Want to see more coverage of the vocal ensemble community? You can help! See your feature article here. You'll gain valuable exposure as a writer about vocal ensemble music and your group will benefit from the PR. Submit proposals for approval to the editor.

• The Monmouth Civic Chorus has announced the selection of Ryan Brandau as its new Artistic Director. Dr. Brandau succeeds Dr. Mark Shapiro, who is concluding his 21-year tenure with the Chorus at the end of the 2011-2012 season. (2012-5-20)
• Kat Britt is the new director of the Jersey Harmony Chorus. (2012-5-10)
• The Jersey Harmony Chorus earned the small chorus second place ribbon in the Sweet Adelines Greater New York Region 15 Competition. The region, which encompasses New York and New Jersey, sponsored its annual competition in Philadelphia recently. For more information, visit www.harmonize.com/jerseyharmony. (2012-4-29)
• New York Choral Consortium has launched the Second Annual Sing New York! Choral Festival, running from April 15 through June 15, 2012. The aim of the festival is to bring a greater awareness of the choral art in New York City. For details, visit www.SingNewYork.org. (2012-4-15)
• Results are in from the New York regional of the Annual Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, held March 10 at the Miller Theatre. First place: Audiofeels. Second place: The Perspective. Third place: Lustre. See www.harmony-sweepstakes.com/newyork.html for more information. (2012-3-14)

Archive of old "News" items

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• April 15, 2012: New link for Just Sheet Music, a search engine featuring free and commercial sheet music. New link for Brown Paper Tickets.
• April 9, 2012: New Choir Directory listing for Sirens of Gotham, a women's a cappella group in Manhattan.
• March 21, 2012: New Choir Directory listing for The Palisades Presbyterian Church Church Choir in Palisades, NY.
• February 29, 2012: New link for SingStrong, a cappella festival in Reston, VA
• February 24, 2012: New link for The Arts Business, offering fundraising and management services for the performing arts.
• February 20, 2012: New Choir Directory listing and Choir Auditions ad for The Salt and Light Chorale, a new choir in Brooklyn.
• February 11, 2012: New VAN QuickLink and Links Collection entry for New Music Box choral blog, written by Jenny Clarke about current topics in the choral world.
• January 29, 2012: New Choir Directory listing and Choir Auditions ad for Chameleonic, a volunteer/dues-based chorale that operates in collaboration with members of Choral Chameleon.
• October 29, 2011: New links for Artist Travel Consultants and Distinguished Concerts International, New York.
• October 4, 2011: New Choir Directory listing for The Princeton Garden Statesmen, a male barbershop chorus in Plainsboro, NJ.

Archive of old "New on VAN" items

• Need some exquisite beaded jewelry to complement your concert attire? Or perhaps a distinctive gift for that special singer in your life? Or maybe you'd like to host a jewelry show to benefit your favorite non-profit organization? Try Carnelian Knoll, where you'll find necklaces, bracelets and earrings of vintage beads and silver handcrafted by Julie Siegmund.
• Looking for rehearsal space or performance venues? Try NYC Music Places, New York City's free database of available rehearsal and performance spaces for instrumental and vocal musicians. You'll find places to rent, from studios to large venues, for classical, jazz, rock--whatever you need to rehearse or perform in NYC.
• Looking for an outstanding vocal ensemble coach? Mark Johnson, possessor of an amazing ear and terrific interpretive insights in a variety of styles, is available to coach your group. To arrange for Mark's services, e-mail Colette Thompson.
• Liz Fleischer's Sight-Singing Program is offered each season at the Kaufman Center (129 West 67th Street). Classes include ear-training, rhythm and pitch reading, music theory, basic notation and terminology, with emphasis on learning to hold a part with confidence. For more info, visit www.kaufman-center.org/lucyadults_mus_sight.htm, e-mail fleischerliz@aol.com or adultdivision@kaufman-center.org or call (212) 501-3362. The sight-singing program is just one of the classes offered by the Kaufman Center's Lucy Moses School.

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VAN gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Sustaining Member ensembles:

GOLD: The Dessoff Choirs, Grace Church Choral Society, The West Village Chorale SILVER: Big Apple Chorus, The Brooklyn Community Chorus, The Brooklyn Contemporary Chorus, The Canby Singers, Dalton Chorale, Florilegium Chamber Choir, Greenwich Village Singers, Riverside Choral Society, The St. Cecilia Chorus, St. George's Choral Society, Schola Cantorum on Hudson, The Stonewall Chorale Americas Vocal Ensemble, AmorArtis, The Babylon Chorale, C4: The World's First Choral Composer/Conductor Collective, Cantabile Chamber Chorale, Cerddorion, Chorus 802, Christ Church Choir, Douglas Frank Chorale, Down Town Glee Club, Lehman College and Community Chorus, New Amsterdam Singers, The New Choral Society, New York Choral Society, Renaissance Street Singers, Renaissance Vocal Ensemble, Riverdale Choral Society, Russian Chamber Chorus of New York, Sacrum Convivium, St. James' Compostela Choir, Sing We Enchanted, Uncommon Chord, Voices of New York, Women Singing For more about how you or your ensemble can help defray the costs of providing VAN's services, visit the Sustaining Membership page.