An 11-year-old vocalist with musical skills and dedication to craft beyond his years is on his way to perform with one of the top children’s choral groups in the nation.
Pershing Park Elementary School fifth-grader Ryan Sparks is part of the 150-voice Organization of American Kodaly Educators National Choir.
He will travel with his family and Pershing Park music teacher Jordan Coe to the Kodaly Educators Conference in Chicago for a rare opportunity to learn and perform among talented peers and a renowned conductor.
Coe, a Kodaly certified educator, said that when he heard Sparks sing last year as a fourth-grader, he immediately recognized a rare talent.
The music teacher explained to his outstanding student and the young man’s parents the opportunity that might await them, and they agreed to go for it.
Entering fifth grade, Sparks got to work on his audition music in August, recorded his singing in his music classroom and found out in November that he made the cut.
His teacher has been with him all the way and continues to meet with him to prepare for the trip March 5 to 8.
“Ryan is an incredible singer,” said the seven-year elementary music teacher. “He takes direction well and he takes it with purpose. He takes notes and he practices at home and at school. His love of music is incredible.”
“I felt like I was going to the end of the universe,” said the young singer of his excitement when he found out he earned a spot in the prestigious choir. “It gets me all excited.”
The Organization for Kodaly Educators refers to Zoltan Kodaly, a Hungarian composer who championed an experienced-based philosophy of teaching that includes reading and writing music.
“Last year, Ryan was in choir, and he learned with ease,” said Coe. “Even when I tried some of his audition music, he picked up on it quickly.”
The audition, which he recorded in the school music classroom required him to sing in different keys, sing his voice part alongside other parts and sing America the Beautiful in his voice part.
For his part, Sparks is a quietly confident young musician. When asked, he thought nothing of taking a seat at the classroom piano and playing a few tunes without music.
He was also happy to pick up a piece of his audition music and sing as Coe provided direction and encouragement.
“I’m excited about singing with people who love music and learning more about singing and getting more experienced,” he said. “I love singing because I love music.”
Choir conductor Pamela Elizabeth Blackstone will direct the children’s choir at the conference. According to her extensive bio, she is in her 16th year as associate artistic director and chief programming officer of the Grammy Award-winning National Children’s Chorus.
Coe, a certified Kodaly educator, is a regular at the OAKE conference, and he is ecstatic to accompany his student and family to this year’s event.
“I hope this experience will continue his love for music,” the teacher said.
“He is going to see that there are people who appreciate music like he does. Having a strong passion can be isolating. He is going to find more peers and will build connections.”
