On September 6, 2015, the St. Augustine Youth Chorus gathered for a rehearsal in preparation for Fiesta 450! — a landmark performance at the Saint Augustine Amphitheatre celebrating the city's 450th anniversary alongside three of the region's most respected arts organizations: First Coast Opera, the Saint Augustine Orchestra, and Limelight Theatre.

Founded in 2004 by director Kerry Fradley and supported by the St. Augustine Community Chorus, the Youth Chorus is open to any singer between the ages of 8 and 18 from Saint Augustine and the surrounding area. Rehearsals run weekly at Memorial Presbyterian Church in the heart of downtown — and the group has shared stages well beyond Saint Augustine, including performances at Disney World and Sea World. The mission is straightforward: give young singers a serious musical experience and the joy that comes with it.

The collaborators for Fiesta 450! represent the backbone of Saint Augustine's performing arts community. First Coast Opera — founded in 2000 and the first producing opera company in Northeast Florida — has been a longtime partner of the Youth Chorus. The Saint Augustine Orchestra, which has been part of the city's musical life since 1961, brought its full weight to the celebration. Limelight Theatre, Saint Augustine's only year-round community playhouse, rounded out a lineup that was, collectively, a love letter to this city.

These are the organizations that keep the arts alive here — not just for audiences, but for the next generation of performers finding their voices.

Learn more: staugustineyouthchorus.org

Event photos by Yvette Monell

Editor's note: Since this 2015 rehearsal, the Youth Chorus has continued to grow. The group now rehearses at Memorial Lutheran Church on US Highway 1 South, and the director's baton has passed to Barbara Mattingly.

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