Grand Finale

Grand Finale
Combined Apprentice, Advanced, and Concert Choirs.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Important Letter to Young Artists & Parents


July 1, 2020

Linda Walker
19157 Evening Drive
Caldwell, ID 83607

Dear Students, Former Students, Families and Friends of Young Artists,
What a joy it is to have worked with such loving, loyal and extraordinary people! What a privilege it has been to teach you and, at the same time, to learn from you as I taught you of the beauty you can share through developing your talents. Together, we have become better, more confidant, and more grateful people as we have striven to create beauty through musical excellence.
This years Spring Concert would have been the capstone of my 32 years of directing the Treasure Valley Young Artists and Treasure Valley Children’s Choruses. It has been a journey of wonder and delight, of discovery and of faith! 
I discovered that children can learn anything one can think how to teach them! I learned that children are very brave and are willing to try things that would be hard for most adults to do— if they are in a setting where they are safe and encouraged and expected to do those things! 
I felt such a “oneness” with you and could feel, as I looked into your eyes, how much the Lord cherishes each of you!
All of our spirits respond to beauty and love and light, and all of us are happier when we fill our lives with those things that bring light and beauty and love into our hearts. Working with you and music together has filled our souls to overflowing! 
Bruce and I hope you have felt our love and appreciation for you, for beautiful music, and for the God who created both, from whom “all things wise and wonderful” flow. 
As we have carefully considered the best course to take, in light of the current situation, it seems appropriate and wise to now retire Treasure Valley Young Artists. 
We have only cried a few hundred times (whenever we picture your trusting, expectant faces) and Bruce only says to me every Tuesday evening, “Now you would just be starting Apprentice Choir,” “Now you would be ending Advanced Choir,” “Now you would be in the middle of Concert Choir,” “Now you would be just ending Premier Singers.”
May your lives be blessed forever as you have blessed ours! 
With great love,
Linda & Bruce Walker
P.S.  Please respond with your current contact information, including mailing address, so we can take care of tuition refunds, awards and recordings.

Note from Milana:

Dear Young Artists,
My heart is filled with gratitude and joy for the 19 years of being a part of Treasure Valley Young Artists.  I will forever cherish the blessings, memories, and perfect moments we have shared together.  I will forever cherish all that I have learned.  Thank you, Bruce and Linda, and each of you for your voices and hearts.  You are all so beautiful. Together, we have created and shared far beyond what we could do individually.  
 Music is the language of the soul, and expresses what words cannot.  Music also has a powerful influence on our souls and can change our hearts and minds.  Bruce and Linda have been so careful to choose music that will fill your hearts and minds with light and love.  As we have worked so hard on the “sound” unique to Young Artists choirs, our hearts and minds have been knit together and that “sound of love and light” has reached out and wrapped around thousands of others.  
My prayer is that this will be a pattern for the rest of your lives.  Use music to fill your hearts and minds with light and love.  Let the songs you have learned and continue to learn or write be a powerful influence to chase away darkness and increase love and light.  Remember how much you are loved.  Then let that love and light reach out and wrap around others.  “If everyone lights just one little candle, what a bright world this would be.”  When you wake up in the morning, I hope you sing, “Oh what a beautiful morning”, and when you step outside I hope your heart sings “all things bright and beautiful, the Lord God made them all.”  I hope you remember that “lux” is “eternal”, and that we can choose to “walk on the sunny side of the street.”   Remember to “Smile,” and show your teeth when you do. 
My final thoughts can only be expressed in this song.
“Savior, Redeemer of my soul, whose mighty hand hath made me whole, what wondrous power hath raised me up, and filled with sweet my bitter cup.  What tongue my gratitude can tell, O gracious God of Israel. 
Never can I repay thee Lord, But I can love thee, Thy pure word.  Hath it not been my one delight, My joy by day, my dream by night.  Then let my lips proclaim it still, and all my life reflect thy will.  
O’re rule my acts to serve thine ends, change frowning foes to smiling friends.  Chasten my soul till I shall be in perfect harmony with thee.  Make me more worthy of thy love and fit me for the life above. “  Orson F. Whitney
May you always remember how much you are loved and keep that song in your heart.  
With deepest love and gratitude for all of you, 

Sincerely, Milana

P.S.   I am making a collection of all the “Linda”isms and “Bruce”isms.  They may be one liners, stories, something you’ve learned, or memories that have been meaningful and precious to you.   Please email them to me throughout the month of July.   Thank you.   milanacolt@gmail.com

Friday, April 3, 2020

Hope you and your families are doing well!

Dear Choir Members,

We think of you of so often and hope you are all having a wonderful time in this break from the world and activities we are so used to! We hope you are having some new adventures, creating and developing your talents, learning lots and loving those around you, and that all the songs from choir are running through your minds and your hearts and are helping you!

We love you, miss you all, and look forward to seeing you and listening to you sing your beautiful sound.

We are having fun cleaning and organizing, working in the yard, reading, painting and preparing for great experiences to come!

Lots of love, Linda and Bruce

Monday, March 16, 2020

All Young Artists rehearsals suspended

Dear Parents and Members of Treasure Valley Young Artists,


How we love you! How much we enjoy our rehearsals together! How we love hearing you sing!

Because we love you and take very seriously your health and safety, and because we feel we must follow the guidelines sent out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning restrictions given on mass gatherings, we will not be able to continue our rehearsals, nor will we be able to hold our concert the 25th of April. So as of now, all rehearsals and performances are suspended until Fall Term.
We hope that you will join us in this effort to protect the health of each of you and your families, and ourselves, and that you will look forward, as we do, to the time when we can be together again!

We will mail this year’s awards to graduating seniors, but will give out the rest of the awards at the beginning of Fall Term.

Your tuition balance will be applied to Fall Term. For graduating seniors, that amount will be refunded.

We will still be producing a CD of the Christmas Concert. The cost of the CD is $15. If you would like a CD we can deduct the amount from your tuition balance. Please let us know via email or text message by April 1st. 

Auditions for Fall Term will be held Tuesday, September 8th from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Nampa Civic Center, and rehearsals will begin Tuesday, September 15th. In our Christmas Concert we will incorporate some of the most fun songs we were planning to sing for this Spring concert!

If you have questions please contact us by email or text, or select Contact Us in the menu of tvyoungartists.com.


Linda and Bruce Walker

Monday, February 24, 2020

Uniform Swap Night March 10

Uniform Swap Night will be held Tues. Mar. 10 during rehearsals. This means you may exchange any uniform item for a different size of the same item at no cost.

Those of you who are new to Young Artists, see if we can fit you with used items at reduced cost.

If you have questions, please contact Melissa at: millwardfam@hotmail.com

Monday, February 17, 2020

No Rehearsal Feb. 18

Young Artists rehearsals are cancelled for Tuesday the 18th, because Mrs Walker injured her back and won’t be able to do rehearsal.
 Mrs Walker says, “Please study and memorize your music!” She also says she loves you and is determined to be well by next week!

Monday, February 3, 2020

Student of the Week instructions

During each weekly rehearsal we choose an outstanding choir member to be Student of the Week. This is not only an honor for those students who are chosen, but is meant to help singers get to know each other. Please follow these guidelines:

1. When chosen as Student of the Week, please follow the instructions on the slip of paper you are given. It's very important that you have a photo and article to us by Friday evening so we can post it to the blog on Saturday.

2.  Each singer should read the information on the Blog sometime previous to the next rehearsal so that when we honor a Student of the Week during rehearsal, you know something about them and can join in the conversation. (Parents, please help younger singers so they don't feel left out.)
Dallin, Jaydon, Jona & Andrew demonstrate speed learning.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Schedule & Reminders

Following is the schedule of rehearsals & performance for this term:

Regular Tuesday rehearsals: Jan. 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, Mar. 3, 10, 17, 31, Apr. 7, 14, 21

No rehearsal Mar. 24 (Spring Break)

Mandatory Saturday morning rehearsal: April 18  Premier 8:15 to 9:30, Concert 9:30 to 11:00, Advanced 11:00 to 12:00. (No Sat. rehearsal for Apprentice)

Spring Awards Concert Saturday, April 25, 7 P.M., Jewett Auditorium, College of Idaho, Caldwell

Important Reminder: Tuition for this term is now due! 

Reminder to Concert Choir: Go to YouTube, River in Judea-Treasure Valley Children's Chorus.
Follow your music as you listen!


Concert Choir's 1st sight-reading session Jan. 14th was AMAZING!