AREA SINGERS DULY NOTED AT AUDITIONS : YOUTH CHORUSES BUILD TEAMWORK, CONFIDENCE.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

The sound of music sweetened the air at Moorpark College on Saturday as dozens of youngsters tried out for the Amadeus Boys Choir and Girls Choir.

With their sometimes hesitant and sometimes strong voices, the youngsters ages 8 to 11 each stood next to a piano doing their best to impress choir director Patricia Hesselbach.

Few were unduly nervous, though for many of them it was the first experience auditioning.

``It was fun, and I'm glad I did it,'' said Caitlin Galvin, 8, who lives in Simi Valley. ``It was fun getting to sing - and meeting a nice teacher.''

Saturday's session was the second audition for the choir, the first being held on Jan. 11, Hesselbach said. In all, 50 or more youngsters will audition for the choir, including a handful whom Hesselbach said she expects to hear at the girls' rehearsals on Thursday and the boys' rehearsals on Friday.

The choir's season coincides with the school year, she said. The choir performs in a variety of venues, including at schools, before city and business groups, and with the Los Robles Master Chorale's annual holiday show at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, she said.

The choirs are affiliated with the nonprofit Master Chorale and Moorpark College Community Services.

Though the boys choir has been around about seven years, the girls choir was started only last year, according to Hesselbach.

But from the beginning it has attracted many young singers, and slightly more than half of the auditioners these past two weekends have been girls, she said.

Hesselbach expects to admit most of the hopefuls, though a few are not quite ready for the choir - something she regrets, she said.

``I wish I could ask every child that auditions - they're kids and I hate to hurt their little feelings - but there are a few that I will ask to audition next year,'' Hesselbach said. ``It's not easy, but I will have to say no to a few.''

Youngsters have quite a bit to gain from being on the choir, with much of it going far beyond musical training, Hesselbach said.

For example, they learn to work in cooperation with others and also have an opportunity to see themselves develop their skills. Also, they gain a sense of their individual importance to the choir.

``One thing I have to emphasize is that we're a team - this is a team like any other team,'' Hesselbach said. ``One voice makes a difference.''

The choir's musical selections will range from the classics to folk music and even include some pop, she said. ``We're doing a song called `Popcorn' this time,'' she said. ``It's not quite classical.''

In addition to English, some of the selections will be in other languages, including French, Chinese and Spanish, she said.

By singing in other languages, the emphasis is taken off the words that they have used all their lives and they learn to listen and replicate the sounds produced by other languages, she said.

``It puts them a little off-balance so they're open to fresh suggestions,'' Hesselbach said. ``With notes and languages they don't know, it's pure.''

But many of the youngsters who tried out Saturday said the choir will just be fun to be on - and give some of them a chance to demonstrate for the public the voices with which only their parents are familiar.

Stephanie Liebscher, 11, said she likes to sing around her Simi Valley home, sometimes to records and occasionally the songs she's made up.

So far, her audience has included only her parents. But now she wants to try singing with a group and wants to enjoy some of the advantages of performing in front of an audience.

``Just all the clapping and all the cameras going off,'' Stephanie said.

A seasoned performer in the group was 11-year-old Lacy Bird, who said she has sung for the public at her school - Vista Fundamental School in Simi Valley - at a Drug Abuse Resistance Education rally, and at her older brother's wedding.

She said she has a special reason for wanting to be on the choir. ``Mainly I wanted to do this because, when I listen to music, it cheers me up and I hope people will be happier.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Lacy Bird, 11, sings ``O Beautiful'' as Patricia Hesselbach accompanies.

(2) Caitlin Galvin, 8, glances back at her father before her audition.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News