring Street School, Salmonberry and home-schooled students — are encouraged to join. To sign up, visit the Orcas Park and Recreation web site and look under the “Registration” tab. An informational meeting will be held Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. in the public school library. All parents and students who are interested in the Orcas Youth Chorus are urged to attend and to ask questions. Vigil and Rivera will be in attendance, as will several members of the MAG Board and the Choral Society Board. For more information, contact Tom Baldwin (tbaldwin@ucr.edu).