Choir preps for prestigious performance

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A Fort Wayne choir has been invited to sing at a prestigious event on the other side of the globe.

The Voices of Unity Youth Choir will represent the United States during the 2010 World Choir Games in China.

"It's something that we've never ever dreamed of or thought of so we're pretty on the clouds about this," Choir Director, Marshall White said.

The choir is one of only five in the country invited to the 2010 games and the only from Indiana to ever participate. The 10-year-old event joins more than 400 choirs from 90 countries to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Board Chairman for Unity Performing Arts Foundation (UPAF), Jim Markiton said the organization hopes to send all 70 choir singers and musicians along with 20-30 chaperones to China.

"I think it would be very, very advantageous for [the students] to broaden their horizons and make them much more complete human beings," Markiton said.

UPAF said this event takes its fundraising efforts to a whole new level. The price tag for the trip equals around one million dollars. The foundation said it hopes to turn to corporate contributors locally and nationally and other donations.

"Each of the participants are... Required to come up with one thousand dollars of their trip so that everybody is participating in the raising of funds," Markiton said.

The United States will host its first World Choir Games in Cincinnati in 2012.