UPNorth Elementary Honors Choir performs at Ironwood Theatre

IRONWOOD - The historic Ironwood Theatre's stage played host to the debut performance of the UPNorth Elementary Honors Choir, a new regional honors choir for elementary school students, on Friday.

Featuring 47 students in third through sixth grade, the choir is designed to offer students in the region an opportunity to sing at a higher level than in their school music classes, Michelle Parks, the elementary music teacher in Ironwood, who organized the group explained.

Parks said she got the idea after hearing about an honors choir in Lansing, which was too far for students in the area to participate in. After complaining that there weren't similar opportunities for students in the western Upper Peninsula, Parks said it was suggested she start one.

The choir includes students from the Ironwood, Wakefield-Marenisco and Ewen-Trout Creek school districts, as well as students from the Lac du Flambeau district in Wisconsin.

The four school choirs came together Friday for the first practice of the entire group as a whole, working on their performance from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Parks said.

The concert featured the choir performing five songs - "Gaudeamus Hodie," "The Beautiful Rain," "The Old Carrion Crow," "River in Judea" and "New," which Parks said was written by Paul McCartney and featured in the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2."

In its debut performance, the choir was directed by guest director Sharon Green from Northern Michigan University. a former educator that has won multiple teaching awards, according to Parks.

The Ironwood High School Choir and Ironwood Vocal Jazz Choir both performed as opening acts for UPNorth's performance.

Parks said she was excited for the opportunity the concert provided students, not only to sing with other students but also to experience performing on an actual stage in a theater instead of in school cafeterias and gyms.

"It's been a labor of love but I wanted them to get this experience," Parks said, referring to performing in the theatre.

The elementary choir is also a great way to build support for the high school programs from an early age, she said.