Cantus men’s vocal ensemble will help choir students fine-tune their skills

FARMINGTON, MN — An artist in residence program starting at
Farmington High School this week will help the concert choir get
more in tune with one another, so to speak.

On Tuesday, the men’s vocal chamber ensemble Cantus began its
artist in residence program at FHS by giving a free a cappella
concert for the FHS choir, and for the male students of the ninth
grade music program. They will stick around through the end of the
week to work with the older students, as well.

“They’re great teachers of technique and vocal style, and really
all the things we work on throughout the year,” said FHS vocal
music instructor Megan Dimich.

Dimich has seen Cantus a few times during her career. In more
recent years, she’s heard a little more of them since a friend of
hers is now a member of the group. Every spring, Cantus accepts
applications to be part of the artist in residence program from
schools around the state. Dimich submitted a recording of last
spring’s concert choir for the program. Farmington was one of three
schools selected this year.

The Cantus educators will come to FHS for four weeks throughout
the school year, Dimich said. They’ll be here this week, then come
back in February, March and April.

They’ll work with Farmington students one more time in May –
when FHS joins the other two selected schools for a concert in the
Twin Cities. At that, the FHS choir will do individual pieces, sing
with the Cantus members and do a few numbers with the other two
schools.

“I think it will be a really neat experience for our kids to
work with these other two high schools,” Dimich said. “It’s a
pretty big honor to be selected, actually, because there’s only a
few schools in the state that get to do this.”

Cantus provides their training of students for no cost, Dimich
added. The group offers the education piece to help foster an
interest in the value of vocal music programs.

“It’s an outreach program, so we don’t pay anything as a high
school or a choir program. They do it for the opportunity to get
students excited about a cappella singing, and we’re really excited
to have them come in and work with our students,” she
said.