The Grand Monadnock Youth Choirs is auditioning now for the fall semester that will begin in September.

Founded in 1997 by Director Maria Belva, the choirs will be celebrating 20 years of singing with concerts in December and May.

The May concert will be a gala performance that will include many alumni from years past. We are actively calling on former members — all are welcome — to come and sing.

Since its beginning as a summer workshop in 1997, GMYC has served more than 400 youth in the Monadnock region. Founded as the Peterborough Children’s Choir, the name was changed in 2011 to reflect the regional expansion of the choirs.

This past year the Keene Youth Chorus, directed by Esther Rhoades, served children in grades 2 through 5, and had 40 members from nine different towns in Vermont and New Hampshire. Because so much interest was expressed from the community and from the singers themselves, the GMYC will be offering an additional section of KYC starting in the fall of 2016 for children in grades 5 through 8 — temporarily named KYC*2.

The Keene Youth Chorus will still be offered in the fall to children in grades 2 through 4.

This choral opportunity offers a chance for young singers to build self-confidence, leadership, and independence, strengthen musical literacy, and illuminate our communities as ambassadors in the region.

The singers will experience lively weekly rehearsals including both movement and singing, and will culminate in performance. The choirs enrich the choral and musical education the children receive in school and at home.

Auditions for all GMYC choirs will be held in June for singers going into grades 2-12 in the Fall.

The sections that meet in Keene are: Keene Youth Chorus for grades 2-4, KYC*2 for grades 5-8, and informal boys ensemble for grades 7-12.

The sections meeting in Peterborough are: Trebles for grades 2-4, Choristers for grades 5-8, and Cecilia Ensemble for young women grades 9-12.

Contact Esther Rhoades for the Keene sections at esther.rh.rhoades@gmail.com or 499-3505, and Maria Belva for the Peterborough sections at mariabelva@gmail.com or 924-2055.