THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604160138
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
THE NORVIEW High School Varsity Singers' rendition of ``The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy'' will get you moving.
And the group's singing of Mozart's ``Ave Verum Corpus'' will move you.
This group of eight young men and 16 young women definitely knows how to deliver a tune.
Last week, they were finishing up rehearsals with ``Georgia on My Mind,'' before leaving for Atlanta, where they would compete in the 1996 Peachtree Classic Music Festival.
The young singers were entered in three categories: mixed chorus, vocal solo and women's chorus.
``We're gonna be the best,'' said Kristen Fleetwood, 18, ``and we're gonna win.''
She was right.
At the festival, the Varsity Singers took first place for mixed chorus, in the chamber/madrigal category. The group also took first place in women's chorus. In the vocal solo category, Alison Seibert, 17, took a first place, and Ronnie Powell, 17, took a second; both received superior ratings, with only a one-point difference in their scores.
Preparing to go up against schools from New Jersey, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and North Carolina, the young singers felt they had a good chance. In 1994, the Norview Chorus received a first-place trophy in the Showcase of Music Festival at Busch Gardens, and, for the 1994-95 school year, the Women's Chorus received a superior rating and a first place trophy.
This year, the Varsity Singers already have performed at Old Dominion University, Norview Presbyterian Church, St. Pius Catholic Church, the Airport Hilton, the airport and Waterside, and completed a middle school tour.
``This group began back in the '50s as `The Bakers Dozen,' a girls' ensemble,'' explained music teacher Danielle Roby, the group's director. ``During the '80s, the numbers started going down. In 1992, we had about 30 girls spread over three classes. Now we have 150 in chorus. In the 1993-94 school year, we added boys and changed the girls' ensemble to the Varsity Singers. We have 25 guys in men's chorus, plus a ladies' chorus and a concert chorus.''
But this was the first time any choral students from Norview had traveled so far - it's about a 12-hour bus trip - for a school-sanctioned event. To finance it, the singers raised more than half the required $7,000 themselves. Individuals and groups who had heard the singers perform contributed the rest.
``I feel very proud that we were able to raise the funds and prepare musically for the trip,'' Roby said. ``I'm very fortunate with the students I have. They're very hard workers and show a lot of commitment. We think a lot of each other. It grows every year.''
The young singers agree.
``This is my first year,'' said Jasmine Greene, 17. ``It's a great group, with a great director. There's a lot of pride, basically, to get to be a part of this group.''
``I feel we have an outstanding director,'' said Onika Pelzer, 16, ``not just on a teaching level. On a personal level, she cares.''
``I plan to be a future Mrs. Roby,'' said Seibert, a senior who is one of several students who have been with the Varsity Singers for four years. ``Music has always been the love of my life. I want to continue on and teach it. I'm excited and nervous; we're all excited and nervous, at the same time.''
Seibert represents Norview in the All State Chorus.
``It's something I enjoy,'' explained Monica Mackey, 17, another four-year veteran of the group. ``It's like you get to do a lot of different things. You get to go places.''
Principal Marjorie Stealey gave the chorus members a rousing pep talk in preparation for the trip, after which she passed out T-shirts with the school's name to each.
``When you wear these shirts,'' she told them, ``you are ambassadors from Norview.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
Director Danielle Roby leads the Varsity Singers in a choreographed
rendition of ``The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.''
by CNB