BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Bach Choir of Bethlehem has hired two longtime music educators to help expand its youth chorale and community engagement.
Erica Silver, a music educator for 16 years in school districts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, has joined the organization as the Da Capo Treble Choir Conductor.
Also, Alaina Swartz has been appointed director of education and community engagement.
The Da Capo Treble Choir is an introductory choir for singers with unchanged voices in grades 3-6, according to the Bel Canto website. Singers will learn the basics of healthy singing, music reading, and choral technique in a relaxed and inviting environment, it states.
Students in Bel Canto Youth Choir now represent 13 school districts from the Lehigh Valley and neighboring counties.
Silver has a bachelor's degree in piano pedagogy and accompanying from Westminster Choir College and a master's degree from Teachers College, Columbia University.
She also has worked with numerous music and theater organizations.
In her most recent role, she is director of the student choral program at Springhouse Middle School in Allentown.
"I am so excited to join the Bel Canto team and work with the organization's youngest singers."Erica Silver
"I am so excited to join the Bel Canto team and work with the organization's youngest singers," Silver said in a release.
"I am looking forward to sharing my enthusiasm for choral singing with our elementary-aged students and to work with Kelly Rocchi and Alaina Swartz to grow the Bel Canto Youth Chorus program."
Swartz in joined Bel Canto in 2023 as conductor of the newly structured Youth Chorale.
Swartz previously was a music teacher with Parkland School District for 17 years.
"The Bach Choir's 125-year legacy is built on its community and educational outreach, and I am so excited to continue working with the tremendous Bach Choir team."Alaina Swartz
"I am honored and humbled to be appointed as the Director of Education and Community Engagement," Swartz said.
"The Bach Choir's 125-year legacy is built on its community and educational outreach, and I am so excited to continue working with the tremendous Bach Choir team."
Swartz has a bachelor's degree in music education from Susquehanna University and a master's from Ithaca College.
It takes a village to grow a choir
The Bel Canto Youth Chorus was founded in 1993 in the Perkiomen Valley by Joy Hirokawa, who led the chorus for 30 years.
The chorus is known for performing diversified choral repertoire at the highest standards. Bel Canto students have been selected by audition to participate in the PMEA District, Region, and State honors choirs.
Last year, the choir chose Kelly Rocchi as its director.
The chorus's current students represent 13 school districts and have been invited to perform at several music conferences.
The chorus has also toured in Central Europe, Italy, Ireland, Canada, England, Oregon, Ohio and Hawaii.
The Da Capo Treble Choir, is accepting enrollment through summer.
For more information, go to bach.org/belcanto or email belcanto@bach.org.
